MCDC - Manchester Craft & Design Centre

We love hearing what you think about our maker studios! See image four for a recent customer experience!

Remember you can leave us a review on Google Business or drop us an email at [email protected].

These beautiful ceramics are by on the first floor. Make sure to drop in and see what you can find.

Upcoming Pewter Workshops with Ella McIntosh

Pewter Jewellery using cuttlefish casting
Saturday 28th September, 10am - 1pm

Pewter Jewellery Making
Saturday 9th November, 10am - 1pm

Pewter Christmas Decorations
Saturday 7th December, 2.30pm - 5.30pm

Follow Ella McIntosh for up-to-date news or visit our website.

Coming up this October Half-Term... Autumn Fun Day in partnership with Manchester City Council.

Wednesday 23rd October, 11am – 3.30pm

If you’re looking for something to do with the kids this half term, pop along for craft activities, workshops, and more!

Katherine Lees Ceramics will be running a free fun clay play session suitable for all ages. Have a go at building your own part of a large clay sculpture. First, you will draw what you want to make, then get your hands on the clay! Learn how to shape and join pieces of clay using different tools to make your masterpiece. This will then be added to a larger clay shape, to form one giant clay sculpture!

Sessions run every 45 minutes, 8 places per session in Space2, Ground floor

Suitable for ages 3+, under 16s must be accompanied by an adult

Free but ticketed, with a suggested donation of £2

Book online via our website: https://www.craftanddesign.com/workshops/autumn-fun-day-2024/

Have you ever fancied learning how to paint with watercolours?

Then sign up for a Saturday Watercolour Workshop with 🪻🌷🥀

Sue’s workshops are a relaxed introduction to watercolour, using beautiful fresh flowers for inspiration. Classes are small with a maximum of four people and take place in Sue’s studio on the first floor.

Upcoming dates:

Saturday 28th September
Saturday 5th, 12th 19th & 26th October
Time: 11am – 3.30pm
Cost: £75

Email [email protected] to book your place.

Join us for the celebration event for 'earth to heart' - a ceramics exhibition by Imprints of Earth and Lily Brown. A collaboration between MCDC & 42nd Street.

Saturday 28th of September, 5pm - 7pm. All welcome!

African Fabric Upcycling Workshop
Sun 13th October, 1pm - 4pm

In celebration of , join sustainable fashion designer for an upcycling workshop using colourful African fabrics.

“ln Africa we wear a lot of kaftan, maxi and A-line dresses because of the hot weather. After moving to England, I realised most of my dresses were underused as the weather can be so cold. Recycling these beautiful garments into tops, blouses or skirts suited the British weather, giving them another life whilst still celebrating African culture.”

The fabrics used in this session will be donated by women from the Black African community across Manchester.

Ticket £50 or 2 for £90: https://www.craftanddesign.com/workshops/african-fabric-upcycling-workshop/

Explore our studios this Saturday and you will likely find makers creating beautiful bespoke products ready for you to take home.

Featuring Jane Blease on the first floor, photo by Elle Brotherhood

We're open until 5.30pm this Saturday, come and say hello 👋

Botanical Dyed Silk Scrunchie
Friday 4th October, 2pm - 5pm

Join Claire from Three-storey design for a fun and hands-on workshop where you’ll learn the art of creating beautiful silk scrunchies using natural botanical dyes!

You will learn how to dye your own large scrunchie by Bundle Dyeing. This is a natural dyeing method which creates botanical prints from flowers, petals, leaves and extract dyes. The Bundles will be steamed, to draw out and fix the colour.

Tickets are £35 and include a glass of fizz!

https://www.craftanddesign.com/workshops/botanical-dyed-silk-scrunchie-workshop/

Only a handful of tickets left for The Nettle Dress film screening & Stinging Nettle Textile Workshop!

The Nettle Dress: Feature Documentary Showing
Saturday 28th September, 11am - 12.10pm
Tickets £9

Stinging Nettle Textile Workshop with
Saturday 28th September, 2pm - 4pm
Tickets £45

Buy a combination ticket to both events with refreshments from 12.30pm - 2pm for £60.

All details are available on our website!


Hedgerow Couture

It’s time for our popular monthly Plant Swap 🌿🪴🌱🌼

Saturday 21st September, 12pm – 1pm

Pop down with your plants and cuttings and swap them for something else whilst meeting up with other plant enthusiasts. All plants, seeds and cuttings are welcome!

