BTB Advisory Group

06/11/2023

The British Textile Biennial is over for another year and we’re now looking for people to join our new British Textile Biennial Advisory group!

The British Textile Biennial throws a spotlight on the nation’s creativity, innovation and expression in textiles against the backdrop of the impressive infrastructure of the cotton industry in Pennine Lancashire and with the community that has textiles in its DNA.

Soft Acid installed at Helmshore Mill during BTB23

Photo – Matthew Savage

We want to create a festival that grows from within that community and creates opportunities for local people as contributors, decision makers and leaders. We love collaborating and know that the work we present is better when it’s made with people from the places we work in. We want to deliver a biennial that is relevant, owned and hosted by you.

So to help shape our future work we are now recruiting for an Advisory group of local residents with a diverse range of views, knowledge and backgrounds; who can be connectors within communities, help us find hidden gem venues to present work in, uncover textile heritage & culture that we can share through our commissions and advise us on how to make our programme welcoming to the widest range of people.

Fast, Fast, Slow show at The Exchange in Blackburn during BTB23

Photo – Jack Bolton

If you live in Lancashire and would like to help and be a part of that, then we want to hear from you!

  • You can be a lifelong textile enthusiast, an avid fan of BTB or just someone curious about our work who has never been involved in arts or cultural stuff before. No previous experience is necessary!
  • We are looking for at least 10 members that will be representative of the wide range of people who live in our county, for an initial two-year term that takes us up to the delivery of BTB25.
  • We’ll meet 4-6 times a year, sometimes online and sometimes in person, for discussions about our programme plans, to go on visits to other exhibitions and events and have meals together to share ideas, make plans and build connections.
  • Time commitment will be a maximum of one get together every two months. This role is voluntary but expenses will be paid and we aim to offer everyone involved a range of fantastic experiences that compensate for your energy, time and input.

If you would like to feed into the development of the British Textile Biennial as a member of our Advisory group, in the first instance please get in touch with emily@britishtextilebiennial.co.uk with a paragraph or a short video filmed on your phone about you and what interests you about being a part of the BTB Advisory group. If you think there is something we would need to do to make you feel welcome and supported as part of the group whatever that may be, then let us know and we will make every effort to remove the barriers we know can exist.

Jeremy Hutchison's Effigies exhibition installed at 29 Northgate in Blackburn

Photo – Matthew Savage

Deadline for submissions is 8th December and we’ll let you know by 15th December if you’ve been invited to take part. If you’re not chosen on this occasion there will be loads more opportunities to get involved with our work so we’ll be in touch to talk to you about other options too!

We look forward to hearing from you!