National Festival of Making Talks: Commissioning & Collaboration

This year's National Festival of Making Industry Talks are centred on collaboration, artistic commissioning & radical creativity across art, industry & community. This an opportunity to gain a deeper insight into some of the individuals, artists and commissioning teams responsible for the dynamic festival presentations featuring:

Hetain Patel in conversation with Mariam Zulfiqar

Artist Hetain Patel will be joined in conversation by Artangel director Mariam Zulfiqar to discuss the vast celebration of people's hobbies. Hear about the artist's long-standing fascination with the activities that occupy our free time, and what he considers to be the radical act of reclaiming time in dedication to our chosen pastimes. The pair will discuss the staging of this ambitious project; from its roots in some of Hetain's early artistic works installed in the exhibition, to the nationwide presentations with partners across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from 2025 - 2026

Come as You Really Are - Network and Collaborators Panel

This panel brings together three of the 13 partners in the network collaborating on Come As You Really Are in conversation with the artist. Panelists will discuss their experiences from organisational and artist perspectives of commissioning collaborative works, partnering in major new works and engaging communities and people in the exhibitions. Panelists: Elizabeth Dickinson, Barnsley Civic; Elena Jackson, National Festival of Making; Hetain Patel, Artist; and Mariam Zulfiqar, Artangel. The panel chaired by Jamie Holman.

Radical Pairings - Publication Essay Reflections & Panel

In 2025, the National Festival of Making is proud to launch a new publication, Radical Pairings. The publication features an essay, Artists and Factories Make Radical Pairings, by art critic Elizabeth Fullerton, discussing artists', practices and the unique nature of working as an artist within an industrial setting. In her writing, Fullerton introduces work created in response to, and alongside workforce communities. During this session, Fullerton will introduce the publication and her essay followed by a panel conversation which she will chair including exhibition curator and artist Liz Wilson, along with publication contributor artists Hannah Leighton-Boyce, Jacqueline Donachie and Nicola Ellis.

The day concludes with a Walking Tour of Art in Manufacturing Exhibitions led by Curator, Elena Jackson.

The event is FREE to attend - booking via Eventbrite is essential

Tickets & more information