May Wild Studio

13/04/2026

We’re excited to share a new heritage exhibition created by the Northern Roots Heritage Champions is now open at Oldham Archives.

This exhibition takes you on a journey through time across the Northern Roots site, exploring the rich history of Snipe Clough, the Victorian visitor destination Strawberry Gardens, and forgotten places such as Cherry Valley.

Curated by Heritage Champions Gemma, Kiran, Roberta and Matt, the exhibition features an interactive digital kiosk where you can access archive images and audio commentary, alongside physical pieces of history, including a beautiful taxidermy snipe, which inspired the name ‘Snipe Clough’.

📍Exhibition on display until 30th June at the new Oldham Archives, accessed via The Loom near the new market.

Want to explore the past in person? Don’t miss ‘From Ruins to Rebirth: A Guided Heritage Walk’ at Northern Roots on Sunday 17th May 1-2:30pm, led by our very own Heritage Champions. Book your free place - https://northern-roots.uk/events/ruins-to-rebirth-heritage-walk/

This project has been made possible thanks to funding from and with kind support from .

09/04/2026

⚪️ Late to post on this, but lovely to see this year long ‘Re-imagining Waste’ co-create project come to fruition last year with an exhibition at by Greater Manchester students.

⚪️We designed and delivered a series of ‘Re-Imagining Waste’ creative workshops across the Greater Manchester campus’s, including Salford Museum, Manchester Museum, Touchstones Rochdale, Macclesfield Museum, and Bolton Museum.

⚪️The workshops explored themes of sustainable and anonymous design, with a focus on sculptural and 3D outcomes. Students engaged with the work of contemporary artists using recycled materials, while also tuning into the everyday waste and packaging we often overlook, transforming it into new and imaginative design outcomes.

⚪️Each student began by creating experimental test pieces, which then informed their final works. These individual designs came together as a collective artwork, exhibited at .

⚪️Well done to all the students for embracing the themes, material, experimenting and co-creating expressive, imaginative and innovative outcomes.

23/03/2026

🔺Always a pleasure to be back working at creating, writing, designing, and delivering engagement and learning experiences for young people.

Inspired by Rochdale’s rich heritage, its stories, its people, and of course the magnificent building itself, filled with incredible art, craft and heritage , there’s never a shortage of inspiration!

And what a team to create with and dream up ideas! 💡
You can now book - Who Stole the Hat 🔺, What Makes a Town Hall, Cotton Kings and Spinning Queens, Courts, Crime and Town Hall Trials, The Lost Keys of Rochdale - for Early Years, KS1/2/3, SEND Sundays and Home Educators can be booked here:
https://www.rochdaletownhall.co.uk/schools-learningcreates

20/03/2026

✨Big shout out to Wild Things Performing Arts CIC an grown performing arts school with a difference ✨
In Wild Things words:
‘In a world that loves to jam everyone into neat little boxes, it’s time to throw confetti and celebrate our quirks! The most successful people, whether wildly ambitious entrepreneurs, big cheese corporate leaders, or just blissfully happy adult, are the ones who proudly strut their stuff and embrace their inner weirdness. So let’s ditch the conformity and unleash our authentic selves… who knows, we might just start a trend of glorious chaos!’

Our daughter absolutely loves this local drama school. It’s fun, expressive, and creative, a space where young people can truly be themselves and discover their unique individuality at their own pace.

is also a non-profit CIC, with a huge focus on delivering funded arts projects in the community, opening the door for children across Gtr Manchester who might not otherwise have access to performing arts to experience the joy of it all.

So for to be selected to perform in the Big Night of Musicals, appearing in alongside , has been nothing short of magical, and so well deserved! 👏🏻

We feel incredibly lucky that our daughter has been part of this amazing experience. She’s loved every minute! Huge credit to the Annie team, BBC team, choreographers, safeguarding team, and of course Nancy & for their incredible support throughout a whirlwind rehearsal schedule.

You can catch the performance on BBC’s Big Night of Musicals, Saturday 28th March at 7pm 🎭

We can’t wait! 🤩

05/02/2026

🌱Looking forward to delivering this workshop for

Trained in ceramics and design, it’s always a pleasure to work with clay and share ceramic skills and making techniques with others. This workshop will start with an introduction to the history of clay as a material and lean in to the making and natural origins of making clay objects with our hands. Rooted in nature, the earth, natural forms and natures tools, using what we have to hand and what the seasons natural gifts bring. Handcraft methods & skills that have survived for thousands of years and are still practiced today. Using an air dry clay, objects made can be taken home to dry and brought to life through painting and colour.

