Leicester’s city centre will welcome the New Year with colour as Re/thread: A Trail of Giant Sequins, will adorn 10 windows with over 1000 dazzling Giant Sequins crafted by children and young people from across Leicester.
From 13 January to 4 February people of all ages can follow the trail and a collect series of fun ideas and activities that will inspire trail-goers to creatively and sustainably repurpose household textiles..
Re/thread shines a light on the environmental impact of textiles, encouraging more people to consider exploring circular fashion, re-using and recycling to reduce water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and landfill waste. Leicester boasts a proud textile history, and Re/thread looks at creative ways that this heritage can be celebrated in a sustainable way.
Darcy Kitchener, Creative Producer of Art Reach, the local arts charity behind the trail, explains how Re/thread emphasises the project’s dual purpose: “Thanks to donations from Shibori Masters Dye and Wash House plus Tracy Ward Textiles, we’re not just creating art; we’re fostering new ways to consume. Re/thread is a call to action, encouraging everyone to rethink their relationship with textiles and embrace sustainability. Also, thanks to support from BID Leicester people can use the LoyalFree App to check in at each location and get valuable insights into reducing textile impacts on the environment as they discover the sequins along the trail.”
In a ground-breaking effort, Re/thread has rescued over 1000 kilograms of textiles and fabrics destined for landfills, fashioning them into a joyful trail that showcases the imaginative creations of over 1000 local children. Schools, community groups, and youth organisations have been following digital workshops led by Jessica Grady, a textile artist whose work is entrenched in environmentally friendly practise, to create the giant sequins.
As Paul Steele, Creative Director at Art Reach tells us “This summer we launched the first ever Re/action Festival in Leicester which explores Creativity for the Climate. Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund and also Leicestershire and Rutland community foundation, we were able to really extend some of the workshops we held at the festival into a longer-term project. It’s great to introduce young people to these themes at festivals but a more detailed engagement project with a fabulous output such as an interactive trail with an app, can be really rewarding for the participants to be a part of.”
The sequins inspired by Jessica Grady’s workshops will be combined into mesmerising installations by the artist across ten city centre locations. Accompanying the installations will be some additional graphic designs by student, Isabel Quinn. Isabelle was selected as the winning design from the De Montfort University Graphic Design student entries and now this talented young designer’s work will help tie the trail together for people to enjoy!
Moving Together Community Dance Company delivered the workshop activity with some of their Primary and SEND school cohorts. Emily Jackson, Director of Moving Together, shares her experience: “Being part of Re/thread has been about more than art; it’s a statement. The young people have transformed waste into a vibrant display, and I’m thrilled to see their creations light up the city.”
From January 13 to February 16, 2024, 10 windows in Leicester’s city centre will be adorned with Giant Sequins, forming an interactive trail. Visitors can learn valuable tips and tricks for reusing, upcycling, or recycling textile materials, contributing to a more sustainable future.
Chris Slowe, Creative Programme Coordinator at LCB Depot, one of the 10 venues in the trail told us, “We’re really excited to be part of Re/thread, we’re looking forward to being woven together with all the other venues, as well as launching the Re/thread Trail at our monthly creative family day, as part of Cultural Quarter Earlies.”
Participants, their families and the public are invited to the launch of Re/thread: A Trail of Giant Sequins during an opening weekend of events across Cultural Quarter Earlies at LCB Depot, Leicester Gallery at De Montfort University, Leicester Central Library and other venues. The weekend promises a host of tasty textile workshops and activities for all to enjoy.
You can find the Re/thread trail at www.artreach.org.uk and on BID Leicester’s Loyal Free App.