Saltaire Arts Trail 2013 - Leaflet

Working with the lovely people at Firecatcher Design we've refreshed the Saltaire Arts Trail brand for 2013.  Some of the first fruits from this partnership can be seen in the event leaflets that should be hitting the shops, galleries, pubs and cafes of Leeds/ Bradford and beyond very soon.

If you'd like a few copies of the leaflet to distribute amongst your family, friends and work colleagues, or you know of somewhere that would stock the leaflet then drop us a line at hello@saltaireartstrail.co.uk and we'll send you out a handful.

If you're digitally inclined please share this page on Facebook, Twitter or any other means you have to hand.

View and download the pdf here.

Quiet but busy!

Well, we’ve been a bit quiet blogwise just recently but that doesn’t mean to say theres not lots going on!

Our fantastic team of volunteers have been working hard on pulling together the final details for the Open Houses, Makers Fair and Family activities so a big thank you to them all. The details of all the chosen artists will be made live on the website in the next few days so watch this space….

We’ve also been working hard on raising funds for this years event through sponsorship and advertising. Our most recent initiative is ‘Adopt a House’ where you, or your business, can be featured as a supporter outside one of the Open Houses and we will also talk about you lots on our Social Media feeds. The fee is £100 a house, but we will accept part sponsorship as well so if you and your friends would like to sponsor a house between you get in touch! Any questions can be directed to coordinator@saltaireartstrail.co.uk.

Our family activities section will have lots going on as always but this year we are joined by a number of fantastic partner organisations who are working with us to promote various art forms, to make sure you and your family have a great day and also to tell you all about the great work they do as well. So it doesn’t matter if you’re 1 or 100 we will have something for you over the SAT weekend.

Don’t forget to put the dates in your diary – 25-27 May.

That’s all for now!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you all!

Tonight is our first volunteer committee meeting tonight, which will see our activities for this years event very much go up a notch.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of Saltaire Arts Trail and without them the event just wouldn’t run. Its amazing the amount of hours this lovely bunch spend on making things happen and ensuring that the Arts Trail runs smoothly. We’re always on the look out for more volunteers and I’m pleased to say that I’ll be meeting another couple of ‘newbies’ tonight and over the next couple of days who will hopefully come onboard and share the ever increasing load with the rest of the crew.

Theres been a couple of call outs gone out just recently, which you might have seen, one for artists and makers to join our Fair and Open Houses, and one for people to join the Open House element of the weekend. This entails people opening their own private houses and showcasing artists work within a home setting and allows us to offer something quite unique for visitors to the trail.

So all in all it’s a very big THANK YOU to all involved! Its going to be a busy few months but all the hard work and effort is hugely appreciated.

We’ll be confirming elements of the Arts Trail weekend very soon so keep dropping by to catch up with the latest news and we might just throw in a bit of gossip as well!

Take care.

P

Merry Christmas!

Life is getting busy here in SAT Towers! We’ve been out and about meeting people and getting the ball rolling for the Open Houses and Makers Fair element of the event in May.

The Living Advent Calendar is going well and you can see the progress on our dedicated Facebook page if you can’t come and see the windows in person. Thanks to all the LAC team for making this happen.

Last Monday we went to see Welcome to Yorkshire, the instigators of bringing the Tour de France to Yorkshire, and we are happy to say they are now onboard as our official Tourism Partners which is great news and will help us publicise the Arts Trail to a wider audience across the country.

A new recruit to the Family Activities section is West Yorkshire Print Workshop who will be introducing printmaking to potential printmakers young and old, and having some fun along the way! We are adding to our Family Activities partners so will bring you more news as we add to the list – friends returning from last year are Sponge Tree, Den Experiment and Titus Salt School.

Another merry band of like minded folk are the New Bradford Playhouse who we’ve also been to see and will be helping us spread the word about SAT. Jono and Clare are great people who are bringing new life and new faces to this fab little theatre in the heart of Bradford. Well worth a visit for a coffee, theatre experience , or new music - make sure its on your list of things to do next time you’re in Bradford.

We’ve also had the pleasure of visiting schools in the area as well to talk about being part of our Schools Trail during the weekend. The list of participants will be finalised at the beginning of the new year so if you represent a school, and are interested in details of how to take part, get in touch through hello@saltaireartstrail.co.uk.

