Mike’s Barnaby Festival commission

Above image: Barnaby ⓒ Mick Steff

Barnaby Festival has commissioned a Macclesfield-based artist to make a film reflecting on its legacy as it comes to a close after more than a decade of creative ambition.

The film will act as a visual archive of the Festival and it will also explore the ways Barnaby has enriched community and cultural life in the town.

Mike Thorpe, who set up and manages twentyseven studio on Pickford Street, has been commissioned to create the film. As well as looking at the legacy of Barnaby Festival, the film will consider how the Festival created opportunities for artists and community groups in Macclesfield and how cultural life in the town may take shape going forward as a result of the Festival’s impetus over the last 14 years. There will be a special screening of the film early next year and it will also be available online.

Established in 2010 as a midsummer festival of arts and culture, the Festival’s vision was to engage the community and empower it to create and commission work inspired by the heritage of the town. The founders of Barnaby Festival were local people who wanted to see arts and culture made in partnership with the residents of Macclesfield and to create and celebrate a distinctive sense of place.

Barnaby Festival was credited with igniting a cultural renaissance in Macclesfield. It delivered exceptional programmes, based around a theme for each of its ten festivals. It built local partnerships presenting work in shops, cafes, bars, heritage spaces, churches, disused spaces and animating the streets of Macclesfield.

Barnaby Festival has helped to foster talent and create the right environment for artists and creatives to thrive in Macclesfield. It gave the town a cultural direction and reputation and informed Cheshire East’s first Heritage and Culture Strategy. The Treacle Market, the popular monthly artisan and food market which draws in crowds from across the UK, was born from Barnaby. 

Barnaby commissioned now internationally recognised artists to produce work, including Macclesfield-born Zarah Hussain, Bedwyr Williams, Liz West, and Hilary Jack.

It has programmed local and touring bands to perform and given some of them their first gigs and provided pathways into the music industry supported by local champions. Some of the Festival’s stand out moments include Professor Brian Cox talking about Quantum Physics with Professor Tim O’Brien, Associate Director of Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, in St Michael’s Church; and patron and New Order drummer Stephen Morris performing with Tim Burgess of The Charlatans in Christ Church. Artists from Macclesfield and beyond have exhibited their work across the town in unusual places for the Art Trail. Barnaby Festival has commissioned productions such as La Lune by Wild Rumpus, hosted live events, a poetry takeaway van and outstanding street theatre and comedy. One of the highlights was watching the popular parade weave its way around the streets in a carnival procession with flamboyant costumes and floats.

A spokesperson for Barnaby Festival, says: “Barnaby has delivered what it set out to do and created a more culturally diverse town. There is more live music, creative activities, spoken word and comedy.

“Now is the right time for Barnaby Festival to close and celebrate all that has been achieved. We are delighted that Barnaby has been a catalyst and support for so many artists and groups who have established here. We can pass on the cultural baton to them. 

“We are grateful to all those who have supported Barnaby Festival over the years, either as trustees, volunteers, partners, funders, or venues. We would not have been able to do this without you.”

Macclesfield Town Council Events Officer, Rachael Higham, says: “Macclesfield Town Council is extremely grateful to the Barnaby Festival for the work it has done to encourage the arts in Macclesfield and the cultural legacy it will leave to the town. The influence of Barnaby can be felt in various Town Council arts and events projects, from the 01625 gallery to the 1261 Festival and parade. In particular we hope the 1261 Festival will take the baton from Barnaby and continue onwards, offering the opportunity for further creative bravery.”

Jane Birch of live music venue Mash says: “We were delighted to be a part of the Barnaby Bright Music Mash masterclass programme in 2021. The Brighter Sound event allowed four emerging bands from Macclesfield (Sour Honey, C33s, The Perps and Williams Bain) the opportunity to grow their talent with professional support. The results were hugely positive. All bands have gone on to perform on much wider platforms. This kind of collaboration is to be applauded and our thanks go out to organisers from both Brighter Sound and the inspirational Barnaby Festival.”

Marc Jackson, of MACC-POW! says: “My friend and former Barnaby Trustee, the late Aileen McEvoy, told me about Lakes International Comic Art Festival. It was a very inspiring event, and I wondered if we could do something similar on a smaller scale and MACC-POW! was born.

“Our first event in 2016 was in a room in the Heritage Centre, with a mix of up-and-coming, and big names in comics celebrating my love of this art form.

“By the end of the day 500 people had come into the building to see what we had all achieved. Barnaby had indicated they felt MACC-POW! might exist outside of the festival, and so it did. Next year we’re celebrating our 10th event. 

“Without Barnaby supporting and encouraging us we wouldn’t have our fantastic MACC-POW!”