Touchstones Rochdale Guide January-April 2018

Discover | Explore | Learn

January - April 2018

Exhibitions | Events | Performances | Participation 1

At a Glance Exhibitions

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A Postcard from Rochdale

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HeartBeat

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Toil, Trade & Titans

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Ancient Egypt: Life along the river Nile

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Fashion: Dress and Accessories from the Museum Collection

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Film and Cinema

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Health and Wellbeing Talks & Tours

Touchstones Rochdale

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Tour: Who’s Afraid of Contemporary Art?

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Talks: Friends of Rochdale Art Gallery

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Performances and Events Touchstones_ Rochdale

Touchstones Rochdale

Link4Life

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Bare Skin On Briny Water

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Bernard Wrigley

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Just Turf

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Box of tricks: Chip Shop Chips

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Chris Keogh

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Family Fun Day – Roll out the barrel!

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Snail Mail Workshop

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Regular Activities yourlink4life

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Tapestry

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Mindfulness & Wellbeing

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Touchstones Writing Group

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Tiny Touchstones

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Knitty Gritty

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Homework Club

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Family History Drop-in

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Lunchtime Meditation

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Adult Craft Workshops

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Shabti Boxes

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Herbal Winter Lip Balm

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Warp, Weft and Wood

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Relief and Stencil Printing

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Get Involved!

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Visitor Information

pp19 Front cover image: Sarah Holich Bare Skin On Briny Water, Friday 9 February

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Welcome Welcome to our exhibitions and events guide, listing everything happening at Touchstones Rochdale, and by our teams across the borough over the next 4 months. We hope you will enjoy visiting, participating and engaging with our ever-growing offer.

One of my favourite objects in our museum is the flour barrel, which contained aid sent to the starving people of Lancashire by the northern states during the American Civil War. This was in thanks to the people of Rochdale who actively protested against the slave trade, despite it affecting their own cotton industries. The people of this Borough have over hundreds of years fought against injustice and discrimination, even if that means they are negatively affected.

In the Autumn of 2017, we were pleased to welcome Sir Bill Cash MP to open the refurbished grave of John Bright. During his visit, I was reminded of the incredible impact the people of Rochdale have had on the world, promoting freedom, equality and co-operation. Visit our museum to find out more about this important part of our history, or pop along to the Family Fun Day about the barrel on 15th February.

A highlight of the year for me is the People’s Art exhibition, this annual showcase always amazes our audiences with the range and scope of talent from our Borough. This year, we’ve taken the opportunity to work with brilliant local artists to create a ‘Postcard from Rochdale’. This is a twist on the regular exhibition to channel the creativity in promoting our town and Borough.

We will also enable the best entries to continue beyond the exhibition through being reproduced and sold in our Visitor Information Centre. If you live or work in Rochdale Borough, I’d urge you to submit your artwork by 13th January. The exhibition will open on 20th January and run until mid April.

Tom Besford Head of Culture

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Exhibitions A Postcard from Rochdale 20 January – 14 April 2018 Gallery One This year’s popular open art exhibition celebrates the artistic talent of Rochdale with a local twist! Established artists and amateurs alike who live or work in the borough of Rochdale are invited to exhibit their artworks which celebrate Rochdale.

For this year’s competition, we are looking for submissions which can be turned in to postcards for national circulation to promote our wonderful Borough.

In addition, there’s an added incentive for this annual exhibition: cash prizes! Our independent panel of judges will select winners and award them £100 cash prizes, with one of the lucky entrants having their postcard reproduced and for sale in the Rochdale Visitor Information Centre, in Touchstones.

The exhibition will feature all entries and some examples of postcards from our collection, the scenic alongside the weird and wonderful!

For further details about submitting an artwork pop in to Touchstones Rochdale or ring 01706 924928. The deadline for entries is Saturday 13 January before 5pm.

