Talented Northampton artists encourage community to get creative

A former boot and shoe factory in Northampton that has been transformed into a creative arts studio is hosting an arts event next month for the community.

‘Let's Draw NN’ is an exciting, free to attend, collaborative arts event for the community, which will take place at Burns Street Studios, 7-9 Burns Street, Northampton, NN4 3QF. Events will take place over three days, September 17/18/19.

Burns Street Studios in Northampton is a former boot and shoe factory. Now converted, it houses 18 local creatives, a gallery area and an independent theatre company across three floors. The building retains a raft of unique features and is not ordinarily open to the public.

The local creative talent that calls the studios home include painters, a ceramicist, freelance wardrobe supervisor, photographer, writer and many more. The project was the brainchild of the Burns Street collective, who, having seen the impact COVID-19 had on the community, decided that a fun, creative weekend was just what locals needed.

Abi Jackson, Burns Street Studios creative resident explains: “The last 18 months have been difficult for everyone and the pandemic has hit the creative industries particularly hard. As artists, we’ve experienced the negative impact that not being able to create has had, and it’s reminded us how important creativity is to our wellbeing.

“It’s for that reason that we decided to open up the building and offer our time and expertise to help people access creative pursuits that they wouldn’t normally try.”

Spanning the whole weekend in September, ‘Let’s Draw NN’ is funded and supported by Northampton Community Foundation. Collaborators include good news zine, The Happy `Hood, creative and musical charity, Pink Rooster and a variety of artists from around the county.

‘Let's Draw NN’ will begin on Friday 17th September with a private view of a FREE art exhibition that celebrates drawing, with local artists and non-artist exhibitors. On Saturday 18th September, the usually private studios will be opened to the public and people will have the opportunity to join in with a range of FREE creative art workshops which will take place throughout the building.

The event will conclude on Sunday 19th September with a ‘Sunday Social’, which will include a celebration in the outdoor yard space, which will be decked out to the nines courtesy of Northampton’s local good news zine The Happy `Hood (which will also be on sale). Here the community will be able to enjoy refreshments, a graffiti artist painting the wall, a DJ on the decks and creative workshops.

Minnie Teckman, Burns Street Studios creative resident explains: “We are really looking forward to welcoming the local community to our event and are hugely grateful to Northamptonshire Community Foundation for funding the project. We’ve got lots planned and are delighted that we are able to offer everything completely free to the public.

“We hope that the event gives people the opportunity to reconnect, to try something new and to take away creative skills that will improve their wellbeing. We also want to have some good old-fashioned fun!”

For more information about the schedule of events, visit @BurnsStreetStudios on Facebook and @Burns_Street_Artists on Instagram.