But the big news is we’ve put the call out for Artists and Makers to take part in the Open Houses and Makers Fair both big parts of the SAT weekend in May. Details can be found on our ‘Get involved’ section of the website so if you are interested please take a look and come and join what is going to be a fantastic event – we’ve even ordered good weather! So from all of the Saltaire Arts Trail team have a great Christmas and a fantastic New Year!

Open House call out

The team working on the Open Houses element of SAT will be out and about this week delivering leaflets to houses within the village promoting that we are on the look out for willing volunteers to open up their houses as unique gallery spaces during the weekend.

The Open Houses complements the Makers Fair that is held in the Victoria Hall every year giving artists a great opportunity to display their work within a fabulous environment.

If any of you who live in Saltaire, would like to consider opening up your house we provide each home with artists and makers, public liability insurance, someone to show you the ropes and this year we have increased the payment to each house to £100. This is to show our appreciation of the time and effort each home owner takes to make this event a success.

So, if you are interested in taking part, opening up your house, would like more details or would like the opportunity to talk to someone who opened their house last year, please email us at hello@saltaireartstrail.co.uk before Monday 14 January.

Thanks!

Its getting colder!

Crikey!

The weather is getting colder don’t you think? But the Living Advent Calendar crew have donned their thermals to go out and distribute the newly printed leaflet around the area so thank you to all who took part in ‘Operation Spreading Word’.

We’ve also been posting on Facebook and Twitter as well so if you haven’t signed up already then do it now so you see all the windows as they are lit up throughout the month of December.

The first window will be unveiled on Saturday so watch out for details being posted and take a walk past the windows if you are in the area. Some of the SAT team will be at the Christmas Lights Switch On taking place on Sunday night so watch out for us there as well.

Plans for the Arts Trail are going well, we’re currently talking to a number of potential sponsors and advertisers so we’ll have news for you soon on this front. And the call for artists in Open Houses and the Makers Fair will be going out around the 16th December so we’re gearing up for a busy time.

What would you like to see on the Arts Trail weekend? Or what has been your favourite from Arts Trails gone by? Let us know as we’re always keen to get peoples input and opinions as we want the Arts Trail to keep improving.

Keep warm!

An interview with Martin Priestley, Saltaire resident, professional photographer and Saltaire Arts Trail regular.

Martin lives in one of the mill workers terrace cottages that make up the streets of Saltaire, whilst at first glance so similar to a multitude of other streets across the greater Bradford area, on closer inspection the little period details that Titus Salt - the Victorian philanthropist that built this village for the workers in his textile mill - used to embellish even the smallest of dwellings are what makes Saltaire such an uniquely captivating place.

Q. Why do you open your house as part of the Saltaire Arts Trail?

Well, above all I think that being part of the wider event, with it’s connections to the whole Saltaire community, is why I have opened my doors for the last 5 years. Of course, as a professional photographer I love the opportunity to bring my work to a fresh audience each year, but I think the over-riding reason I do this time and again is to be part of this fantastic event, and perhaps put something back into my local community in the process..

Q. Community spirit seems quite strong in Saltaire, do you think this is due in part to the Arts Trail and Makers Fair?

I certainly do, you hear of communities where neighbours are at war with each other over this and that, Saltaire certainly isn’t like that, and during the weekend of the Arts Trail it’s positively buzzing with neighbourly love. Coming together to collaborate on the event, with all the pre-planning and actual activities during the event really seems to bond the community.

Q. How does it feel having your doors open to the public?

Great, although I will admit to it being weird on occasion too. Creating a temporary boutique gallery in my living room, putting nails in the walls, blue-tacking signs all over the place, and then inviting strangers in through the front door can be a little overwhelming.  Having said that, you soon get over that when the first inquisitive visitors come through the door. The organisers of the event are brilliant, and are always there to help with tricky things like hanging work on the walls, moving furniture and taking money. I’m also provided with an assistant for the weekend, so I can go and rest upstairs or explore some of the other houses that are open up along my street, safe in the knowledge my house is in good hands in my absence.

