ArtSpace

“Artspace is the place for me to socialise and see friends. I enjoy the sewing group where I have learned new skills. I have also been fundraising for the Artspace, and I like to support others where I can. I get involved with all of this and more.”

“We’re a group of eight ladies who meet once a week on Tuesday from 6- 8 pm in a small room at Artspace. Our objective is card making and some beading work. We do not give tuition but we help to give individuals ideas for what to make. We provide our own materials and equipment to keep the costs down.

Pat, Kathryn, Coral, Ann, Rachel, Jackie, Julie and Lucy



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“I got involved with Artspace soon after we set up at Gunco Lane. I’m a self-employed artist and teacher so anything that gets Macc people involved in doing creative stuff together seemed like a good thing. My initial involvement was with the Monday evening group making banners for the Barnaby Parade. It felt like a lovely co-operative project – everyone had ideas for images that would represent Macc and we
pooled ideas about how the design would go together and what techniques we could use. It wasn’t just about the making – it felt like a proper old-school sewing bee, sitting round chatting about all kinds of stuff and moaning about our rubbish eyesight for threading needles and how we kept losing our glasses. Textiles have always been my thing – I remember sitting in my bedroom with my sister making stuff when we were kids and that eventually led to me doing my degree in woven textiles. I still have a loom, currently housed at Artspace and available for
anyone interested to have a go. Artspace is a lovely place to come to do sewing – lots of fabric and sewing machines and lots of people with the skills and interests to help carry out ideas. As a practising artist I spend a lot of time working on my own so the collaborative nature and social aspect of Artspace is really important to me. I feel part of a community and have got to know so many people that I probably wouldn’t have met
otherwise. I’ve enjoyed setting up groups and workshops at Artspace that try to build our community as well as bringing in some much-needed income. I’ve run papier mache and dressmaking workshops and we also had ‘We Love Artspace’ where we encouraged people to show the love by helping tidy and sort out our rather overwhelming amount of resources. I think we probably need to run a few more of these soon as we get ready for another massive make-athon for Barnaby 2020.
I’m proud of Artspace – it’s a great resource for Macc and I want more people to know about it, to come down, to make friends, to do stuff and have some fun.”

“I'm an artist working from Artspace in Macclesfield producing abstract works of art. I've had over 18 exhibitions in England. I've been coming to Artspace for a number of years and have met a group of lovely people with a variety of skills and talents that I have sometimes adapted in my own work when I’m not feeling 100%. I know people are there for me and my support and health.”