LOVE will spread through Ashton’s market hall thanks to a new event.
Love In The Market will see live music, puppetry, performance and free family entertainment at the iconic venue on Saturday, February 8, from 11am until 4pm.
Created, designed, organised and delivered by creative industry students at Tameside College, what is billed as a ‘celebration of local talent and community spirit’ hopes to turn the building into a vibrant cultural hub.
Highlights include performances from The Retro Pops, a dynamic band blending pop classics with Jazz and Latin twists, and Rumbi Tauro, a rising star with accolades from BBC Introducing.
The League of Curiosity will present The Winter Flower, a 20-minute puppetry performance for children aged five to 10, while there will be hands-on activities including a Valentine’s themed print making workshop led by local artists and illustrators.
The Stories Behind the Stalls photography exhibition will also provide a showcase of Ashton Market traders, curated by Tameside College students.
This event marks the culmination of months of hard work by those students as part of the Tameside New Creatives programme, which aims to bridge the gap into the arts for underserved communities.
Councillor Leanne Feeley, Tameside Council’s executive member for lifelong learning and culture, said: “This event will really showcase the hard work undertaken by the students and the brilliant practical skills they have learned over the last few months.
“The UK Shared Prosperity Fund funding for this event has offered a fantastic opportunity for the students involved to nurture their creative skills and play a starring role in creating a new cultural event for Tameside for all the community to enjoy.
“It will be great to see the event bring more visitors into Ashton town centre and support our local traders while transformation work is ongoing.”
Andy Brydon – director of Greater Manchester-based international arts organisation Curated Place, which runs the professional development programme the students’ work has been part of – added: “Thanks to the trust and support of Tameside Council, Tameside College and the UKSPF funds, Love in the Market is bringing something new to Ashton, giving young people the chance to work with real budgets, professional artists and experienced mentors to bring their ideas to life.
“Our participants have embraced the opportunity to be the creative voice of their town and shown that by empowering a new generation to take agency in the creative identity of Tameside incredible things can happen and creative careers bloom.”