Q. You provide wall space for other artists too, how does that work out?

The artists are chosen by the organising committee, they do a great job of selecting a couple of artists who will best fit into my tiny space, it is only my living room I open up, and also compliment my own work. The group of artists then work together to best utilise the space, creating an intimate mini-experience within the larger Arts Trail is all part of the fun. All the signage is provided by the organisers, along with Health & Safety checks and payment facilities.. The finished installation always looks so great, and makes me very proud as a home-owner and artist.

Q. What would you say to homeowners in Saltaire who are considering opening their homes for the 2013 Arts Trail?

I would recommend people think about it seriously, the feeling of being involved with something this big really makes you walk tall. The comradery between artists and homeowners is fantastic, with everyone chipping in to make the event a success. Yes, having so many people (6,000 in 2012) passing through your private space can be a little unnerving, but the opportunity provided to meet and chat with people, acting as a kind of unofficial Saltaire tour guide in the process, makes for great experience. People can be so nice, it really reaffirms my faith in the human race.

Martin Priestley is a professional landscape and wedding photographer, with his work regularly appearing in the national media. He also offers practical photography courses to the public, based in Saltaire as well as out in the wilds of the Yorkshire Dales.  Further info can be found at http://www.landscapes-uk.com

If you are interested in opening your home as part of the Saltaire Arts Trail 2013 event, May 24 - 27th, then please drop us a line at hello@saltaireartstrail.co.uk

All things festive

It's been all things festive for me in this past week! Now don’t be thinking I’ve been ultra-organised and bought all my Christmas presents as this will never happen in November as for me it's always last minute.

Myself and the Living Advent Calendar Team have been working away and putting the last minute touches to the leaflet for this year's event. It's going to be great! We have 24 windows around the village that will be lit up as the month of December progresses and gets nearer to Christmas. Find us on Facebook to take a look at past windows and to get a flavour of what's in store for this year (Saltaire Living Advent Calendar). The LAC event is another great event organised by Saltaire Inspired.

In addition to that we’ve also started work on next years Saltaire Arts Trail with the aid of our fab volunteers without whom this event just would not take place. If you would like to get involved have a look at the volunteer page on our website - http://www.saltaireartstrail.co.uk/volunteer.php and then get in touch via email addressed to hello@saltaireartstrail.co.uk and I’ll be in touch with you shortly after.

Also we’d like to hear from artists, arts and other organisations that have existing projects they might like to bring to SAT 2013. We’re at the planning stage at the moment so it's an ideal time to come and talk to us! Again email me at hello@saltaireartstrail.co.uk.

And some of the SAT team will be at the Saltaire Connected event at the Caroline St Social Club tomorrow night so if you’re passing call in to say hello.

Pam - Events Coordinator

Say Hi to Pam

Pam Lonsdale is our new Event Co-ordinator.  Pam's remit is to knock us all into shape to ensure we continue the success of Arts Trail events through into 2013.

Pam has been kind enough to pen a few words as way of an introduction.

Hello everybody

My name is Pam Lonsdale and I’ve been lucky enough to be appointed the new Event Co-ordinator for The Saltaire Arts Trail.

I joined the organisation just over a month ago now and have been busy from day one meeting with our fantastic volunteers, linking up with other organisations in the area, and generally getting things going for next years event.

Just to give you a bit of background about myself, I am a jewellery designer/maker, co-organiser of another arts event in West Yorkshire, curate small exhibitions at a bistro in Heckmondwike and am just in the process of moving on from being the Centre Manager at West Yorkshire Print Workshop in Mirfield so life is never boring! But I’m happy to say I love what I do.

We are keen to get more volunteers and other organisations on board for next years event so if you would like to get in touch with me please email hello@saltaireartstrail.co.uk

Pam

Photo credit: Dawn Robinson Photography

A whopping MASSIVE thanks

A quick message really, just to say thanks to all the makers, public and volunteers who made the Makers' Fair last Saturday another memorable Saltaire Inspired event.

With makers galore reporting a healthy interest in their wares, and the punters witnessed perusing the stalls spread across the three rooms of Victoria Hall with big grins on their faces, we think a good time was had by all.

We would also like to say thanks to the sun, who made a timely reappearance to shine goodwill down on everyone, lord knows we have waited long enough for that to happen. 

Paula P with a lovely gift from [Vinger & brown paper]

We’ve got some great pictures and reminiscences of the event to share with you over the coming weeks, but for now a big thank-you to one and all for another fantastic day on the streets of Saltaire.