The launch of Keighley Sculpture Trail. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
Application Deadline: Monday 30th June 2025 at 4:00pm Paid Opportunities
We are looking for freelance creatives for our BIG Craft Spectacular workshop series taking place throughout 2025. This project is funded by The Leap.
All opportunities are listed below.
What is The Big Craft Spectacular?
The BIG Craft Spectacular (more fondly known as The Big Crafty Doo-Dah) is an expansion of our family workshop programme. In 2025, Keighley Creative will be delivering 12 family-friendly arts and crafts workshops across Keighley.
The aim of the project is to engage Keighley families who have limited access to the arts. We will host pop-up workshops in public spaces, including the Airedale Shopping Centre, Keighley Market and 4 community outreach venues around Keighley.
As a workshop facilitator or workshop assistant you will support our families & visitors, helping them to create a quality piece of art to take away. The workshops should be process led, allowing participants to learn & practice new skills inspiring them to further create at home.
Our workshops may be the first time someone encounters the arts, so first impressions count. Their experience should be a positive one. We want people to feel welcome, encouraged, valued, inspired by their artwork and to know that everyone can be creative.
Facilitator Opportunities
LEAD CREATIVE FACILITATORS Paid Opportunity
We are looking for up to 9 freelance creative facilitators to design and deliver at least one of the following community workshops, linked to the themes set out by Keighley Creative.
Dates August 2025 (final dates TBC) – 4 x community outreach workshops 20th August 2025- Airedale Shopping Centre 27th September 2025- Keighley Market 29th October 2025- Keighley Market 6th December 2025- Keighley Market 13th December 2025- Airedale Shopping Centre
For information about the role and how to apply please use the link below.
We are looking for freelance workshop assistants to support the delivery of public access drop-in workshops as part of The Big Craft Spectacular workshop series funded by The Leap.
Dates August 2025 (final dates TBC) – 4 x community outreach workshops 20th August 2025- Airedale Shopping Centre 27th September 2025- Keighley Market 29th October 2025- Keighley Market 6th December 2025- Keighley Market 13th December 2025- Airedale Shopping Centre
This opportunity is ideal for someone wanting to gain experience in workshop delivery.
For information about the role and how to apply please use the link below.
Rombald's Rocks sculpture trail was opened by Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe and project creator, Leonie Briggs. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
On Saturday 24th May, a new art project was launched in Keighley. “Rombald’s Rocks” were unveiled at locations across the town centre and 100s people came along to celebrate the launch event enjoying lots of different activities and performances.
Led by local artist, Leonie Briggs, with support from the team here at Keighley Creative, Rombald’s Rocks: Keighley Sculpture Trail is a unique art project that has been all about involving the people of the town, as Leonie explained:
“The sculpture trail has been created by the Keighley community. We have taken inspiration from a local legend and recruited all sorts of local people to realise the project, be it artists, creative facilitators, community groups, local businesses, volunteers, and more.”
Visitors were greeted with a special map and information about the Keighley Sculpture Trail. They then set out to discover 10 “Rombald’s Rocks” that have set up camp in locations around town. The sculptures have been inspired by the local legend of Rombald the Giant who threw rocks to create the Cow and Calf.
From left: Willow Mackenzie, eight, Ezra Mackenzie, five, and Mollie-Rae Kitson, nine, show off their completed trail maps at the launch of Keighley Creative studio holder Leonie Briggs’s Rombald’s Rocks sculpture trail. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
The 10 unique sculptures were designed and carved by Leonie but then decorated by 5 local artists, namely Sven Shaw, Nicola Storr, Jon Britten, Catherine Fortey and Dripsy, and 5 community groups alongside a creative facilitator, namely Hainworth Wood Community Centre with Ciara Sturgess, Highfield Community Association with Lisa Holmes of Photo Hub North CIC, One In A Million at the Sue Belcher Centre with Sian Atkinson, The Good Shepherd Centre with Olha Zhydetska and Wednesday Leisure group with Laura Thompson.
Keighley BID (Business Improvement District) has been a big supporter of the event and local businesses joined in the event, with some hosting sculptures including Three Little Birds Bakery and Hairavanti.
The launch day included lots of different activities for families to enjoy. People of all ages got crafty in various rock themed workshops; there was cup and ring stone making in the market, creating clay rock creatures at Keighley Creative and pebble painting at Melia Powell Funeral Services.
