We’re inviting artists, makers, creatives and facilitators to submit workshop proposals for the National Festival of Making weekend on the 4th & 5th July 2026.

Key Details:

Festival Dates: 4th and 5th July 2026 – you must be available for both dates
Location: Blackburn, Lancashire
Festival Times: 11 am – 5 pm
Open to: Artists/Makers/Creatives/Collectives/Musicians/STEAM Leaders/Facilitators
Budget: Varied, dependent on day-rate and material costs – we ask you to supply an estimated budget as part of your proposal
Deadline for applications: 9 am on Monday 8th December 2025.

 

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About

The National Festival of Making is a unique celebration of making, from the kitchen table to the factory floor. Presenting a programme of work that combines Art, Manufacturing, Making and Communities, we commission local and national artists to create world-class works, a year-round programme and a participatory FREE FAMILY festival for all to enjoy.

The National Festival of Making weekend will return to Lancashire on 4th & 5th July 2026, filling the streets of Blackburn with free participatory making opportunities, workshops, performances, talks, exhibitions, markets and more.

The festival is recognised as a place where makers deliver an extraordinary range of workshops for all ages. Workshops make up the largest part of our programme, offering our audience the opportunity to take part in high-quality making experiences and explore new skills and materials.

Whether coming with the family or on a solo trip, the programme is packed with opportunities for intergenerational making, discovering an artists’ practice, or contemporary takes on heritage skills.

To learn more about our work, explore our website and the accompanying website for Art in Manufacturing.

 

 

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The Workshop Brief

We work closely with some of the most skilled, exciting and contemporary artists and makers locally and nationally through our festival workshop programme. Often, artists adapt their practice to suit the drop-in family-festival, or we offer opportunities for participants to take part in longer, slower workshop experiences. Every step of the way, we consider how both the artist and participant can have the best experience.

We would like to hear from artists/makers/creatives of all kinds with an outline of what they would like to deliver as part of the 2026 festival workshop programme. 

We are looking for imaginative and distinctive ideas that inspire and engage our multi-generational audiences, from early years through to adults. 

Read the full open call linked below for more guidance.

 

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Practical Information & Budget

Through this open call, we expect to commission between 6-8 new workshops, which will complement our developing programme.

Budget: Varied, dependent on day-rate and material costs – we ask you to supply an estimated budget as part of your proposal

 

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How to Apply

We aim to avoid the necessity for artists and makers to provide extensive information. As part of the open call we request 1-2 pages including:

• A brief outline of your workshop idea 
• A breakdown of your budget, including artist fees, materials and travel expenses
• The target audience for your workshop (e.g. early years / family groups / adults)
• Details of any previous experience delivering workshops 
• Relevant images or links to your work e.g. Instagram/website. 

Please email the above to applications@festivalofmaking.co.uk 

Deadline for applications: 9 am on Monday, 8th December

Please download the PDF below for full information on this open call.