Join me for 〰️
Tree of Change - The Making of Spring. A clay-making workshop that celebrates new life and fresh growth, offering a hopeful message for the future. Inspired by spring trees, their emerging leaves, and new buds, you will create clay designs that honor the Spring season’s sense of renewal and possibility.

Sunday 8th March, inspired by the Performing Trees exhibition currently on at the Whitworth.

Tickets from £5.00 can be found on the Manchester Ceramics Fair website, link in bio.

Our second workshop on Sunday 8th March will run 1.30 - 3.30pm and will be delivered by

09/01/2026

〰️A pre-Christmas photo share celebrating all things Art, Culture, Heritage and Community in Oldham.

〰️In my role I finally managed to visit the new exhibition spaces at Oldhams recently refurbished JR Clyde’s building with the Heritage Community Roles - a beautiful heritage building originally a library, museum and gallery - the inside and outdoor transformation an absolute triumph! 〰️Pic 1&2.
The space is multi purpose and houses council chambers, , Oldham heritage/history and natural history collections, not forgetting the much loved reinstatement of the Oldham mills panorama 〰️Pic 10-11

〰️The main exhibition space Pic 1 - currently has a beautifully curated selection of paintings from their collection old and new, a must see 〰️Pic 12-17

〰️Delighted also to visit exhibition
‘Connecting Threads’ - An absolutely stunning selection of handcrafted artworks by Lynne in stitch, embroidery and textiles, an impressive portfolio of socially engaged work and community co-created pieces 〰️Pic 3-6 Also impressive is the Indian Perspectives exhibition by Tony Phillips and Jasmir Creed 〰️Pics 7-9

〰️And to end the year in December, a very special work day highlight was welcoming Oldham Artist Cliff Murphy to Northern Roots, what a pleasure to meet Cliff in person, a true artist, gifted prolific painter and so generous with his time. His painting Belgravia is a viewpoint from what is now the Northern Roots site, looking down to Belgravia Mills 〰️Pic 20. An area Cliff grew up nearby and was able to share his personal memories and inspiration and story’s from his creative working life in Oldham, what a joyful and inspiring end to the year 💚

18/11/2025

➖A whirlwind of 3 days spent in at the ‘Gathering’ event with the Extend leadership cohort, including immersing ourselves in . With a welcome & morning intros hosted by Sarah Perks & Paul Alexander Stewart ➖

Lots of new learning and practice inspiration spread across those 3 days.

Highlights include:
〰️Shanaz Gulzar Creative Director of Bradford 2025 and her inspiring talk about the Bradford 2025 journey and its long term impact.
〰️What is Practice - Bradford 2025 Artist discussion with Hafsah Naib &
〰️ Totally Wired - creative engagement making with Artist Love my blue aluminium person 💙 & PLAY with & their impressive story of Wales progressive approach to children & play.
〰️Creative Catalists Panel felt a very relevant discussion in current times with & Dawn Cameron.
〰️An early morning pre-conference explore around Bradford centre to see The Tower of Now by Saad Qureshi , Mural Art by NeSpoon and Hardy & Free photography installation by
〰️ A super inspiring talk led by the young curators at followed by a visit to the brilliant exhibition they co-curated ‘Make Yourself at Home’
〰️The Turner Prize at Cartwright Hall is a triumph, 4 excellently selected artists, each with a dedicated space in this beautiful building. Big yes to this being celebrated ‘up north’ 👏🏻
〰️Not forgetting time spent with the absolutely lovely Engage Extend cohort and the Extend Team Hannah Gaunt Liz Fraser-Betts

Thank you ⭐️

01/11/2025

🔴May Wild Studio are super pleased to shortly start delivering our 3rd year of the National Saturday Club commission in partnership with and in 🔴

This inspiring initiative opens up creative pathways for young people, giving them the opportunity to explore what a future in the creative industries could look like, and helping them discover their creative specialism.

Through a series of engaging workshops in fine art, design, and sculpture/3D, we work with local young people in Rochdale to nurture their creative potential.

The programme culminates in a public exhibition of their collective work at the prestigious in London, a powerful moment of recognition, inspiration, and celebration for the young artists.

We’re proud to play a small part in this change-making programme, empowering the next generation to access and embrace creativity.


‘National Saturday Club gives 13–16-year-olds across the country the opportunity to study subjects they love at their local university, college or cultural institution, for free.

Offering dynamic creative learning programmes in eight subject areas – the model works to develop young people’s skills, nurture their talents and encourage their creativity.

