Touchstones Rochdale Events and Exhibitions Guide, September - December 2018

Discover | Explore | Learn September - December 2018

Exhibitions | Events Performances | Participation 1

At a Glance Exhibitions

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Reading Art Caroline Achaintre: Wimper Herstory: Women Artists from the Private Collection of Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo Rachel Kneebone: The Dance Project

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Maeve Rendle: What cannot be turned aside Rochdale’s Collections From Herbs to Hospitals: Health and Wellbeing in Rochdale

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Film and Cinema Sport Talks, Tours & Special Events

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Performance: The Dance Project Tour: Who’s Afraid of Contemporary Art? Talks: Friends of Rochdale Art Gallery Family Fun Day

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Tour: Arts & Heritage Resource Centre Gong Bath Performances If I Should Fall

Touchstones Rochdale

Astonishing Vacuum Clean Adventure Chit Chat Chalk Show Feral Christmas

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From Our Hands - Christmas Shopping Event Santas Grotto The Cabin of Curiosity’s Xmas Factor!

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Workshops Botanical Watercolours Creative Clay Beads Supercharged Botanicals Hand Printed Fabric Button Brooches Regular Activities Make Art! Knitty Gritty Tiny Touchstones Mindfulness & Wellbeing Homework Club Family History Drop-in Sessions Get Involved!

Visitor Information

Front Cover Image: Chit Chat Chalk Show by Hawk Dance Theatre.

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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.

Hello!

The next four months promise to be outstanding and we invite you to come and explore the new dazzling array of exhibitions, performances and workshops at Touchstones Rochdale.

In our art gallery Reading Art is a celebration of artworks featuring books and readers. Female artistic talent is also a strong focus with Herstory: Women Artists from the Private Collection of Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo featuring some of the pioneering women artists of the last forty years, and Wimper taking a closer look at London-based Caroline Achaintre’s drawings and prints. In October acclaimed British artist Rachel Kneebone presents a new body of her porcelain sculptures. To accompany this major exhibition Kneebone and nationally renowned choreographer TC Howard have worked with a group of local women to develop a new piece of dance to be performed on the opening night of the exhibition.

If all this wasn’t enough, our new Heritage Gallery exhibition, From Herbs to Hospitals celebrates the 70th anniversary of the NHS by displaying some fascinating medical equipment from the museum collection. Working with the University of Manchester the display also features a selection of oral histories recorded with local people alongside loaned objects from the Museum. Some of you might not be aware that we have an amazing team of volunteers who are busy working behind the scenes on a major documentation project at the Arts and Heritage Resource Centre. Why not come and see some of the displays they have curated in our What’s In Store cases? There may even be an opportunity for you to get involved.

Women also form the backbone of this season’s intimate theatre programme featuring If I Should Fall based on original letters from the Battle of the Somme and the true story of a remarkable women, and the emancipatory tale Feral in which the main character Sonya embarks on a wild

adventure to escape social expectations and a life of domesticity.

As always there is an extensive programme of regular activities to try and also a variety of workshops that are inspired by our current exhibitions.

Finally, sitting amongst us creating an electric scene is The Art Café with a comfortable atmosphere, free WiFi, unique coffee and good food, it adds to the very many reasons to come visit us.

With all this to experience, we hope to see you soon.

Charlie Rowley, Head of Culture 3

Exhibitions Reading Art Until 29 September 2018 | Gallery Two A celebration of artworks featuring books and readers, from throughout history, for the delight of art lovers and bibliophiles.

As every book tells a story, every book in art is part of an intriguing, engaging, and relatable image. Books are depicted as indicators of intellect in portraits, as symbols of piety in religious paintings, as subjects in still lifes, and as the raw material for contemporary installations.

Reading Art spotlights a variety of artworks from local northern collections creating a gorgeous, inspiring homage to both the written word and to its pivotal role in the visual world.

As a family friendly exhibition, come and read in our book corner and sample under 5’s interactives.

Co-curated by Rebecca Morrill, Commissioning Editor (Art), Phaidon Press to coincide with the publication of the book Reading Art: Art for Book Lovers.

