2025 Festival Dates: 5 & 6 July

Listen to Martyn Ware’s Church of Rare Souls Soundscape

17th May 2018

The National Festival of Making took visitors on an exclusive trip inside Tony’s Empress Ballroom, now we can share with you the soundscape that brought the building back to life.

Northern Soul classics from the heyday the ballroom whisper through Ware’s immersive three dimensional soundscape, intertwined with human voices and industrial sounds taken from the factory floor.

Driving towards a sonic conclusion, the haunting piece comments on the ‘work hard, play hard’ cultures of Northern towns where work ruled the week and dancing ruled the weekend.

For more on Martyn Ware’s Art in Manufacturing commission, visit our Art in Manufacturing page

Funders

Sponsors

Trusts & Foundations

The National Festival Of Making Delivery Team

National Festival of Making is supported by the Arts Council England, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Brian Mercer Trust and Foundations and Partners. This project is part-funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

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