The National Saturday Club is a new model but not a new idea. Between the late 1940s and 1970s, art schools across the country opened their doors on Saturdays to give young teenagers a taste of what it would be like to study art after leaving school. For many of today’s artists and designers, it was the start of their creative and entrepreneurial careers.

This initiative was the inspiration for the National Saturday Club. The Club’s co-founders, John and Frances Sorrell, both started their professional journeys by attending these Saturday art classes. John and Frances ran an internationally successful design business, Newell and Sorrell, before setting up The Sorrell Foundation in 1999, with the aim of inspiring creativity in young people. After 10 years of developing pioneering educational programmes, the Foundation launched the first National Art&Design Saturday Club in 2009.’

26/10/2025

💚 To see this project rise up out of the ground is a very special moment indeed.

I started my role at Northern Roots in autumn 2023, and my time there as Project Manager on The National Lottery Heritage Fund first and second projects is up there with the most fulfilling and meaningful work of my career so far.

The experience has been even more special because of my connection to , where I live.
What a joy and privilege it’s been to work so closely with Oldham’s communities on this project and to see the passion, creativity, and care that people bring to shaping their local environment.

My journey with Northern Roots began back in 2021, through my artist role at , when we created a landscape sculpture for their nature art trail. That first collaboration had a profound impact on me, I saw firsthand the team’s genuine commitment to nature, community, and a transformational vision for Oldham.

It was clear that this was an ambitious, authentic, and truly community-led green project. Little did I know at the time that a few years later, I’d have the chance to join the team in a new capacity.

All credit and my admiration to the Northern Roots Urban Farm & Eco-Park core team for their incredible hard work, determination, and passion, years in the making. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 to Anna, Kimo & Amy
and the full team at Northern Roots for creating such an inspiring & visionary place to work.

In partnership with I love Oldham, our brand new Visitor Centre is emerging, and we are counting down to opening in summer 2026.

Looking out over four acres of newly created Urban Farm and the foothills of the Peak District, the Visitor Centre will include cafe, shop, prayer room, multi-functional spaces and production kitchen. A small natural amphitheatre will sit to one side of the building along with imaginative play facilities.

Northern Roots is using regenerative land management techniques to transform 160-acres of urban greenspace into a destination that is 'of' the local community but for everyone.

We are creating inspirational spaces, moments and opportunities for people to connect around food, growing, nature, learning, creativity, sport, work and play.

We look forward to welcoming you.

21/10/2025

Finally managed to whizz around
today whilst working in Rochdale.
A dull and rainy morning but these vibrant and beautifully executed murals still managed to dazzle ✨

A relatively compact map to navigate of 10 newly commissioned international mural artists, I missed a couple only due to time.

Super impressive selection of Artists

They are excellent, I loved the subject and originality of every design. Impactful, emotive, the power to stop you in your tracks and press pause.

These new artworks complement well Rochdales existing mural collection, the two together make for an impressive curation.

Head there if you haven’t already.

25/09/2025

☀️So chuffed to be selected for the Engage Extend Leadership Programme 2025/26 ☀️

I’ve had my eye on this programme for the last 3 years, hoping to be able to find and prioritise the space in my freelance career for this essential personal & professional development.

It’s already been the most inspiring and welcoming start, meeting the rest of the brilliant cohort and the Engage team ⭐️ Rebecca

‘Announcing the Extend 2025-26 cohort’

* We are excited to announce the newest cohort taking part in Extend this year
Led by Engage, the Extend Leadership
Programme is an online professional development programme open to applicants working in engagement and participation, across all art forms.
The programme includes external contributors who bring a diversity of experience and expertise and will be mentoring our cohort.
Find out more in our bio!*

11/09/2025

🔴Beautiful on every level 🔴
Bloom part of Oldham Histories Festival was absolutely stunning.

I attended with the Heritage Champions from the project for
A brilliant opportunity to not only experience a new creative production of exceptional quality but a lesson in how we can celebrate heritage storytelling through a contemporary lens.

To hear Oldham dialect songs by made for the most joyful and mesmerising start.

‘Fusing music, fashion and dance, BLOOM celebrates the history of Oldham’s connection to Japan, as part of Japan Week 2025 🇯🇵

Informed by the past but inspired by the future, creative producers ._ have brought together composer , dance collective , queer-led fashion brand , and a trio from the world-renowned for this special performance.

Singer, researcher and provocateur will perform rousing Industrial Revolution street songs before the performance, including dialect songs about Oldham spinners and their factory owners, the Platt Brothers. ‘ Text from