Image: Ludwig Deutsch, An Arab Schoolmaster, 1889 Photo: Rochdale Arts & Heritage Service

Caroline Achaintre: Wimper Until 8 September 2018 | Gallery One Mining the rich visual imagery of traditional European folk festivals, often typified by centuries-old customs and darkly fantastical costumes and masks, the inspiration for Caroline Achaintre’s art also lies in more contemporary references such as horror movies, clowns, science-fiction and heavy metal music.

While working in a diverse range of media, Achaintre’s works on paper − especially her watercolour and ink drawings − sit at the heart of her multi-disciplinary practice, which ranges from handtufted rugs to ceramic sculpture, and provide a rich and constant source of inspiration for all of her work. For example, in 2007 she began turning her drawings first into small fragile paper sculptures and then into clay.

Wimper (taken from the title of one of her watercolours) focuses almost exclusively on Achaintre’s drawings and lino-cut prints but also features two of her wall-mounted ceramic sculptures, illustrating how clearly they are indebted to, and informed by, her explorations in two dimensions.

This exhibition is kindly supported by Arcade, London.

Image: Caroline Achaintre, Wimper, 2018.

Courtesy of the artist & Arcade, London

Supported by Friends of Rochdale Art Gallery

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Herstory: Women Artists from the Private Collection of Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo Until 29 September 2018 | Gallery Three & Four Turin-based Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo is one of the most respected private collectors in Europe. One of her early interests was in supporting women artists.

Drawing on her collection, Herstory features artworks by some of the leading female artists of the last forty years including Cindy Sherman, Barbara Kruger, Sherrie Levine, Mona Hatoum and Sarah Lucas, and explores how they have radically altered the face of contemporary art.

The exhibition also features select items from Rochdale’s rich art, museum and local history collections and a range of community-generated responses that resonate with some of the issues being addressed.

Image: Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo.

Courtesy of FSRR. Photo: Stefano Sciuto

Supported by Friends of Rochdale Art Gallery

Rachel Kneebone: The Dance Project Opens 20 October 2018 Gallery One, Two, Three & Four British artist Rachel Kneebone is widely acclaimed for her complex porcelain sculptures that express physical metamorphosis and movement.

For her first solo exhibition in the North of England, she will premiere a new series of sculptures and drawings that deepen her investigations into the experience of inhabiting the body.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a specially commissioned dance theatre performance by acclaimed choreographer TC Howard. For further details see page 8.

Image: Rachel Kneebone, What is remembered in the body is well remembered, 2017. Courtesy of the artist & White Cube

Supported by Friends of Rochdale Art Gallery

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Image: Maeve Rendle, Is, was, will.

Courtesy of the artist

Maeve Rendle: What cannot be turned aside 29 September 2018 | Gallery One Maeve Rendle’s art covers a wide range of media, including performance, photography, video, installation and text.

For this new ‘live’ performance (What cannot be turned aside) Rendle has taken inspiration from physicist David Bohm’s influential book, On Dialogue, in which he investigates the nature of thinking, and how thoughts, feelings, and memories shape our reality. Over the course of an hour and in front of a small audience, fifty-six performers will explore the alchemy of human communication in relation to recent political events.

It will only be performed four times over the course of one day with the following performance times: • 11am-12noon • 12.30pm-1.30pm • 2pm-3pm • 3.30pm-4.30pm Places are restricted and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Booking Required

Rochdale’s Collections Museum Ongoing As well as our changing exhibition spaces, we have a dedicated permanent museum which aims to tell a potted history of Rochdale in a fun and friendly 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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From Herbs to Hospitals: Health and Wellbeing in Rochdale From 16 June Heritage Gallery Learn more about the development of health and well being in Victorian Rochdale through to the advent of the NHS in the 1940’s. This exhibition will look at how medicine and healthcare went from being a luxury for those who could afford it to a service available for everybody.

Featuring a range of objects that have never previously been displayed and have been donated to the museum collection from various donors including Birch Hill Hospital and Rochdale Infirmary. Highlights include a beautiful wooden home medicine chest, a selection of poison bottles and a nurses uniform alongside a selection of medical instruments and a horrifying dental drill.

Working in partnership with Manchester University to celebrate the NHS turning 70 later this year, the exhibition will tell the stories of local people and their experiences of the NHS through a series of oral history recordings. There will also be loaned objects from the Museum of Medicine and Health.

