More about the project

Thanks to the generous support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Public Health England, we are working on a two-year exploration of the rich heritage crafts flourishing within Rochdale's vibrant communities with experience of forced migration. Crafting Heritage builds on Cartwheel Arts, ongoing activities, and research with these communities.

Throughout this project, we want to flip the power balance. This means that these communities are positioned as the experts in their craft. Together with skilled heritage craft practitioners, we will ensure that their voice takes centre stage in shaping the narrative of their diverse heritage, which is preserved and celebrated.

This will result in:

• Crafting Heritage Learning Resource: A unique learning resource tailored for primary schools in Rochdale, accompanied by specialised training for teaching staff. To ensure a future for aspects of the borough’s cultural heritage which might otherwise risk becoming endangered.
• A ground-breaking eight-week training programme for four artists who have experienced forced  migration
• A celebratory event including a film, exhibition and community event for Refugee Week in 2025
• The materials created during the project will be archived at Touchstones Rochdale along with the heritage crafts of the communities Cartwheel connects.

For this project, we are proud to be working alongside:

Community Arts North West, Touchstones Rochdale, Rochdale Borough Council School Improvement Team, Deeplish Community Centre, New Pioneers Project, Kashmiri Youth Project and Heritage Crafts: the UK advocacy body for traditional heritage crafts.

If you would like to find out more about what we are doing and how to get involved, please get in touch with Ruth@cartwheelarts.org.uk. We also have some amazing volunteer opportunities to get involved in!