The launch of Keighley Creative studio holder Leonie Briggs’s Rombald’s Rocks sculpture trail. Photo: Bob Smith PhotographyThe launch of Keighley Creative studio holder Leonie Briggs’s Rombald’s Rocks sculpture trail. Photo: Bob Smith PhotographyThe launch of Keighley Creative studio holder Leonie Briggs’s Rombald’s Rocks sculpture trail. Photo: Bob Smith PhotographyThe launch of Keighley Creative studio holder Leonie Briggs’s Rombald’s Rocks sculpture trail. Photo: Bob Smith Photography“The Making of Rombald’s Rocks” exhibition was launched. Photo: John BellThe launch of Keighley Creative studio holder Leonie Briggs’s Rombald’s Rocks sculpture trail. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
There were also performances put on across Keighley town centre. Local actor and historian, Irene Lofthouse, entertained the crowds with her telling of Rombald’s poem in Keighley’s Historical Royal Arcade and folk musicians popped up in many of the sculpture locations including H. Brook DIY on Lawkholme Lane. In the Airedale Shopping Centre, crowds listened and even joined in with some community singing thanks to the Keighley Chorus.
“The Making of Rombald’s Rocks” exhibition was launched at Keighley Creative’s base on Cooke Lane and visitors get to find out more about all the people and hard work that has gone into this successful project. The exhibition will run until 29th June 2025 and is open Mondays 10am-12:30pm, Wednesdays 1pm-4pm and Saturdays 11am-3pm.
The feedback received from visitors at the launch event illustrated the success of the project. Quotes from people that attended included:
“Helped me to find some of Keighley’s cafes/shops that I knew were in Keighley but didn’t know where they were”
“Great fun, and wonderful to see so much creativity with all the different versions.”
“Fabulous event that brings together the community.”
Finally Cat Murray, Events Manager here at Keighley Creative, said:
“We are so proud of Leonie, who is one of our studio artists, and how her vision has come to life. She is passionate about community art and Keighley and it’s been a joy to support her to deliver the project. What a triumph! Keighley Creative hope everyone enjoys Rombald’s Rocks: Keighley Sculpture Trail as much as we’ve loved creating it.”
Rombald’s Rocks: Keighley Sculpture Trail will be running until Sunday 29th June 2025. Free trail maps with more information are available from key locations around the town centre including Keighley Creative, Royal Arcade, Airedale Shopping Centre, the market, the bus station and The Old Parcels Office at Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.
This project has been made by the people of Keighley and has been supported by Towns Fund, Bradford 2025 Creative Communities Fund and Keighley BID.
Rombald’s Rocks: Keighley Sculpture Trail is supported by the following organisations:
GiveBradford is an independent grant maker and is the place for giving in Bradford and they’re building a movement. Working collaboratively with leaders, community organisations and donors, they’re strengthening the future of local communities, building a fairer Bradford for everyone.
Pears Foundation is a family foundation driven by a desire to demonstrate the good that philanthropy can achieve in the world. The Pears family has given more than £450m to charity since the Foundation was established.
Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture (Bradford 2025) runs from January 2025 to December 2025 and is a celebration of Bradford city and district, taking place across its city, towns, villages and greenspaces. It will showcase the rich history of the area and spotlight its dynamic contemporary culture in all forms; dance and theatre, music and film, visual arts and crafts, food and sport. The City of Culture designation has already brought significant investment to the region and been a catalyst for development. It is set to have a lifelong impact through its reshaping of the local curriculum, skills and training programmes, investment in existing and new creative spaces, and open up opportunities for cultural participation.
Keighley Business Improvement District (BID) is a public-private partnership in which businesses within a defined area of the town pay a levy to fund improvements in that area, for example improving security or cleaning.
Keighley Towns Fund has been allocated £20m funding over the next 10 years.The investment is overseen by the Towns Fund Board which is made up of representatives from Keighley. The long-term plan for the Towns Fund is to improve aspects such as security and aid regeneration of the high street.
Keighley Creative are pleased to announced that 5 artists have been specially selected by a panel of local people to design sculptures for a new arts trail launching this May.
Local artist, illustrator, sculptor and studio holder, Leonie Briggs is the founder of the sculpture and is working with the KC team to bring this new project to life.
Leonie explained:
“As an artist based in the heart of Keighley I wanted to design a project that demonstrated the creativity of the local community, brought something positive to the town, and highlighted the area’s rich folklore. After painting a sculpture for the Snooks Sculpture Trail in York and speaking to local young people about what they would like to see in the town, I thought it would be amazing if we could have our own sculpture trail.”
