CREATIVITY & CRAFTS

Craft & Design at THE HUB

Celebrating its 20th anniversary later this year, the Hub is the home of creativity and design for Sleaford and the whole of Lincolnshire...

SEEDS & CREATIVITY both have something in common. They each need to be nurtured in order to germinate. So it’s fitting that the home of the national centre for craft and design in located in Sleaford, Lincolnshire. Its Programme Manager is Marion Sander, who is more excited than ever about the potential that the Hub can offer visitors in 2023. We joined Marion in a bigger, lighter and busier Hub after 2022’s refurbishment for a preview of the venue’s upcoming events.

“2019 saw the merger of artsNK, the organisation I’d been employed by since 2008, and what was known as NCCD, the National Centre for Craft and Design,” says Marion. “Consolidation of the two organisations enabled us to deliver an inspiring programme of creative arts experiences and learning opportunities alongside world-class craft and design exhibitions, meaningful regeneration projects, and festivals, all of which connect with the local community and attract visitors from further afield.”

“Today it’s an amazing place to visit and to work. There’s always something inspiring happening, and a real sense of community.” “We showcase a diverse range of artists and makers in our galleries and our shop, from ceramicists to jewellery and print makers and textile artists to sculptors, and we offer a variety of craft and dance workshops and host regular creative group activities in our new ground floor workshop and studio spaces.” Last year’s refurbishment sees the Hub larger and better than ever in advance of its 20th anniversary later this year. Back in 1939, though, the Hub and Sleaford itself looked very different. The town centre, though, was thriving in the respect of its agricultural heritage, home to companies like Charles Sharpe Seeds and Hubbards & Philips, which continued trading right up to the 1970s, and had a particular commercial interest in peas. In 1939 the latter created its four-storey, steel-framed processing warehouse on the site of the Hub, with its two pea cleaning machines able to process and store for dispatch to customers up to 400 tonnes of peas at a time.

Alas, the business didn’t survive and closed in 1972, by which time fresh investment in Sleaford was needed to reinvigorate the town. >>

Heckington’s Pearoom

The forerunner to the Hub was The Pearoom in Heckington, which was turned into a heritage, >> Happily, that investment crafts and tourism centre from coffee shop with dedicated came with the Sleaford Pride the 1970s until its closure and the creation of the Hub kitchen space and a brand programme, a seven year in 2003. new multi-use studio.” regeneration programme which would include the redevelopment of the old riverside warehouse into a new crafts and culture facility which would take over Heckington’s Pearoom as the area’s heritage and crafts venue. “From its opening by HRH The Princess Royal in October 2003 to its transformation into The National Centre for Craft & Design, the Hub is now a cultural and creative hub for the community in every sense. “The architectural practice Frank Shaw Associates was commissioned to transform the Hub, and in the process, a large doubleheight gallery with mezzanine level and a roof gallery were created alongside a ground floor retail space and coffee shop.” “It is home to many local creative groups including Sleaford Embroiderers, MosArt, Printers Ink, Beyond the Blues, Sleaford Ukulele Group, Craft Club and Pottery Club, dance groups; and hosts a popular open mic evening each month.” “These elements have been reinvented with the building’s expansion in 2022, yielding a new ground floor gallery and a much larger “Our main role, though, is to be a beacon of excellence and inspiration, to motivate and encourage arts engagement and offer creative opportunities for everyone to enjoy, take part in and so unleash their creativity.”

“Each year the UK’s largest gallery for craft & design presents three major exhibitions, which are supported by 10 smaller showcases in our ground floor gallery and window collections.”

“The Hub attracts around 100,000 visitors per year. While most of our visitors come from Sleaford and across Lincolnshire, we also welcome international and UK wide visitors to our venue, putting Sleaford on the map as a great place to visit, and ensuring that its inspiring programme of contemporary craft, design and creative arts remains free for all to enjoy.” n

Find Out More: The Hub delivers an inspiring programme of contemporary craft, design, dance and creative arts experiences, in Sleaford, across North Kesteven and beyond, open seven days a week and with free admission, it’s based at Navigation Wharf on Carre Street, Sleaford NG34 7TW. Call 01529 308 710 or see www.hub-sleaford.org.uk.

SPRING 2023 at THE HUB

Exhibitions & Events

14th January - 12th March 2023: Sue Stone: Shifts & Allusions

Sue Stone is a Grimsby based artist who works in stitch and mixed media. Her ideas are drawn from what she has seen, heard, or experienced. In this exhibition the artist’s inspiration comes from real and imagined journeys through time. The stories of people and places often intentionally express more than one meaning and she invites you to take a really good look and find your own interpretation of her work. Sue studied embroidery at Goldsmiths College, London and since 2006 has exhibited her work worldwide. n

18th March - 14th May 2023: Emily Rickard, KnitWell

KnitWell is a participatory research project that investigates how aspects of a knitted fabric such as stitch, colour, texture, scale, and shape can be used as a tangible, tactile tool to record an individual’s emotional state. The research explores the opportunities and limitations that this recording method offers in terms of self-expression and what impact the creation of a ‘knitted journal’ could have on mental well-being. n

18th March - 30th April 2023: Translating Nature

Translating Nature will feature work by nine Nottinghamshire-based makers and members of Design-Nation. The work includes ceramics, weaving, jewellery, felt, silk painting and lace. Whilst providing vital online support to each other throughout the pandemic, their friendship strengthened, and a desire to collaborate grew. This exhibition bears the fruit of their conversations, and the title embodies their shared inspiration and passion; nature is the subject and their work the lens through which it is filtered. The viewer only sees their translation, nature itself remains unchanged. n

Carefully selected artists from the Royal Academy, Royal Institutes, Federations and Societies

Brian Ryder | Geese and Cows, North Norfolk | Oil on Board |12” x 16” | £1850

5-8 The Mews • The George Hotel • Stamford • PE9 2LB Tuesday - Sunday from 11am to 5pm | 01780 480800

Also at Lees Yard • Holt • Norfolk | Monday - Saturday 10am - 4pm | 01263 713883

Please visit the website to view and purchase our artworks www.adrianhillfineart.com