GOING OUT- Art in Manufacturing
What happens when globally renowned artists trade studios for the clatter of machines, industrial dyes, and production lines?
At the National Festival of Making in Blackburn, the result is a bold, joyful, and often surprising collision of creativity and craft. Now in its ninth year, the festival's flagship commissioning programme, Art in Manufacturing, has announced three major new residencies for 2025.
This year's headline artists are Matter at Hand, the new studio of Lewis Jones (co-founder of Turner Prize-winning Assemble), graphic artist and community powerhouse Morag Myerscough, and collage and sculpture specialist Liaqat Rasul. Each embeds themselves inside a leading UK manufacturer in Lancashire, creating ambitious site-specific works that celebrate the region's legacy of making while pushing the boundaries of material and form.
Held annually in Blackburn town centre, the National Festival of Making draws tens of thousands each July for a free weekend of performances, exhibitions, talks, and installations. Its Art in Manufacturing strand has become a vital national model for artist-industry collaboration, pairing artists with factories to produce original work from heritage processes, specialist tools, and skilled workforces. Since its launch in 2016, over 30 artists have taken part across 20 manufacturers.
Art in Manufacturing 2025 made its debut at the National Festival of Making on 5–6 July, with installations now continuing in venues across Blackburn. For those curious about what happens when artists roll up their sleeves and step into the engine rooms of British industry, it's not one to miss.