For the project’s theme Leonie has been inspired by local legend, Rombald the Giant, whose statue sits in the Airedale Shopping Centre. The story goes that Rombald and his wife threw stones that broke and created the Cow and Calf Rocks on Ilkley Moor. But Leonie wondered where the other little rocks might have ended up?! And the idea for the Rombald’s Rocks themed trail was born.
The Keighley Sculpture Trail is being supported by the Bradford 2025 Creative Communities Fund and Keighley BID, as its aims are to encourage creativity and increase footfall for businesses within the district. Therefore the team wanted to involve people from Keighley as much as possible so have been proactively looking for those who would like to get involved. Opportunities we have recruited for include workshop facilitators, graphic designers, selection panel members and artists.
Ten “Rombald’s Rocks” sculptures are being made by Leonie. Five of them will be decorated by groups representing different communities of Keighley, namely Highfield Community Association, The Good Shepherd Centre, One in a Million group at Sue Belcher Centre, Wednesday Leisure and Hainworth Wood Community Centre. The other five will be decorated by selected individual artists that have been chosen by a community panel made up of local volunteers.
Catherine ForteySven ShawNicola StorrDripsy. Photo: Bob Smith PhotographyJon Britten. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
The chosen artists are:
Catherine Fortey – a Shipley-based author, illustrator, printmaker and potter;
Dripsy – a Keighley-raised street artist;
Jon Britten – a self-taught creative artist based in Keighley;
Nicola Storr – an illustrator, art teacher, and workshop facilitator based in Bingley; and
Sven Shaw – an illustrator and painter based in Baildon.
The launch of “Rombald’s Rocks” will be on Saturday 24th May 2025 when the ten sculptures will be unveiled in different locations around Keighley, encouraging people to explore the town centre and highlighting some local landmarks. The trail is also supported by Keighley BID and local businesses as they recognise how such events are key for promoting shopping on the high street.
Prior to the launch weekend, the team will be encouraging more people to get involved so they are running free, family-friendly arts and crafts workshops.
“Rombald’s Rocks themed arts and crafts workshops will soon be coming to Keighley. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
“The trail is not just for artists, it’s for everyone. We want as many local people as possible to get involved so we are running workshops around town from the end of April, where local people can come along and make their own Rombald’s Rocks themed artworks. Also we’d love people to take an active role in the launch weekend if possible so we have volunteer roles available. Watch this space for more information on these upcoming opportunities.”
For more information on Keighley Sculpture Trail, workshops and volunteer opportunities, follow us on social media @keighleycreative or look out for the flyers including a trail map which will be available at key locations in the town centre.
GiveBradford is an independent grant maker and is the place for giving in Bradford and they’re building a movement. Working collaboratively with leaders, community organisations and donors, they’re strengthening the future of local communities, building a fairer Bradford for everyone.
Pears Foundation is a family foundation driven by a desire to demonstrate the good that philanthropy can achieve in the world. The Pears family has given more than £450m to charity since the Foundation was established.
Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture (Bradford 2025) runs from January 2025 to December 2025 and is a celebration of Bradford city and district, taking place across its city, towns, villages and greenspaces. It will showcase the rich history of the area and spotlight its dynamic contemporary culture in all forms; dance and theatre, music and film, visual arts and crafts, food and sport. The City of Culture designation has already brought significant investment to the region and been a catalyst for development. It is set to have a lifelong impact through its reshaping of the local curriculum, skills and training programmes, investment in existing and new creative spaces, and opening up opportunities for cultural participation.
Keighley Creative I Am Brill Disco. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
Well what a year! The last 12 months at Keighley Creative have been amazing and our team is proud that they have been able to bring so many arts and culture projects to town in 2024.
We started the year carrying on our I Am Brill project celebrating our hometown and the talents of Keighley people. The project included a series of craft workshops, a fabulous disco and a unique artwork created by local artist, Letty McHugh.
Photo: Bob Smith PhotographyPhoto: Bob Smith Photography
The Stockroom was built and opened at the end of 2023 to provide a cosy cinema and performance space. In 2024 it has taken off and has hosted a range of events including screenings as part of Leeds Film Festival and the comedy-drama play, Kailey written by Kerry Wright.