Images: Top - Dialect Writers’ Memorial, Rochdale Park (postcard from the Rochdale Local Studies Collection). Bottom - Harry Rutherford, Rochdale. © Rutherford Estate

Download an entry form at: www.link4life.org/ arts-heritage/a-postcard-from-rochdale

Exhibition Openings: A Postcard from Rochdale & HeartBeat Saturday 20 January | 1-3pm | No need to book, just turn up.

Come and celebrate the opening of both these exhibitions. An opening address from the Mayor for A Postcard from Rochdale will take place at 1.15pm.

Toil, Trade & Titans Until 31 March 2018 Gallery Two Rochdale rose to prominence during the 19th century as a major mill town and centre for textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution. It was a ‘boomtown’ of the period, and amongst the first ever industrialised towns.

Toil, Trade & Titans explores how the social, economic and cultural impact of industry is manifest in the borough’s rich Fine Art and Museum collections. Featured artists include L.S. Lowry, Cornelia Parker, Taslim Martin, Susan Collis, Lesley Halliwell and Rosa Nguyen.

Explore our under 5s interactive boxes in the Art Gallery with tactile toys and beautiful books linked to the exhibition.

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Image: Harry Kingsley, The Cooling Tower, Stockport, 1960. Photo: Rochdale Arts & Heritage Service

HeartBeat 20 January – 14 April 2018 Gallery Three & Four In January 2017 a group of artists came together for an intensive two-week residency in Bapugaon a remote village in rural Maharastra, India. Warli painters, artists and craft workers, a musician, filmmaker, story-teller, designers and ceramic artists, collaborated in creating an installation in the landscape of the village, as a response to the idea of establishing an art centre as a site for the preservation and development of Warli creative practice.

Developing the idea of cross-cultural exchange the artists made a link between the changing Bapugaon village and regeneration ambitions of a UK city, Stoke-on-Trent. At Touchstones Rochdale the HeartBeat installation is re-configured with new commissioned works introduced. It includes over 30 Warli narrative paintings alongside film works, sculptural pieces, objects and sound works.

Featured artists include: Anjum Malik, Anita Balu Mashe, Balu Dumade, Balu Mashe, Jasleen Kaur, Jason Singh, Jay Thakkar, Jayshree Hengadi, Jayshree Mashe, Jivya Soma Mashe, Joanne Ayre, Johnny Magee, Kishoor Mashe, Lokesh Ghai, Praveen Mashe, Ramesh Hengadi, Rishav Jain, Sadashiv Mashe, Shantaram Ghorkana, Stephen Dixon and Vijay Mashe.

The HeartBeat project is directed by British Ceramics Biennial and has been funded by Arts Council England under the Re-imagine India programme as part of the 70th anniversary of India Independence in 2017.

Images: Top - Ramesh Hengadi, Warli Kendra. Courtesy of the artist and HeartBeat. Bottom - Johnny Magee, Aerial Photograph of the HeartBeat Installation (Bapugaon). Courtesy the artist and HeartBeat

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Ancient Egypt: Life along the River Nile Until 12 May 2018 Heritage Gallery Be transported down the river Nile into ancient Egypt and discover this fascinating world through centuries-old exhibits from the land of the pharaohs. Preserved and buried for thousands of years, the stunning objects in this exhibition range from a set of canopic jars to small pieces of intricate jewellery.

Featuring objects from Rochdale’s own Egyptian collection, this exhibition spans over 4,000 years of history.

Many of the items in the exhibition were excavated by the famous Egyptologist, Sir Flinder Petrie and donated to the museum by Charles Heape, a Rochdale industrialist. Learn about the incredible story of Petrie and his amazing finds which transformed our understanding of ancient Egypt and archaeology.

Vessels and pots, amulets, jewellery, mirrors, tools and animal mummies tell the story of the everyday life of its people and their beliefs.

Discover what beauty meant to the ancient Egyptians through the personal belongings that accompanied them into the afterlife. Take a glimpse at a civilisation whose focus on appearance is not dissimilar to our own.

Through our special youth project, Reflection, explore the similarities and differences in the ways that we transform our bodies today.

