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Cheetham Hill pop-up projects to promote community involvement with workshops and exhibitions

By James Metcalf

A series of pop-up projects over the next few months will be held in Cheetham Hill to encourage wider community support, starting with its DIY Common scheme on Sunday.

Developed by Public Works artist, Torange Khonsari, the DIY Common is designed to encourage wider community involvement with Cheetham Park.

On September 29 residents can take park in planting a dye garden in a culmination of summer-long preparation by the Cheetham Hill community and arts organisation Buddleia.

Workshops will be running to inform people of the dying properties which exist in certain plants, and an interactive session involving wool and basket-weaving aims to highlight traditional methods involving dye.

The park will be transformed again in October, as plans to turn the viewing shelter into a temporary cafe and community space get under way, encouraging collective remembrance of the space.

Cheetham Hill will also experience a range of other events orchestrated by Buddleia, including community-wide use of unit 25 at Cheetham Hill Precinct which formerly housed a Peacocks store.

This space is open to anyone for six months, from small businesses needing a place for meetings to school groups on the lookout for a performance room.

While groups take advantage of this opportunity, Buddleia plan to put on a programme of events reflecting the cultural importance and developing life of the Cheetham Hill high street.

From October 10 to 20 artist in residence at Irk Valley, Andrew Dodds, will be exhibiting his artwork based on this oft-overlooked area in partnership with Public Works and Buddleia’s commissioned artists.

Featuring new work inspired by the environs of Cheetham Hill, plus Mr Dodds’s Arcadia – a work commissioned by Leitrim Sculpture Centre – the Desire Lines Exhibition promises to shine a light on Cheetham Hill’s artistic potential.

Image courtesy of Google Maps, with thanks.

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