Credit: Ant Robling
In early spring we were part of the WoW Girls Festival who brought their big bus to town. Keighley Creative hosted the event and put on a series of activities including tattoo drawing, DJing, dried flower crafts, live performances, sound engineering, henna art and much more.
The Drawing Box project is led by Naseem Darbey and continued to develop this year following last year’s hugely successful Mega Drawing Box event. This time things went mini rather than mega with “the bog in a drawing box”, which was designed to be portable and taken onto the moor enabling walkers to get up close with nature through art.
Bradford Arts Centre, Kala Sangam, and Keighley Creative joined forces this year with a focus on celebrating arts and heritage. They employed Arts and Heritage Officer, Lauren Kelly, who took the “K-Town Cart” to communities around Keighley and helped local people celebrate their heritage through art.
Lauren is not our only new team member as this year has also seen us welcome new Executive Director, Riaz Meer, Creative Director, Paula Clark and Event Producer, Tracy Uren.
Riaz Meer. Photo: Bob Smith PhotographyPaula Clark. Photo: Bob Smith PhotographyTracy Uren. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
And in 2024, more relationships has been built between Keighley Creative and potential supporters and funders. This year we have been happy to announce that we are working with more organisations than ever including businesses such as Timothy Taylor’s and Craftscale, charities such as Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and National Lottery and government organisations such as Keighley Town Council, Bradford Metropolitan District Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
The local community’s concerns for the welfare of local residents and the cost-of-living crisis led to the “Open Door” project. The aim was to make a well-designed Keighley-centric newspaper that directs people to help locally. It brought together lots of of local organisations and includes lots of useful information and 01535 phone numbers for support on a range of issues including managing debt, mental health, food and wellbeing.
Photo: Bob Smith Photography
September brought the walking festival organised by Keighley Town Council and we were keen to get involved so designed the “Light Up the Night” walk. Local people including adults and children got together to create unique illuminated flower torches and held an evening parade through town.
Photo: Bob Smith PhotographyPhoto: Bob Smith PhotographyPhoto: Bob Smith Photography
Pledges to the Landscape was a collaborative project between Keighley Creative and Yorkshire Peat Partnership. It was designed to educate local school children on the importance of protecting our environment, landscapes and wildlife through drawing. The artwork was then added to a special “leaky dam” installed on a local moorland to help preserve the drawings and the land for the future.
Photo: Bob Smith PhotographyPhoto: Bob Smith PhotographyPhoto: Bob Smith PhotographyPhoto: Bob Smith PhotographyPhoto: Bob Smith Photography
Throughout 2024, Keighley Creative has continued to support local artists in a number of ways such as providing artist studios for hire, regular get togethers, maker fairs and exhibitions, all with the aim of supporting those developing careers in the creative industries.
Photo: Bob Smith PhotographyPhoto: Bob Smith PhotographyPhoto: Bob Smith PhotographyPhoto: Bob Smith Photography
Keighley Creative’s popular community arts and craft workshops will continue in 2025 thanks to their success in 2024. This year they have brought free family fun and creative opportunities to venues around town including the market hall, Airedale Shopping Centre, Town Hall Square, Cliffe Castle and various community centres. This year’s workshops included celebrations of Easter, Hallowe’en, Eid, Christmas, St. George’s Day and recognising 100 years of the Keighley Cenotaph.
Our Arts for Brain Health project providing weekly workshops to Keighley people continues to go from strength-to-strength. The workshops not only give creative opportunities but also the chance to develop skills and meet new people. Thanks to some new National Lottery funding, in 2025 we will grow the programme further.
2025 is set to be a big year for the city as a whole with a host of big arts and culture projects with various special projects coming to Keighley as part of Bradford 2025.
To find out more about what’s Keighley Creative are up to in 2025, please sign up to our mailing list or follow us on our social media channels @keighleycreative.
Keighley Creative Maker Fayre and Open Studios event. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
On Saturday 17th August 2024, our studio artists were thrilled to welcome more people than ever before to their open studio event.
Nearly 100 people came to visit, had a tour, met the artists and viewed their huge range of artwork and creativity.
Sean Jukes aka Rambling Art (R)Jane Fielder (L)Naseem Darbey (L)Bill Parker (R)Visitors enjoying exploring the studios
The artists that hosted included Jane Fielder, Dripsy, Naseem Darbey, Jonathan Britten, Martin Cosgrove, Sean Jukes aka Rambling Art, Bill Parker and Leonie Briggs.