Visitors of all ages can journey through the centuries to write their name in hieroglyphics, wrap a mummy, have a go at our exciting exhibition trail dressed as an Egyptian and take a ride in an ancient Egyptian river boat.

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Film and Cinema

Health & Wellbeing

At Middleton Arena From end January 2018

At Heywood Sports Village From November 2017

Before the advent of TV, and later digital streaming, cinema was perhaps the most popular form of entertainment for people from all backgrounds, with at least one in every town in Britain during their heyday of the 1930’s and 40’s. This display will celebrate the popularity and development of the picture houses in the Rochdale borough and will feature objects recently donated from the former Middleton cinema owner George Brighty.

Learn more about the development of health and wellbeing in Victorian Rochdale through to the creation of the NHS in the 1940’s with our new exhibition at Heywood Sports Village. Featuring a range of objects from the collection, from home medicine chests to poison bottles and nurses uniforms this display will look at how medicine and healthcare went from being a luxury for those who could afford it to a service available for everybody.

Fashion: Dress and Accessories from the Museum Collection

Rochdale’s collections

At Middleton Arena Until January 2018 A chance to see a selection of the museum’s collection of female dress and accessories. This exhibition features a beautiful 1950’s outfit and a 1960’s Jaeger woollen suit alongside an Ossie Clarke dress from the early 1970’s. As well as clothing, a striking selection of accessories such as shoes, jewellery, handbags and hats are included in the exhibition.

Museum Ongoing As well as our changing exhibition spaces, we have a permanent museum which tells the history of Rochdale in a fun, friendly and informative way.

The museum is ideally suited to families and people with an interest in the history of Rochdale. There are interactive displays, hands on exhibits, films, audio and a wide range of objects from the Borough’s collection on display.

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Link4Life is the trading name of Rochdale Boroughwide Cultural Trust. Registered Charity No: 1118610

Talks & Tours Tour: Who’s Afraid of Contemporary Art?

Booking Required

Last Saturday of every month 27 January | 24 February | 31 March 2pm-3pm | FREE Have you always felt a little mystified by recent developments in art? Join one of the Art Gallery team for a chance to take a closer look at some of the key contemporary works in the current exhibitions.

Continue the discussion over a cuppa and a cake in The Art Café with 25% discount for attendees.

Talks: Friends of Rochdale Art Gallery Second Tuesday of every month 9 January | 13 February | 13 March | 10 April 12.30pm-1.45pm | £4 (£3 members) – pay on the day The Friends organise monthly talks by invited speakers about art and craft and an annual trip to visit other regional art collections. For more details about the next season of events please visit www.link4life. org/touchstones/frags.

No Booking Required

Image: Hayley Tompkins, Chair. Courtesy the artist and The Modern Institute/Toby Webster Ltd, Glasgow. Photo: Ruth Clark

To book: visit www.link4life.org/touchstones, call 01706 924928 or pop in to Touchstones Rochdale 9

Performances and Events

Bellow Theatre Presents Bare Skin On Briny Water Friday 9 February 7.30pm | £6

Tapestry Friday 26 January 7.30pm | £6 Tapestry perform a wide variety of song covers from the 70’s to the present day along with their own material.

The group have played at festivals across the north west including the Rochdale Literature Festival, fund raising events, local restaurants and local private functions.

They have supported some well-known artists such as Gordon Giltrap and Philippa Hanna. This will be the last gig before Richard and Sharon embark on their European tour.

Friday Nights

Two young women stand on a cliff edge steadily being blown on an unexpected course.

Underscored with live folk music this is a story about survival and escape. “Gently poetic salt-tinged story-telling” (Lyn Gardner, THE GUARDIAN) from Bellow Theatre, an award winning new-writing company rooted in brave and stirring storytelling. Supported artists of Hull Truck Theatre and Emerging company of New Diorama Theatre.

Bare Skin On Briny Waters was a hit at Edinburgh fringe, where it was part of the Hull City of Culture TakeOver and earned two award commendations from NSDF for Writing and Acting.