The show will also include a display created by people living with dementia who attend the Alzheimer’s Society Memory Cafes within the borough.

Film and Cinema

Sport

At Heywood Sports Village From October

At Middleton Arena Until March 2019

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.

Discover more about Rochdale’s proud sporting history in this new display of unique memorabilia and local stories. Step back in time to learn more about Rochdale’s very own baseball team, the Rochdale Greys; the growth of the Hornets rugby team and the boroughs excellence in professional swimming. The display will also celebrate the wonderful achievements of local Olympians who took part in London 2012.

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Talks, Tours & Special Events

Image: Paper Mountain choreographed by TC Howard.

Photo: Hugo Glendining

Performance: The Dance Project Friday 19 October | Evening

To accompany her exhibition (The Dance Project) and in collaboration with Rachel, acclaimed choreographer TC Howard and dance artists Debbie Milner, Beth Payton and Ellen Turner have worked with a group of women across the Borough of Rochdale to develop a new piece of contemporary dance theatre. Beginning in The Great Hall at Rochdale Town Hall this ensemble piece will reach its finale in Kneebone’s exhibition at Touchstones. Places are limited. Please visit our website for further details.

Talks: Friends of Rochdale Art Gallery Second Tuesday of every month 11 September | 9 October | 13 November 11 December (Christmas Party) 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

Booking Required

Tour: Who’s Afraid of Contemporary Art?

Last Saturday of every month 29 September | 24 November | 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.

Booking Required

Family Fun Day

Thursday 25 October | 11am-2pm Join the Touchstones team for a day of creativity in the Museum, come and try out your potion making skills at this family friendly workshop.

No Booking Required

Families

To book: visit www.link4life.org/touchstones, call 01706 924928 or pop in to Touchstones Rochdale 8

Tour: Arts & Heritage Resource Centre Saturday 8 September | 11am-12 & 1pm-2pm

Ever wondered about what is not on display at Touchstones Rochdale? As part of Heritage Open Days come and see the wonderful objects in storage at the Arts and Heritage Resource Centre and take a tour with Karen Heatley, who looks after the museum collection. This tour looks at the amazing collections of the borough; you will have the opportunity to see items ranging from Egyptian artefacts, some over 5000 years old, to grandfather clocks and works of art.

Booking Required

Min age 10 years

Gong Bath

Tuesday 25 September | 5pm-6pm ÂŁ10 per person A gong bath is best experienced lying down, so please bring whatever you need to be comfy on the floor. Cushions, blankets, mats etc.

During a gong session, your body absorbs sounds that it needs for healing whilst filtering out what is no longer required. The complex, yet delicate, overtones of the gongs, allow your superficial thoughts to dissipate and you can easily reach a much deeper consciousness leaving you in a very calm, relaxed state. The gong vibrations continue to work long after the gong bath has finished.

Gong healing works on various levels - physical, mental, energetic, emotional and spiritual.

Negativity and chaos are suspended; irregularity and resistance disappear and the whole being is returned to harmonic balance.

A lot like love, the gongs need to be experienced!

Come along and try this treat for the soul. Ask anyone who has experienced the gongs and they will tell you it is the ULTIMATE reset button.

Booking Required

For adults

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

Performances

Redbobble Theatre Company If I Should Fall Saturday 29 September | 2pm | £6 Written by Charlotte O’Leary One house, One kitchen, One woman, Two world wars.

In 1916 Beattie is ahead of her time. A well read, bombastic adolescent with a promising future and a talent for writing. At sweet 16, Billy Glover is Beattie’s first love. They live in letters sent across the battlefield.

One Tenth Human and The Dukes Astonishing Vacuum Clean Adventure Tuesday 23 October | 1pm and 3pm | £3 Written by Sarah Punshon “In a dark corner, there’s a machine. It’s old and dusty, full of mysterious tubes.

We don’t know who made it. We don’t know what it’s for. It could be dangerous. But we know we need to do something.

Hetty needs our help...”

Over twenty years later, Beattie, like the rest of Britain, finds herself in another war. Only this time she’s got a failing marriage to Royston and an ageing mother to contend with. Living in memories, amidst the bombing, rationing and village gossip can Beattie survive and finally put Billy to rest?

