LBC Heritage Days 23
Canvas: Beer, Maps & Hats
Headway Luton
Headway Luton is a charity that supports people who have survived an acquired brain injury. Our main day centre is on Alma Street in the centre of Luton. Many of us were born, grew up and studied in Luton and have lived here all our lives. Prior to our injuries we worked in a range of industries, shops and services in the town. In collaboration with artists Mary and Kym and staff and volunteers, we researched local heritage, painted the canvas, cut templates, shared memories and created our meaningful individual art pieces.
You can view the full piece in the Hat Factory window.
For more information visit: www.headwayluton.com
Sculpture
Ash Garstang
Garstang Forge is open to the public as part of this year’s Heritage Open Day festival. Come along and see Ash in action on the 15 and 16 September from 11am to 2pm at Stockwood Discovery Centre, London Road, Luton, LU1 4LX.
Traditional Kashmiri Textiles: Gupshup
Shabeena Parveen
Beautiful set of textiles products created by a group of first generation of Kashmiri females
showcasing their self-taught expertise of crotchet , knitting and sewing skills. These were produced during a series of workshop sessions where women came together to share cooking, textile, and life experiences.
Vauxhall Motors Design Department: World in a World
Adam King
A record of the undiscovered heritage of the Vauxhall Design Department in Luton, once regarded as the finest facility in Europe. Known of but not fully detailed, for over 40 years former employees and Vauxhall kept their secret hidden world, truly hidden from the public! Incredible concept cars and advanced ideas of cars and trucks for the world of tomorrow.
A book designed to the highest quality that celebrates but also informs of the high value of the heritage that is at risk. Heritage such as beautiful stained glass window that may become a victim of the demolition for redevelopment.
Carnival Costumes: All Hands on Deck
Scandalous Mas Band
The Scandalous team worked with local children and young people to design and make a fleet of ship costumes that tell the story of the black communities in Luton. From a 17th-century slave ship telling the story of slavery, our African roots and how we became Caribbean but also the little-known black Britons who were transported to England at that time. The Empress Windrush telling how our elders came to Luton establishing our community and bringing our carnival culture with them. The gone but not forgotten Wardown Lake rowing boats telling the story of our Lutonians today.
Luton International Carnival 2023 theme was Coast making this year a perfect opportunity for our project. We made new costumes, online resources for the community and schools for others to learn about our history and delivered school assemblies enabling children and young people to experience our costumes first had and learn about our history.
See more from Scandalous Mas Band at the All aboard! Exhibition, Celebrating Windrush in Luton Carnival. Visit between the 13th and 15th September, 11am and 9pm here at the Hat Factory Arts Centre, 65 - 67 Bute Street, Luton, LU1 2EY.
The exhibition is free, no booking required, suitable for all ages.