‘The dramatic equivalent of a Laura Marling song: sad, sensitive, soulful and stirring. A howl of rage, whispered into the wind from a clifftop.’ THE STAGE

14+

Friday Nights

60 mins

To book: visit www.link4life.org/touchstones, call 01706 924928 or pop in to Touchstones Rochdale 10

Just Turf Friday 16 March 7.30pm | £6 Just Turf is a poignant, original and dark exploration of one woman’s personal fantasy to dance with Michael Flately and smother him in her prize winning creamy mashed potato.

Like many Irish families Martha’s siblings have migrated across the globe and as the youngest she is left at home, dealing with her demanding, ailing, feckless father. Vexed, Maisie spends her days furiously shining her dancing shoes, before banging out her one two three’s in an elaborate, hand stitched, hand washed, velour panelled dress.

This is a play exploring a passion of youth, now lost in a starchy, tuberous crop and the frustration of a traditional dance repeatedly whumped out on a hard kitchen floor.

Just Turf is a play by Tom Hogan starring Susan Guest as Martha and Tom, as everyone else.

Bernard Wrigley Friday 23 February 7.30pm | £8 Affectionately known as ‘The Bolton Bullfrog’, Bernard has been delighting audiences all over for more than 45 years now. He’s forged a reputation with seriously daft songs and humorous monologues, together with his highly respected ability on the guitar.

He’s an actor as well as a singer and storyteller.

Barry Clegg – the hapless rocket builder whose wife Lisa left him for Zak Dingle in Emmerdale, 3 episodes of Dinner Ladies with Victoria Wood, and then Dodgy Eric in Phoenix Nights with Peter Kay, where he insisted that Brian Potter hire a bouncy castle with a fifteen feet phallic extension.

The idea originated from a conversation between Tom and Susan about what it means to be Irish – Tom being born and bred on the Emerald Isle and Susan being second generation Irish growing up in a close knit Irish community in London. It appears, after much debate, that Susan is much more Irish than Tom as she can play the tin whistle, competed internationally as an Irish dancer, knows all the legends and can speak a variety of accents from around the country – and she brings all this to Just Turf.

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Friday Nights

1.5 Hours

Radio listeners will have heard Bernard’s contributions to the Mark Radcliffe progs on Radios 1 and 2. Drama lovers will recognise his dulcet tones from quite a few plays and serials on Radio 4 as well, plus the many appearances on Radio Lancashire.

At Touchstones Rochdale, he’ll be performing his unique blend of songs, stories, monologues and guitar playing.

Friday Nights

To book: visit www.link4life.org/touchstones, call 01706 924928 or pop in to Touchstones Rochdale 11

Box of tricks: Chip Shop Chips A new play by Becky Prestwich Tuesday 17 April 7pm | £10 “She’s not going anywhere yet. Even if it’s just for tonight - he won’t unwish it. They can have now.

And then years after, they’ll still get a shiver from the memories.”

It’s the grand reopening of Booth and Son’s Fish & Chip Shop. Eric has returned home, over forty years after he left, and it’s time for a fresh start. But old flame Christine has other ideas.

Transported back to a time of chippy teas and Northern Soul, there’s unfinished business for these old lovers. Watching teenage love stumble as hapless Lee makes a pass at the beautiful Jasmine, is it all just history repeating?

Focusing on love at different ages and celebrating the nation’s favourite food, Chip Shop Chips heads nationwide following a completely soldout Northern Tour in Spring 2016. Performing in unusual spaces across the country, brace yourself for an immersive love story set to a soundtrack of Northern Soul and served with a fish and chip supper. This is theatre, but not as you know it: dinner, quiz and a show all rolled into one!

This show must be pre booked as the ticket price includes fish and chips!!!

14+

Chris Kehoe: The Second Coming of Chris Friday 27 April 7.30pm | £6 Offbeat stand up comedy from Bolton comedian and satirist Chris Kehoe.