This interactive show aims to inspire the next generation of problem-solvers, creative thinkers, engineers and scientists. In this show you won’t be sitting in the dark watching a play, you’ll be at the centre of the action.

A modern classic based on original letters from the Battle of the Somme and the true story of one remarkable woman.

“I didn’t like it, I LOVED it!” Ayesha, aged 9

‘If I should Fall’ investigates the roles of women and explores what it means to be at war; at home and away, then and now, asking the question ... ‘have we changed at all?’

Age 11+

Really brilliant children’s theatre” Exeunt Magazine

Age 7-10

60 mins

120 mins

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

Hawk Dance Theatre Chit Chat Chalk Show

Saturday 3 November | 11am and 2pm | £3 Join Hawk Dance Theatre and The Knotted Project on our magical chalky adventure for 3-8 year olds!

The Chit Chat Chalk Show follows Kiko, a confused young girl, struggling to understand how she feels about the strange new world she lives in. With the help of her quirky new friends, she embarks on a quest to discover the mixture of emotions and colours that make her unique! Anger, jealousy, happiness & many more emotions, - join our wonderful characters discovering them all!!

Feral

Friday 9 November | 7.30pm | £6 Written by Sonya Moorhead Ever wondered if you missed your chance to be wild?

Sonya has been spinning a lot of plates recently; she’s really good at it but she’s definitely not the untamed woman she thought she’d be by now. Sometimes she feels like a feral beast backed into a corner. There’s no escaping social expectation and she fears she’s missed her chance.

The Chit Chat Chalk Show is charming, physical and packed with interaction for children aged 3-8 years and their families. Sitting amongst the set of performers, the children in the audience play an essential part in helping Kiko on her journey.

In September 2017 Sonya headed off on a hitchhiking mission to Oban to find 60’s folk legend and notorious wild child Anne Briggs. Sonya was drowning in domesticity and she thought Anne could swoop in and save her.

With a cast of skilled performers, the story dances, draws and giggles its way through from beginning to end. The Chit Chat Chalk Show is sure to put a smile on faces, young and old!

Feral asks why women are taking on more ‘mental load’ than ever before. Harnessing live music by The Greyhounds, storytelling and the odd party trick, Feral tells an intimate story with universal application, empowering audiences to make wilder choices.

Don’t forget, this interactive show could get a little bit chalky, so please wear suitable clothing!

Age 12+ Age 3-8

60 mins

60 mins

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

Christmas at Touchstones

From Our Hands Christmas Shopping Event 23 November | 7pm-10pm Gift an artisan gift this Christmas or treat yourself to some handmade treats. From Our Hands Market brings over twenty of the very best local artisan producers, makers and crafters to Touchstones for a unique late night shopping experience.

As well as an incredible selection of stalls there will also be demonstrations and entertainment. For more information visit: www.fromourhandsmarket.com.

The Cabin of Curiosity’s Xmas Factor!

Saturday 8, Tuesday 11, Wednesday 12 & Thursday 13 December | 11am and 2pm | £3 Join your host Professor Jigget as he oversees a festive singing competition like no other! Witness original performances from Icelandic Ogres, Greek Goblins, German Witches and French Scarecrows as they compete for the greatest prize ever - to be crowned the supreme Character of Christmas! And who decides? Well you of course! That’s right; as these creatures of folklore battle it out on stage YOU will decide who is victorious. So sit back, relax and get ready to judge who has the Xmas Factor!

Family theatre for children 7+ (contains mild, comic horror)

Christmas Opening Times Closed on: Tuesday 25, Wednesday 26 December 2018 and Tuesday 1 January 2019.

Santa’s Grotto Saturday 15 & 22 December | 10.15am-4pm £8 per child

Open as normal on: Thursday 27 & Friday 28 December 2018 and from Wednesday 2 January 2019.

Although Santa has been very busy preparing for Christmas Eve, Touchstones Rochdale has managed to convince him to take a couple of days off to visit the museum. Join us for creative fun and meet Santa.

Each child will receive a gift to take home. Spaces are limited and booking is essential!

Each session is 45 minutes - last booking is 4pm Includes gift, creative activity and NO queues!

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

Adult Craft Workshops Inspired by our wonderful museum collections and the exhibitions currently on show in the heritage gallery, try your hand at something new in our fun and friendly adult craft workshops. Cost is £10 for a two hour workshop, payable on booking. Price includes all materials. Spaces are limited and booking is essential.

