Workington Art Trail sees community groups and artists work together

Participants from Cumbria Deaf Association (CDA), Moorclose Community Centre and Victoria Junior School have been hard at work with artists Alison Critchlow, Rosie Galloway-Smith and Melissa Davies, co-creating a vibrant collection of homegrown artwork which is sure to delight locals and visitors alike.

Put in place by Cumberland Council alongside partners, their poetry, paintings and textile installations have been displayed from Friday, November 22 in windows at HSBC, Workington Library and Workington Railway Station.

Members of the group look at their drawings in the bank. (Image: NQ staff) Rosie Galloway-Smith, who is an artist based in Carlisle, worked with the Moorclose Community Centre to create the artwork on display at the HSBC bank in Workington, exploring themes of memory loss and dementia affecting peoples lives.

She said: "Its been so much fun, we've had a lot of laughs. We started off doing the drawings and talking about our objects - I talked a little bit about the project and my family situation and why I wanted to do this project. I could see talking to people that they knew what I was talking about."

The community centre members worked to draw their objects which had meaning to them before Rosie scanned them onto a digital pattern to create a dress shape.

The group look proudly at their work. (Image: NQ staff) The group then cut out their dresses and sowed them to be displayed in the window of the town centre bank.

Angela Good, manager at the Moorclose Community Centre, said the project has been fun for all, and has inspired the group to continue with their artwork following the project.

She said: "Some of the things we have brought in have got us all talking, sparked our interest, but has also got us thinking about memory loss and Alzheimer's, because it affects so many people and it's just swept under the carpet.

"It's got us working as a team which is perfect because that way we can all help each other too."

Two year old Lachlan Key was the youngest member of the group. (Image: NQ staff) The youngest member of the group, Lachlan Key, aged 2, was represented in the installation with a picture of his beloved dummy and a scribble he drew appearing on the dress.

Anne Waggot Knott, who project managed the art trail for the council, said: "I am so proud of all our artists and community groups. I think this project has been very special because it's allowed our artists to really build strong relationships with the groups in the community.

"The strength of the project has been that there has been real value for everyone involved."

A look at the dresses in the window. (Image: NQ staff) Anne said that she hoped this would be the first of many Workington art trails, and said they are using the scheme as a pilot looking to 'expand and progress' the project in other area's.

The Workington Art Trail runs from November 22 to February 28 2025.