Tackling subjects such as racism, climate change, and board games, the show is an hour of comedy that is both clever and laugh out loud funny.

“An important and intelligent voice.” - Manchester Wire “Mines current affairs intelligently for some really big laughs.” – Creative Tourist “Damn fine.” – The Skinny “Astounding” - Dave Spikey

14+

Friday Nights

2 Hours

To book: visit www.link4life.org/touchstones, call 01706 924928 or pop in to Touchstones Rochdale 12

Family Fun Day: Roll out the barrel!

Thursday 15 February 11am - 2pm | FREE Have a barrel of fun at our Family Fun Day. Come along and join in the activities including art and craft, dressing up and storytelling at 11am, 12pm & 1pm.

No booking required – just turn up

Roll out the barrel! celebrates the amazing story of this flour barrel, sent all the way from America in 1863 to feed the people of Rochdale who were out of work and starving due to the Cotton famine.

This barrel is the last of thousands which were sent as an aid package by Abraham Lincoln.

Thousands cheered as it arrived on the docks at Liverpool and it is now on display in the museum.

Join in the storytelling and find out how the American Civil War had an effect on Lancashire mills and why the people of Rochdale supported the abolition of slavery in America.

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Families

Supported by the Museum University Partnerships Initiative.

Snail Mail!

11am-2pm Tuesday 13 February 2018

Drop in workshop | No need to book A family friendly creative workshop focusing on the theme of Snail Mail! Join us for a crafty workshop linked to the exhibition A Postcard from Rochdale.

For Families

To book: visit www.link4life.org/touchstones, call 01706 924928 or pop in to Touchstones Rochdale 13

Regular Activities

Mindfulness & Wellbeing

Touchstones Creative Writing Group

Last Friday of every month | 6pm-7pm | £5 26 January | 23 February | 27 April *23 March | 5pm-6pm

First Thursday of every month | 2pm-4pm FREE

Join us in our peaceful Gallery setting to explore the popular practice of Mindfulness. Learn how to become more aware of your thoughts and feelings through activities and breathing techniques that have been proven to reduce stress and improve wellbeing.

Just bring your own yoga mat or towel and get ready to relax.

Just turn up

Now independently constituted, the group meets monthly to inspire and promote creative writing.

Encouraging the positive health and well being benefits which can be gained through expressing yourself with creative writing.

The group welcomes new members, both would-be and existing writers, to join in.

Just turn up

For Adults

For Adults

Knitty Gritty Last Tuesday of every month 30 January | 27 February | 27 March 24 April | Times | FREE – just buy a brew!

Join our monthly knitting circle in The Art Café. Feel free to bring along your own knitting projects, share ideas or start something new inspired by our current exhibitions.

Just turn up

All Ages

Homework Club Local History Centre Every Wednesday | 3.30pm-4.45pm | FREE Saturdays | 1pm-4.45pm | FREE Got a project to finish, need a picture printing out?

Come along to our Homework Club. Children under 11 years must be accompanied by an adult.

Just turn up

Families

To book: visit www.link4life.org/touchstones, call 01706 924928 or pop in to Touchstones Rochdale 14

Lunchtime Meditation

Family History Drop-in Sessions

Wednesday 10, 17, 24, 31 January | 12.30pm-1pm | £5

Local History Centre Every Thursday | 2pm-4.30pm | FREE

Escape from the office or your busy schedule with our new drop in lunchtime meditation classes. Relax and be calm in our beautiful art gallery spaces. Guided by an expert in Bhuddhist meditation, Patrick McBride.

Need help with your family tree or don’t know where to start? Call in to our weekly Family History drop in sessions where friendly staff will be able to help you.

Just turn up

Just turn up

For Adults

All Ages

Tiny Touchstones 11, 18, 25 January 1, 8, 22 February 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 March 5, 12, 19, 26 April £2 per session These creative sessions use a range of exciting and open ended objects to stimulate the senses for tiny ones and inspire imaginative play for the under 5s.

Each week we bring new themes inspired by the world and art around us and invite parents and children to relax, build, sort, create and play together in a welcome space.