The first floor studios were opened up to the public whilst a makers fair went out downstairs. Local creatives had stalls selling their handmade products and visitors enjoyed browsing and shopping.
Black Craft by CKDripsyCharles HumphreysMiss Hue DesignsHoping SewOakfield CraftsAnna Gouws ArtworkKat Rose Illustration
Goods on sale included jewellery, paintings, quilts, prints, homewares and gifts. Stallholders included Black Craft by CK, Charles Humphreys, Miss Hue Designs, Oakfield Crafts, Anna Gouws Artwork, Dripsy, Kat Rose Illustration and Hoping Sew.
Due to the success of the previous events another one has already been booked in for Saturday 30th November 2024. The event will again include artists opening up their studios as well as a makers fair, perfectly timed for Christmas shopping.
To apply for a stall at the next one, please follow the link below:
Calling all Keighley Makers!!! Apply for a stall at our upcoming event.
We are now taking applications for local creatives who would like a stall at our upcoming Summer Maker Fayre and Open Studios on Saturday 17th August 2024.
We would like applications from makers based in and around Keighley who would like to sell their creations at our upcoming event. Be it jewellery, ceramics, paintings, gifts, woodwork or something else, please get in touch.
Deadline for applications is Friday 26th July 2024.
Last Saturday 29th June 2024, a group of local people set off as part of Otley Walking Festival to draw the bog and associated wildlife of Denton Estate moorland near Ilkley.
Led by local artist, Naseem Darbey, and Yorkshire Peatland Partnership (YPP) expert, Lucy Lee, the group of 10 spent the day on the moor absorbing the landscape, learning about the bog and documenting it through art.
Naseem leading a drawing group on Denton Moor
The project has been titled Bog in a Drawing Box as participants are provided with a specially designed box with a host of drawing materials to allow them to illustrate the moorland, it’s plants and animals.
The project has been funded by the Yorkshire Peatland Partnership with the aim of encouraging attendees to think and learn about how society and the natural environment affect each other, to value peatlands for their own sake and for the benefits they provide and benefit from peatlands (recreation/health/wellbeing) and to take action to protect our peatlands.
Participant soaking up the landscape, literally!
By drawing the bog and it’s botany, the aim was to inspire the artists to get involved in restoring and protecting their local peatlands and highlight how important it is for wildlife, recreation, as a carbon store, flood protection and water security.
The project has also been supported by The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Otley Walking Festival, Nidderdale National Landscape, Denton Estate and the Wharfedale Naturalists Society.
For more information on the Bog in a Drawing Box project or our future collaborative projects with the YPP, please email naseem@keighleycreative.org
DEADLINE EXTENDED! Call-out for Keighley artists! Would you like to provide creative content for our Engineering and Arts Explorations project?
A new project has recently been launched in Keighley. Local engineer and STEM Ambassador, Alisha Bell, supported by The Leap organisations is on the hunt for local artists to engage the next generation of engineers.
Alisha is a passionate young female engineer at the heart of local manufacturing having worked for Teconnex for over 5 years and now working for Byworth Boilers.
With this project she is seeking creative contributions from artists, asking them to reimagine the images behind engineering and helping to celebrate Keighley’s manufacturing industry.
Therefore we are asking local artists to submit their ideas for artwork. The artwork should be designed to engage the local community with engineering and helping people see the manufacturing industry from a new perspective. The target audience is specifically the younger generation and women.
We are asking for artists ideally in and around Keighley to apply by doing a quick annotated sketch of their ideas and emailing it to alisha.bell@live.co.uk before 1st July 2024. 7th July 2024.
The team will then choose up to 10 artists who will be commissioned to turn their ideas into a final piece of artwork at A2 size that will be put on public display. This is an exciting and PAID opportunity and each successful application will be commissioned £50.
All successful entries will be displayed at our Engineering and Arts Exploration event at Keighley Creative on Cooke Lane on Saturday 24th August 2024, 10am till 4pm. Also the chosen pieces may be exhibited again publicly after this event in other settings but you will be informed and asked about this prior to other exhibitions.
The preference will be for the chosen artists and engineering to be associated with Keighley.
This project is being supported by The Leap in partnership with Keighley Creative, Arts Council England, Bradford Council and Creative Place Partners.
Deadline for applications is 7th July 2024. Please apply by emailing a sketch of your ideas directly to Alisha Bell at alisha.bell@live.co.uk