Botanical Watercolours

Saturday 8 September I 10.30am-12.30pm I £10

Creative Clay Beads

Saturday 13 October I 10.30am-12.30pm I £10 Join illustrator and maker Trish Cartner in a creative clay workshop where you will build your own bespoke beaded necklace. Using a variety of techniques and a wide selection of coloured polymer clay you will create interesting and unique patterns and designs.

Supercharged Botanicals

Hand Printed Fabric Button Brooches

Image: © Darren Robinson Photography

Inspired by the botanical illustrations in the museum exhibition join artist Sarah Albon to create your own watercolour painting. Working from seasonal leaves you will be introduced to watercolour techniques used by botanical artists to capture the colour and detail found in nature.

Saturday 10 November I 10.30am-12.30pm I £10 Create your own botanical vinegar full of vitamin C for the winter months ahead. Popular resident herbalist and local artist Alison Cooper will guide participants to discover the natural benefits of rosehips which are abundant during the autumn months. Explore this method of infusion and the beneficial properties of different plants including rose, garlic, ginger and chilli.

Saturday 8 December I 10.30am - 12.30pm I £10 Ever fancied making your own fabric covered buttons or button brooches? Well this is your lucky day because the Ink Buddies are back!

In their next exciting workshop artists Karen Vine and Trish Cartner will show you how to carve and handprint your very own sample of fabric and turn it into beautiful buttons.

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

Regular Activities

Make Art!

Thursday 25 & Saturday 27 October | Saturday 24 November | 11am-2pm | FREE Join an artist-led drop-in workshop to make your own crafty creations inspired by the current Art Gallery exhibitions.

Just turn up

5-12 yrs

Knitty Gritty Last Tuesday of every month 25 September | 30 October | 27 November FREE - just buy a brew!

Join our monthly knitting circle in The Art CafĂŠ. 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

Tiny Touchstones Thursdays 6, 13, 20, 27 September | 4, 11, 18 October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 November | 6 December ÂŁ2 per session These creative drop in sessions use a range of exciting and open ended objects to stimulate the senses for babies 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 welcoming space. Our early years artist is on hand to inspire your adventures.

For anyone aged 0-5 and their grown ups.

Drop in any time between 10.15am - 12.15pm and stay as long as you like.

Just turn up

0-5 years

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

Mindfulness & Wellbeing 16 November | 5pm-6pm | ÂŁ5

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

Family History Drop-in Sessions Local History Centre Every Thursday | 2pm-4.30pm | FREE 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

All Ages

For Adults

Homework Club 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 15

Get Involved!

Volunteering

Schools Service

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

NEW FOR 2018 Our creative questers - Professors Jigget and Aeon are on a mission to find and recruit the greatest seekers of knowledge in the known universe!

Do you know of any early years children who can get hands on and explore traditional tales through imagination, creativity and play? What about a class of primary children who could become archaeologists, history detectives and crafters of time?

If you’ve answered YES to any of the above then get in touch on schools@link4life.org to have a chat about getting involved!

Don’t forget all our creative learning sessions come with a full lesson plan and will help you achieve all of your learning aims and objectives!

So…..what are you waiting for?

Book NOW!

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?

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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Visits to the Arts and Heritage Resource Centre 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.

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

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

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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.

Local History Centre

Visitor Information 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 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.

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.

Shop

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.

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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.

Opening Times

Travel Information

Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm

Touchstones Rochdale is located close to Rochdale town centre approximately five to ten minutes walk from Rochdale Transport Interchange with bus and tram access and ten minutes from the Rochdale Railway Station.

FREE Admission Closed on Bank Holidays Contact Us Visitor Information Centre: 01706 924928

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

Email: touchstones@link4life.org

Where to find us

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Online: www.link4life.org/touchstones

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Main Reception: 01706 924492

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Train Station

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Touchstones Rochdale is fully accessible for people using wheelchairs. There are three designated parking bays for blue badge holders outside the venue. If you have any special requirements please call us on 01706 924492 and we will do our best to help.

A58 from Sandbrook Park and J20 - M62

Ground Floor

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

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

All information stated within this brochure is correct at the time of printing and subject to change.

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