ASHTON Market Hall will once again be filled with colour and creativity when Love in the Market returns on Saturday, February 14.
The free one‑day cultural event, created by Tameside College students through the Tameside New Creatives programme, runs from 10.30am to 3.30pm and will feature live music, puppetry, performance and hands‑on family activities.
Students have worked with professional artists and mentors to design and deliver the full programme, transforming the historic market hall into a lively hub of arts, storytelling and workshops alongside the usual traders, food and drink.
Highlights include performances from acclaimed indie‑folk trio Good Habits, returning favourites VIP, family theatre and puppetry with From the River’s Mouth, and a range of free creative workshops such as Valentine’s card making, paper flowers and screen‑printed tote bags.
The event marks the culmination of months of learning supported by Tameside Council and the UK government’s Flexible Local Authority Grant (FLAG), aimed at helping young people from underserved communities gain real‑world creative industry experience.
One participating student said the project had given them “real experience of what working in the creative industries is really like,” from budgeting and marketing to programming and collaborating with professional artists.
Cllr Leanne Feeley, Tameside Council’s executive member for lifelong learning and culture, said the event “showcases the incredible talent and imagination of our young people” and encouraged residents to come along and enjoy the day.
Andy Brydon, Director at Curated Place, added that students had “taken ownership of the creative voice of their town” through the project.
More information is available at www.intameside.co.uk.