Our early years artist is on hand with stories, songs and creative activities to inspire your adventures.

Toddlers - 10.15am Babies - 11.15am Under 5s - 12.15pm

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To book: visit www.link4life.org/touchstones, call 01706 924928 or pop in to Touchstones Rochdale 15

Adult Craft Workshops Inspired by the Ancient Egypt: Life along the River Nile exhibition, try your hand at something new in our fun and friendly adult craft workshops. Cost £10 for half day or £20 full day session, payable on booking. Price includes all materials. Spaces are limited and booking is essential!

Shabti Boxes

Herbal Winter Lip Balm

Saturday 13 January 2018 | £20 10.30am-3.30pm (1 hr lunch break)

Saturday 10 February 2018 | £10 10.30am-12.30pm & 1.30pm-3.30pm

Warp, weft and wood

Relief and Stencil Printing

Saturday 10 March 2018 | £10 10.30am-12.30pm & 1.30pm-3.30pm

Saturday 14 April 2018 | £20 10.30am-3.30pm (1 hr lunch break)

Discover more about Ancient Egypt through this creative workshop where you will make your own decorated Shabti box with ceramicist Su Hudson.

Learn how to shape clay to form a beautiful box and decorate and embelish using different tools and techniques.

Join local artist Vincent James for a bespoke workshop to create an organic woven sculpture using found branches as a loom for your weaving design.

Learn new hand weaving techniques in this textile art workshop.

Create your own personalised lip balm from a choice of nourishing herbs and essential oils. Artist Alison Cooper has studied a foundation in herbal medicine and can provide information on all the ingredients used on the day. Using craft techniques you will also have the chance to personalise your own container to take the balm home in.

Join ink buddies Karen Vine and Trish Cartner for a carousel of taster printmaking activities using relief and stencil-based techniques. Spend the day making beautifully decorated personalised paper greetings cards, gift wrap, tags and boxes and create a fabric sample too.

To book: visit www.link4life.org/touchstones, call 01706 924928 or pop in to Touchstones Rochdale 16

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GYM SWIM CLASS RELAX Your 4 centre access membership includes: FREE Health check & 12 week review Over 150 fitness classes per week Aqua fitness classes for all ages

Track your fitness goals using boditrax Fantastic steam rooms** Luxury sauna & steam rooms***

**Available at Heywood Sports Village and Middleton Arena. ***Available at Rochdale Leisure Centre.

@Link4Life

yourlink4life

*T&C’s apply. Correct at time of print.

01706 924200 01706 923170

01706 927560

01706 927202

Link4Life is the trading name of Rochdale Boroughwide Cultural Trust. Registered Charity No: 1118610

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Get Involved!

Friends of Rochdale Art Gallery

Volunteering

The Friends of Rochdale Art Gallery have been essential to our continued growth and development as an important regional art gallery.

In Touchstones Rochdale, we’re always looking for volunteers to help out both inside and outside of the building. Whether you’re helping out with our loans boxes, giving tours of the galleries, collecting feedback or supporting our workshops and activities, if you would like to get involved, please email touchstones@link4life.org

Through their generous donations over the years we have been able to conserve and acquire countless key works of art for the collection.

Annual membership is ONLY £10 and in addition to supporting the Art Gallery, you will discounted rates on the annual programme of talks and trips organised by the Friends and invitations to private views for all exhibitions at the Art Gallery.

How to join You can join in a number of ways: • Post a cheque (made payable to FRAG) c/o Touchstones Rochdale, The Esplanade, Rochdale OL16 1AQ (please make sure you include a cover letter giving your full name, address, postcode, telephone number and email address).

• Ring 01706 924928 and pay over the phone.

• Come along to one of the talks organised by the Friends and pay in person.

Further information To discuss any aspect of the Friends or membership please contact Jenny Buckley (Chair, FRAG) on 01706 358686 or Mark Doyle (Art Gallery Curator & Collections Manager, Touchstones Rochdale) on 01706 924555 or mark.doyle@link4life.org

Venue Hire Touchstones Rochdale offers a unique venue for meetings and events. Our studio space and meeting room are available for hire.

