Boston Heritage Skills Festival 2023
Boston Heritage Skills Festival 2022
Boston Heritage Skills and Crafts Day!
Saturday 14th Oct (10am-4pm)
Free!
After the success of the festival last year, we’re thrilled to announce we’re back for the fourth year in a row for the Boston Heritage Skills Festival 2023. A vast array of traditional craftspeople and artists will be sharing their skills and crafts with the public across the period. From Willow weaving workshops to online CPD sessions. The festival will end in the Boston Heritage Skills and Crafts Day on Saturday 14th Oct at St Botolph’s Church. 10am-4pm.
Our venue in the heart of Boston, the stunning St Botolph’s Church will host live demos in lino printing, mosaics, leathermaking, hand sign painting, wood carving, pottery, lacemaking and more.
Whilst you’re inside the Stump why not climb the tower or grab some lunch or refreshments at St Botolph’s own café. It’s a fantastic day out for everyone.
No booking required. Just come along.
This event has now passed. Did you visit the Boston Heritage Skills and Crafts Day or one of our workshops as part of Boston Heritage Skills Festival 2023?
Meet Our Makers
Fat Pigeon Signs – Jayne is a traditional hand-sign painter whose intricate typography and designs range from store fronts, windows & A-boards to vehicles and murals. Come along and watch as she demonstrates the process of traditional hand-sign painting! fatpigeonsigns.co.uk
Grantham Arts – Multi-media artist Dawn Wesselby and Designer/Artist Anne-Marie Kerr created Grantham Arts with the passion to enrich their community with creativity. They offer workshops and classes as well as long lasting community art projects. They’ll be showing us the process of lino printing! grathamarts.org
ShedTime – Laurence White at ShedTime is a Lincolnshire leathermaker and fletcher specialising in historically accurate recreations and classically inspired bespoke leathercraft. Watch as he demonstrates the traditional skill of leathercraft. Shedtime Handcrafted Leatherwork, Facebook
Robyn Smith – Robyn is a felt artist from Lincoln who specialises in wet felting and needle felting. Her work is vibrant, playful and full of life. She makes a range of hand crafted felt accessories using a range of fibres. Robyn will be sharing how she creates her charming creatures and landscapes from just wool and soap on the day. Robyn Smith – Felt Artist, Facebook
Boston Bows – At Boston Bows, they specialise in making authentic high performance English longbows, warbows and flatbows for a wide variety of customers and collectors. bostonbows.co.uk
Terrence Lee Conservation – Is a Shropshire based company, dedicated to the conservation of traditional brickwork in all its forms. Terrence Lee will be demonstrating the process of lime work and tuck pointing. terrenceleeconservation.co.uk
Rag Rugging – Join craftsperson Mary Cooper at a Rag Rugging workshop on 11th October and make your own rag rug. You’ll learn all the skills you need to create gorgeous designs using scraps of fabric. see our events page.
Whisker Hills Pottery – Shaun is a potter and ceramics artist who specialises in creating bespoke pieces often inspired by folklore and history. Each is intricately decorated and one of a kind! Whisker Hills Pottery, Facebook
Boston School of Mosaics – Boston School of Mosaics is a community based arts initiative bringing together the people of Boston to create, learn and share in creativity. Boston School of Mosaics, Facebook
Boston and South Holland Wood Carvers – Boston and South Holland Woodcarvers otherwise known as the Woodies are a friendly group of creatives learning and sharing skills. Creating wood carved artworks. Boston and South Holland Wood Carvers, Facebook
Blooming Crafty – At Blooming Crafty, they teach bespoke willow weaving and run considered floristry workshops. They provide calming and therapeutic craft activities for everyone to get involved in. Blooming Crafty
Corn Dolly Making – Why not try your hand at making a corn dolly with Angela Riley? Learn all about the ancient tradition and its origins.
Booth’s Stone Masonry – Craftsman Paul Booth of Booth’s Stonemasonry, a Lincoln based Masonry Conservation service, focused on the art of cutting, shaping and finishing stone.
Boston Hanse Group – Did you know Boston joined the new Hanseatic League in March 2015? The Boston Hanse Group reimagine and share what Boston would’ve been like when it was a bustling medieval port through medieval crafts, skills and food.
Boston in Bloom – The passionate, green fingered group are working to transform and rejuvenate Boston into a floral haven, working beside historical and arts organisations to bring flower themed projects and displays. bostoninbloom.co.uk
Quiltmakers Guild – The quiltmakers Guild are an educational charity that preserve the heritage of quilting whilst working to create vibrant new works. The Guild works on a range of quilting methods and techniques celebrating textiles.
Guild of Lacemakers – The Lincolnshire based guild meet to make delicate laceworks and other crafts to sharing their communal passion for this tradtional craft. Guild of Lacemakers, Facebook
The Boston Stitchers – The Boston Stitchers joined together through their love of creatively stitching. They teach and demonstrate a range of stitching methods from traditional embroidery to more contemporary methods. The Boston Stitchers, Facebook
Michael Ashton – Is a traditional foot powered pole lather turner that makes a range of beautifully crafted wood works from chairs and drinking cups to hand-made stools. Michael Ashton, Facebook
Lincolnshire Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers – The Lincolnshire Guild of Weavers Spinners and Dyers was founded in 1977 by just 8 members and now has a Guild of over 60 members, specialising in weaving, spinning and dyeing. Lincolnshire Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers, Facebook
Cane Chair Weaving – Louise Boulton will be demonstrating the traditional craft of chair caning! Beautifully restoring chairs to their former glory. Louise Boulton, Instagram
Stained Glass – Claire Hart is a glass artist based in South Lincolnshire working with stained, fused and mosaic glass. She offers a range of workshops and bespoke sessions, sharing her passion with people of all ages and abilities. Sharing in the joy and beauty of glazed works. clairehartglazedexpressions
Keymer Tiles – At Keymer Tiles they specialise in crafting and sculpting handmade tiles and trad roofing. They will be demonstrating the processes that go into roofing.
*Booking required for workshops and CPD Sessions.
See our events page for more details.
Organised by the Boston Townscape Heritage Project – funded by the National Heritage Lottery Fund and Boston Borough Council.
About the Boston Townscape Heritage Project: Heritage Lincolnshire and Boston Borough Council are working together to deliver the Boston Townscape Heritage Project funded through a partnership between National Lottery Heritage Fund and Boston Borough Council. This project will rejuvenate and restore the town’s historic centre as well as improve facilities for local people and boost the local economy.