We also have a small selection of plants ready for new homes, so even if you have nothing to swap, you're very welcome to take a plant home with you.

See you there!

If you're looking for beautifully made rings for a special occasion, make sure to pop into .one.manchester and have a chat with lovely

Studio One on the ground floor is full of gorgeous jewellery, if you fancy something bespoke, just contact either or .

Photo credit & rings by

Two new workshops in celebration of Black History Month!

Join resident maker and sustainable fashion designer Valery Touchet (VT Creation) for two upcycling workshops this October.

Saturday 12th October: Upcycling with Shibori 3D
10.30am or 2pm

Do you like the thought of recycling and upcycling your old scarves and clothes? Then this could be the event for you!

Guided by award-winning sustainable fashion designer Valery Touchet you will hear about her journey to sustainable fashion and learn an ancient Japanese technique for recycling and embellishing old garments, called Shibori.

With Shibori 3D old fabric is brought to life again using pebbles, wooden blocks, marbles, string, and a steamer. We will re-use non-natural fabrics (like polyester) – these will be provided but feel free to bring your own.

Sunday 13th October: African Fabric Upcycling Workshop
1pm – 4pm

“ln Africa we wear a lot of kaftan, maxi and A-line dresses because of the hot weather. After moving to England, I realised most of my dresses were underused as the weather can be so cold. Recycling these beautiful garments into tops, blouses or skirts suited the British weather, giving them another life whilst still celebrating African culture.” Valery Touchet

The fabrics we will use in this session will be donated by women from the Black African community across Manchester.

You can book for either workshop online via our website:

https://www.craftanddesign.com/workshops/shibori-3d-workshop/
https://www.craftanddesign.com/workshops/african-fabric-upcycling-workshop/

Looking for something to do this Saturday? Come down to MCDC - Manchester Craft & Design Centre and check out our latest ceramics exhibition ‘earth to heart’ – a collaboration between artist Lily Brown & MCAD Resident Makers Bhaggie & Shakti Patel of Imprints of Earth.

This exhibition is a partnership with Greater Manchester’s young people’s mental health charity 42nd Street. The exhibition is free to visit and select pieces are available to purchase, just pop to the office on the first floor to enquire.


Horsfall | 42nd Street

We have a new cafe! And it’s amazing 🤩

is exactly what you’ve been waiting for – an English-style café with a northern accent and appetite.

“Inspired by classic British staples and high-quality ingredients, we take simple, locally sourced, seasonal things and turn them into lunch things, snack things, baked things, sweet things, comfort things and surprisingly chef-y things, along with all the cups, mugs, pints & bottles of things you’d expect from a café that isn’t mucking about.

Made fresh every day, you might find that some things can and do change. But that’s not a bad thing. You can always try something else.

Open for coffee and breakfast snacks from 10am, and serving lunch from 12pm, you’ll find us here Tuesday - Saturday doing what we do best.

Simple things, done very, very well.”

We can confirm, the egg & cress sandwich today was 10/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Make sure to pop in this Saturday and check it out!

Last chance to bag yourself a ticket to this Saturday’s free talk as part of Heritage Open Days! Only 3 tickets left, sale ends at 10am Friday morning.

Archive Stories with Donna Claypool, Saturday 14th September, 2pm – 5pm.

Join Donna for a free talk on the importance of Bolton Museum’s extensive pattern book collection, and her journey from Manchester Craft and Design Centre to Programme Leader in Textiles and Surface Design at the University of Bolton.

Donna will explore the importance of Bolton Museum’s extensive pattern book collection, complete with original artworks, and translate this archive into human experience.

Tickets are free with a suggested donation of £2. You can book your ticket online via our website: https://www.craftanddesign.com/exhibitions-events/archive-stories/

These stunning ceramics are created by mother & daughter duo Bhaggie & Shakti Patel, AKA Imprints of Earth.

You can view their work in our current exhibition ‘earth to heart’ – a 42nd Street & Manchester Craft & Design Centre exhibition with Imprints of Earth & Lily Brown, now open until the 24th of December.

