Mid Pennine Arts art+people+places

We are delighted to announce a major new project promising some transformational impacts for communities in the Whitworth area of Rossendale.  Spodden Valley Revealed will explore the long timeline of human settlement there, through an engagement programme involving local people of all ages, and a range of exciting artist commissions.  The end result of a three year process will be an innovative, linear heritage destination for local people and visitors to explore, adding rich content to the off-road cycling and walking route which will become the Valley of Stone Greenway. 

MPA have secured Heritage Lottery Fund support for an initial development stage.  Throughout 2016 a development programme of community activities, artist led explorations and archaeological study will all feed into final detailed plans.  We then return to HLF with a second stage bid to support two years of implementation work.

The project itself is the culmination of five years work…  Since 2010, MPA in partnership with Whitworth Town Council and other partners have been developing a long term vision for a project that tells the stories and celebrates the rich heritage of the Whitworth area.  The Town Council first asked MPA to consider the untapped potential of the town’s cycleway, and our feasibility study was followed by further exploratory work and an inspirational artist residency.  This took place in 2012 with the eminent international land artist Kate Whiteford (see link to the right).  Kate’s ideas have infused and enriched the resulting proposals.

Spodden Valley Revealed will be a unique kind of visitor destination - a ‘string of pearls’ of historic sites, all signposted from the central cycling and walking route.  Both our engagement programme and the interpretation of these sites will involve a range of exciting opportunities for artists.

The project is timed to benefit from and add rich historic content to Lancashire County Council’s strategic programme of cycleways for East Lancashire.  See also our complimentary project with the cycleways team, The Scenic Route.

SVR will be created through a programme of comprehensive community activities and learning, involving schools, volunteers and local community members of all ages.  Our programme will include:   

Get involved

• Volunteers working with experts on archaeological digs
• Walks & talks led by heritage experts
• School visits to heritage sites and interpretation with creative practitioners
• Intergenerational tea parties to record oral histories
• Local people working with artists to interpret heritage and produce artworks large and small

Keep in touch

• Visit this page for latest information - Individual projects will get their own webpage (see links to the right)
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• Sign up for our free ebulletins via the home page and we will send latest news direct to your inbox
• Email us with contact details if you would be interested in volunteering for the project.