WOVEN 2025 wraps up a month of community creativity

From the start, WOVEN 2025 had community at its heart. Over the course of the month, people of all ages participated in hands-on workshops, exhibitions, installations, and creative gatherings. The festival's ever-popular yarn bomb trail returned in full force, with Roberttown Village and Marsden Park festooned in woolly creations and Slaithwaite's streets adorned with colourful mandalas. There were "yarnstallations" in Moldgreen, an enchanted woodland in Flockton and giant flowers in Ravensthorpe, Meltham, Huddersfield's Piazza Centre and the Chestnut Centre in Sheepridge.

The festival's programme was packed with opportunities to learn and share skills, from upcycling workshops and natural dyeing sessions to brooch-making and creative mending classes. Stitch Saturday events in Birstall and Batley encouraged families to discover the joys of sewing together.

A highlight of WOVEN 2025 was the installation of The Red Dress at Oakwell Hall. This internationally acclaimed collaborative embroidery project, from artist Kirstie MacLeod, features the work of more than 300 embroiderers from 51 countries and drew more than 3,000 visitors from all around the UK.

Exhibitions across the district explored a range of themes, from the history of the Shoddy industry in Dewsbury to the innovation of radical pattern-cutting in Huddersfield. The Upcycle Challenge returned with a denim theme and the Textile Futures careers day at the University of Huddersfield sought to inspire the next generation of makers.

The whole event came to a close with the Dewsbury Mash Up, a day-long programme of textiles, food and fun centred on the Princess of Wales Precinct in partnership with The Arcade, Dewsbury. This attracted an extra 5000 visitors to the town.

"This year's festival has been defined by creativity, generosity and community spirit," said WOVEN Festival curator Natalie Walton, "We've seen new connections and collaborations flourish and whole communities come together in creative endeavour. My heart is full."

"I'm delighted that so many people across Kirklees had the opportunity to come together to celebrate our rich heritage and champion the ongoing innovation in our textile industry," said Councillor Carole Pattison, "WOVEN has delivered a wonderful array of colourful, inclusive events that truly reflected the diversity of our communities. A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved in making this a festival to remember once again."

"WOVEN 2025 has once again shown the incredible power of creativity to bring people together," said Councillor Elizabeth Smaje, Mayor of Kirklees, "From the awe-inspiring Red Dress installation at Oakwell Hall to the many community-led workshops and exhibitions, every corner of Kirklees has been alive with colour, craft and community spirit. As Mayor, I'm immensely proud of how our district has celebrated its rich textile heritage while inspiring future generations. Thank you to everyone who made this festival such a vibrant success."

"We are delighted to have supported WOVEN 2025 through our National Lottery Project Grants investment," said Dan Jarvis, Senior Relationship Manager at Arts Council England, "Since 2019 WOVEN has brought communities together to celebrate Kirklees' rich textiles history through community participation, pride and creativity and it has been fantastic seeing the engagement with communities deepening in this year's festival. Arts Council England continues to be committed to investing in places such as Kirklees, to empower local people to shape their own cultural landscape."

For more information on WOVEN 2025 and ongoing textile projects, visit https://woveninkirklees.co.uk