Making a Difference

Donate Now: Help Keep Making Free for Everyone

The National Festival of Making is free to attend and open to all, bringing together artists, industry, makers and communities through extraordinary commissions, exhibitions, workshops, talks, performances and hands-on experiences.

Delivered by Festival of Making CIC, the festival sits at the heart of a year-round programme that supports artists, creates new work and celebrates making in all its forms, from the kitchen table to the factory floor.

Each year, more than 44,000 people visit Blackburn town centre to experience over 100 events and activities. Keeping the festival free and accessible is only possible through the support of our funders, sponsors, partners and supporters.

This is where you can make a difference.

If you’re planning a visit this July, have enjoyed the festival in the past, been inspired by an artist, discovered a new skill, or simply believe in the power of creativity to bring people together, please consider making a donation.

Every contribution helps us commission new work, support artists and makers, deliver workshops and talks, and ensure the festival remains free and accessible for future generations. By making a donation you are supporting a programme that enriches lives through making and ensures the sustained future of a locally-grown landmark event in the UK’s cultural calendar.

What’s amazing about the Festival is that it genuinely is about making, and the opportunities to give things a go are phenomenal. And that it happens in Blackburn – and engages everyone…is just brilliant.

Festival Visitor

The first time I visited with a friend was just for the afternoon. We decided we would need a whole day. This year we brought two more friends and decided we need to attend for the whole weekend next time! Love it, it’s a fabulous event for Blackburn.

Festival Visitor