New festival turns spotlight on Angus's creative talent

Celebrating the creative talent based in Angus and encouraging visitors and locals alike to discover the joy of making, the festival combines hands-on events with exhibitions and demonstrations from many of the talented artists and makers who call Angus home.

A full festival programme is searchable by location at www.angusfestivalofmaking.co.uk and festival-goers are being encouraged to use sustainable travel where possible with bus and cycle routes to each venue detailed.

To kick off the festival, the following activities are taking place:

Montrose: Montrose Playhouse will host a series of drop in workshops from 10am to 4pm including printmaking, applique/needlework, giftcard making, wax rubbing, creating frieze artworks and more.

The Art Shed will host the work of visual artist, character designer and illustrator Grisel Patricia Miranda and a showcase of 15 other Angus Creatives as well as readings from illustrated children’s picture books.

Visitors can also explore the workshop, garden and a forest space where 22 rehomed hens and 1 cockerel run happily. Entertainment for children including mud kitchen, swings, tyre circuits and things to climb.

Forfar: Murton Farm, Nature Reserve and Tearoom will be hosting free drop in workshops in the Rural Skills Hut. Starting at 10am festival goers can work with artists Carey Brett, Rachel Bower, Carol Sinclair and Sheila Roussel to make mobiles using recycled and natural materials. There will also be a tartan weaving demo by Ashleigh Slater and a workshop on landscape inspired prints paintings and photographs with Victoria Wyllie, Astrid Weigel and Shona E Barr before a National Youth Choir Angus performance at 4.30pm

Kirriemuir: Gallus Glass will be hosting workshops inviting visitors to make a glass flower decoration in a fused glass taster session

At Kinnordy House artist Lynne Hocking will host drop in weaving sessions on a tabletop loom to contribute to a large collaborative piece where everyone visiting the studio can leave their mark. On Sunday 21st makers Jo Gifford and Catherine Holtet will host ceramics demonstrations

At Kirrie Connections artist Deirdre Bennett sustainable printed art works using tetra pak cartons with the finished work will be displayed in 128 Phone box gallery.

At The Jewellery Workshop, jeweller and stone carver Gordon Ewan will give studio tours and stone carving demonstrations as well as inviting visitors to try some stone carving for themselves

Arbroath: At Arbroath Library, festivalgoers can enjoy a debut exhibition by Angus Creatives, a new and vibrant group of local artists inspired by the places they live and work. Their work tells the tales of Angus through the shapes, rhythms and colours of the land, sea and sky, the creative materials that are foraged locally, and the history of the people.

At Springfield Creative Arts Fran Marquis, a potter using a wide variety of making and firing techniques, and John Burness who creates with sculptural objects and vessel forms will give demonstrations of throwing and clay play. Suzanne Fillingham will share her techniques in making jewellery from sea glass. Jeni Reid will show cyanotype printed textiles and found objects, as well as her new felted woollen vessel forms. Festival-goers will also be invited to try your hand at a range of ceramic making techniques with Fran and John and spinning woollen fleece with Jeni.

At Hospitalfield visitors can see the newly installed Eduardo Paolozzi sculpture Rio in the gardens as well as enjoying locally sourced food and drinks in the cafe.

Carnoustie: At Wee Cook restaurant at Barry Downs Park there’s an opportunity to make your own your own pies to take away at this family restaurant and kitchen with food that mixes modern Scottish cooking with foods from all over the world. On Saturday children aged 3 - 15 can make their own pieces and on Thursday 25th adults can make their own pieces too! Places are free, with a £2.50 donation to Cash for Kids.

These events are just a taster of what’s on offer as more workshops, demonstrations and activities take place throughout the festival and offer opportunities to further explore the county.

A full programme is available at www.anguscreatives.co.uk and include everything from tile making to stone carving and beer tasting.

Carol Sinclair, of Angus Creatives, said: “We’re excited to kick off the festival with so many free activities for people of all ages. For those keen to get hands on and discover the joys of making and working creatively there are tons of events to get involved in over the coming week. If you would rather stand back and admire the work of others, then there are lots of exhibitions, demonstrations and opportunities to buy work directly from artist and makers in the region. We’re also delighted to be able to showcase some of the delicious artisanal produce in the area from gin to chocolate and pies to craft beers! We hope that whether you are local to the area or travelling for the festival that you experience the creative riches of the region and inspired to explore more.