exhibitions
The fabric of life
Thurs 4th Sept - Thurs 30th Oct
Cheshire Artists Network
‘The Fabric of Life’ - an unusual and thought-provoking title. CAN has over thirty artists from all corners of the county. Each artist will interpret the title through their own particular genres. CAN’s professional artists specialise in paint, print, textiles, ceramics, glass, and photography etc.
Since CAN was started in 2002, they have exhibited in many prestigious venues such as The Atkinson Gallery in Southport, Castle Park Arts Centre in Frodsham, The Foxlowe Arts Centre in Leek, The Willows Gallery in Oswestry and the Grosvenor Museum & Art Gallery in Chester, to name but a few.
All the details relating to the artists and the future exhibitions can be found on their website. We also welcome enquiries from more Cheshire based artists who are interested in joining CAN.
celebrating creativity and harvest
Installed in the Tunnicliffe Garden
(10th - 20th September)
IThe World Harvest Festival is more than a celebration of food and culture — it is a moment to reflect on the fruits of our labour, the value of community, and the beauty of creativity.
This year, two remarkable artists are contributing to the festival’s installations: Michelle Brown, a local artist, and Inna Lymar, a Ukrainian designer and decorator. Through their artistic collaboration, they seek to highlight the deeper meaning of the festival — that a harvest is not only a reward for hard work, but also a gift of nature to be appreciated and cherished.
By transforming humble vegetables into a striking art installation, they draw attention to the importance of valuing our resources while celebrating the traditions that unite us. Michelle and Inna emphasise sustainability in their creative process. Their installation is crafted using eco-conscious methods: metal structures, paper, and water-based dyes, all chosen to respect nature and reduce environmental impact. By layering textures and experimenting with forms, they create an artwork that captures both the abundance of harvest and the innovation of contemporary design. The installation symbolises more than the harvest itself — it is a reminder that creativity is a harvest of the human spirit. It is an opportunity to celebrate what we have achieved, to acknowledge the beauty of nature’s gifts, and to share inspiration with the wider community.
As Michelle and Inna note, “The harvest festival allows us to pause and take stock, not only of what we grow, but also of what we create. It is a reward, a joy, and a moment to show gratitude — through art, design, and imagination.”
GROWING COLOUR
Thurs 18th Sept - Sat 1st Nov
Michelle Ault /Ailsa Holland /Kirsteen McGregor/Aimee Spilstead/ Becca Smith
An exhibition of contemporary Textile artworks using plant dyes, sewing together the museum’s Dye Plant Garden and our local textile colour history.
Launch event and meet the artists Sunday 21st September 2pm -3.30pm
After receiving a Green Shoots grant from Cheshire East Council in 2024, textile heritage expert Kirsteen McGregor and New Macclesfield School of Art director, Becca Smith, began to plant seeds with the goal of a garden bursting with growing colour which would allow visitors to directly link the plants and flowers with textile dyes.
The hard-working and knowledgeable garden volunteers have nurtured the dye plants through snow and heatwaves, and over a 100 participants of all ages and abilities have taken part in using these plants to dye silk, cotton and wool in a variety of creative workshops.
The artists in this exhibition have all used plant dyes to create their work, from carefully collected colour-swatches to surprising experiments, Bayeux tapestry-style embroidery to hand-stitched maps. This collection brings together artists excited about the potential for natural dye colour in contemporary art and textiles.
PROJECT INC - STUDENT INSTALLATION
Installed in the Machine Gallery
In this work made by the students of Pinc College, we have picked out an extravagant piece of machinery from within the museum to create a collaborative artwork with the Silk Museum.
One of our students has photographed the silk loom to which we have printed out on a large scale and divided up into 24 equal squares. The students have been tasked to choose a square to trace and transfer to a tetra pack, where they would etch and carve out the key factors of their chosen image. Some doing more squares than others.
The process we used is called ‘intaglio’. After the etchings were complete, they were then printed onto paper where we would arrange them all back together to create the overall image.
Unfortunately, upon seeing them all together, we realised that the overall image lacked coherency, it wasn’t clear to see how it all lined up. As a solution, we photographed each square and lined them up together digitally using a software called ‘Procreate’, making sure the image was decipherable for all who saw.
We were discussing the best possible ways to present the work when the thought came to mind, given the fact that this was to be presented in the silk museum, why not have it presented on a silk banner?
And so we all picked out a silk we thought was best suited for the final outcome and sent out a request for it to be printed Thus giving us the work you see before you right now.
By Abbie Massey
NEW CHILDRENSWEAR DISPLAY
Open now
A new display at Silk Museum reveals previously unseen garments from the childrenswear collection, which are on display for the first time.
The collection features items such as christening gowns and dresses, which have been donated to the museum over the years for them to care for – conserving clothing from as far back as the Victorian era.
It is part of a project to document and check the condition of the items in the collection and share them with museum visitors. It has been supported by a grant from the AIM and Arts Scholars Charitable Trust Brighter Day scheme.
Around 280 items have been meticulously checked and photographed by curator Emily Lashford, who is also highlighting the way that clothes were repaired and re-used in the past.
The clothing, including Edwardian sailor suits, will be displayed around the Silk Museum amongst the collections. There will be displays amongst the industrial machinery. This follows consultation with the museum’s younger visitors.
Emily held a workshop with children and young people who gave their thoughts about how they like to experience objects in the museum. Popular feedback was about interacting with objects and being able to touch things.
Emily says: “We’re obviously not able to have lots of little hands on silk dresses, but we have taken all this on board and have created a dressing up station and a panel where we display samples of fabrics. We have also got examples from the era such as facsimile copies of a Victorian school book. Hopefully, these will allow children of all ages to be able to engage more with the collections.”
Image:Geoff Findlow with the first ever Macclesfield FC team image.Celebrating 150 years of Football in Macclesfield
A new display in the Silk Museum
We have kicked off football season with a new display relating to Macclesfield’s football history, with a particular focus on Macclesfield Town FC. Many of the items have come from a private collector, Geoff Findlow, alongside relevant objects from the museum’s own collection.
Come and explore the origins of football in Macclesfield, learn about the history and significance of Macclesfield FC as it is known today and what it means to be a fan. Discover more about Macclesfield’s footballing heroes, the development of the women’s game locally, and the connections between football and silk.
The display is being funded through a partnership including Geoff Findlow and his former colleague Rob Bickerton, who was once Chair of Macclesfield Town FC.
What’s on
The Silk Museum hosts a changing programme of exhibitions and workshops all year round. From guided walks around Macclesfield to family activities we run workshops for all abilities and ages.
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