Email touchstones@link4life.org for more details.

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Schools Service If you are a school or educational group looking for exciting and engaging learning experiences, then why not visit Touchstones Rochdale.

Our expert led sessions support the new national curriculum and we have been awarded the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge which is a nationally recognised indicator of high quality educational provision. Download our Schools Programme from our website or ring the Education Team on 01706 924931.

Arts & Heritage Resource Centre Ever wanted to see where we keep and care for the Borough’s museum, art gallery and local studies collections when they’re not on display?

Visits to the Arts and Heritage Resource Centre can be arranged but must be booked in advance, please enquire at Touchstones for more information.

Why not have a look on our website to see the new Virtual Reality Tour of the centre.

Visitor Information As well as our museum, art gallery and events programme, there are plenty of other reasons to visit Touchstones Rochdale. Touchstones Rochdale is the home of Rochdale Borough’s Arts & Heritage Service and is operated by Link4Life.

The Art Café Open 10am-4pm Tuesday-Saturday, serving a wide selection of fresh hot and cold food, drinks and snacks. With free wi-fi and a relaxed atmosphere, it’s the perfect place to catch up with friends, meet colleagues, or simply relax after enjoying our exhibitions and displays.

Shop The place to get that unique card or gift. We stock a range of souvenirs, postcards, local crafts, jewellery, books and pocket money gifts for children.

Local History Centre Discover the past for yourself first hand. Whether you’re interested in local history, want to trace your family roots or just want to know a little more about the street you live on, we can help you find out more.

Our collections include maps, photographs, ephemera, archives and local newspapers on microfilm. Free internet access including ancestry. com is also available. Just pop in and our friendly staff will help with your enquiries.

Visitor Information Centre Our Visitor Information Centre staff will be happy to help you learn more about the local area. They have information about local and regional events, accommodation and hospitality; and are full of suggestions for things to do and places to visit for all ages, backgrounds and interests.

Access Touchstones Rochdale is fully accessible for people using wheelchairs. There are three designated parking bays for blue badge holders outside the venue.

Travel Information Touchstones Rochdale is located close to Rochdale town centre approximately 5 to 10 minutes walk from Rochdale Transport Interchange with bus and tram access and 10 minutes from the Rochdale Railway Station.

We are 10 minutes drive from J20-M62. Cycle parking is available outside Touchstones Rochdale with Pay & Display car parking available close by.

Opening Times Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm | Art Cafe: 10am-4pm FREE Admission Good Friday Bank Holiday 30 March 2018 12noon – 4.30pm Saturday 31 March 2018 normal opening Easter Sunday 1 April 2018 and Easter Bank Holiday Monday 2 April 2018 closed Contact Us Main Reception: 01706 924492 Visitor Information Centre: 01706 924928 Email: touchstones@link4life.org Online: www.link4life.org/touchstones

Follow us on: Facebook (Touchstones Rochdale) Twitter (@Touchstones) Instagram (Touchstones_Rochdale) Pinterest (Touchstones Rochdale)

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Art Gallery • Museum • Local History Centre • Visitor Information Centre Events Programme • Education Service • Shop • Cafe A671 from Burnley

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A N D ROAD

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SP OT

E

A680 from Blackburn

A58 from Halifax

Train Station

A671 from Royton and Oldham

A58 from Sandbrook Park and J20 - M62

Heritage Gallery Toilets Education Studio Performance Space

Lift

The Art Café

Visitor Information Centre

Reception

Shop Entrance

Museum Local History Centre

First Floor Gallery One Lift

Gallery Four

Gallery Two Gallery Three

This information is available in large print on request.

www.link4life.org/touchstones The Esplanade, Rochdale, OL16 1AQ

01706 924492

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Link4Life is the trading name of Rochdale Boroughwide Cultural Trust. Registered Charity No: 1118610