To see more of Imprints of Earth's ceramics & jewellery, make sure to pop up to the first floor and check out their studio. It’s the perfect place to find yourself a special piece or a unique gift that will be treasured.

made.by.lil | The Horsfall |

We’re open ALL WEEKEND 🥳

Saturday 10am - 5.30pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

🟡 New ceramics exhibition ‘earth to heart’: Open Saturday & Sunday
🟣 Craft Swap: Saturday 12pm - 1pm
🟢 Craft & Chat Club: Saturday 1pm - 3pm
🔴 outside: Sunday 11am - 5pm

New exhibition opening this Saturday! ✨

earth to heart

A 42nd Street & Manchester Craft & Design Centre Exhibition with Imprints of Earth & Lily Brown

Over the summer, artist Lily Brown in partnership with 42nd Street and resident makers Shakti and Bhaggie Patel from Imprints of Earth explored what ‘Creativity Means to Me’. Together they reflected, played, and unearthed a series of ceramics which showcased their shared experience and drive to step into the unknown.

Together Imprints of Earth and Lily have produced a series of sculptural pieces which honour our connection to nature and explore creativity. Through the unpredictability of clay, they dared to dream out loud. earth to heart invites you to do the same. What does creativity mean to you?

earth to heart opens this Saturday and is free to visit. Select pieces are available for purchase. Items can be collected after the exhibition.⁠

Monday – Saturday, 10am – 5.30pm⁠
2nd Sunday of the Month, 11am – 5pm⁠
All Sundays in December, 11am – 5pm⁠
⁠
Join us for the celebration event on Saturday 28th September, 5pm – 7pm. All welcome, complimentary drinks and nibbles on arrival 🍷

https://www.craftanddesign.com/exhibitions-events/earth-to-heart/

42nd Street The Horsfall

Futureworks is proud to be in Manchester, which, according to recent research by Adobe, is the UK's Creative Capital. Our Art and design degree courses specialise in developing talented, skilled, and employable graduates to fulfil the needs of the UK's thriving creative industry. So, we know our stuff regarding art and design and Manchester.

We’ve compiled a list of our five must-visit creative spaces in Manchester. From the Creative Society to the Whitworth Gallery, you can read all about them on our website: https://shorturl.at/BKIaE



The Whitworth Creative Society Manchester Islington Mill MCDC - Manchester Craft & Design Centre Factory International

Stinging Nettle Textiles Workshop with

Saturday 28th September, 2pm - 4pm

Join historic textile artist Katie Sawyer in learning how to create stinging nettle fabric!

Get ready to dive into the fascinating history of stinging nettles with a hands-on workshop. Learn how to transform this prickly plant into a beautiful and sustainable thread. Katie will guide you through the entire process of creating your very own thread.

No prior experience is necessary, so whether you’re a seasoned crafter or a curious beginner, this workshop is for you! Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to explore the versatile and eco-friendly world of stinging nettle fabric.

Tickets are £45 and can be booked via our website. Why not make a day of it and join us for the film showing of at 11am. Full details of both events are online: https://www.craftanddesign.com/workshops/stinging-nettle-textiles-workshop/

Just two tickets left for this Saturday's Watercolour Workshop with Susan Kane Studio

Spend a relaxing few hours learning how to paint with watercolours, using beautiful fresh flowers for inspiration.

All materials are provided along with tea, coffee & biscuits. Suitable for beginners but anyone with a little more experience is more than welcome.

Saturday 31st August, 11am - 3.30pm. Email [email protected] to book. More information is available on our website: www.craftanddesign.com/workshops/watercolour-painting

New Workshop ✨ Stained Glass Inspired Sun Catchers with Helen Tiffany Glass

Saturday 19th October, 10.30am - 1pm

In this introductory class, you will learn how to screen print on glass with enamel and make a colourful hanging, ideal for catching the light in a sunny window.

During the half-day workshop, you will be shown techniques for hand-cutting paper stencils to create a stained glass-inspired design. Helen will demonstrate how to apply coloured and metallic enamels and add texture to your piece with fused glass detail. Plenty of inspiration will be provided on the day and you are welcome to bring along your own design ideas too!

After the session, your pieces will be kiln-fired and have any fixings added. They will be ready within a few weeks for studio collection or posted, which can be paid for on the day.

Tickets: £55. To book, visit: www.craftanddesign.com/workshops/stained-glass

Happy Pride weekend Manchester! 🌈

If you’re in the city celebrating, pop down to our calm oasis in the heart of the Northern Quarter. There’s plenty to see with our two floors of maker studios, plus a free Tufting Workshop where you can add your touch to a collaborative rug! You can drop into these sessions from 11am.

We’re open 10am – 5.30pm this Saturday then closed Sunday & Monday. Back open Tuesday at 10am 🥳

Have a glorious weekend everyone!

Window illustration by .oakes.photo