Opening on January 8 2022 and conceived by local artist Kirstie Macleod, The Red Dress is a 12-year, award-winning global, collaborative embroidery project. ‘Flock Together’ takes inspiration from this and will offer a year-long participation programme for anyone interested in stitch, culminating in a collaborative exhibition in January 2023.
Using their ethos ‘no borders no boundaries’ this outreach and participation programme has been devised to involve both the local and wider community, so they become part of a collective flock. Open to all ages and abilities - including those with no previous experience of embroidery - the project will provide opportunities for participants to gather in the ACEarts gallery space, in homes, online and other venues to be announced.
As a participant, you'll gain access to sewing kits and learn techniques such as 'slow-machine stitch' using vintage machinery and other equipment. Through live demonstrations, talks and workshops you'll connect online and in-person with a diverse community of creatives.
The programme's overarching brief is to stitch a design onto a 10 x 10cm white fabric base (preferably recycled material such as a sheet or shirt) in response to the Flock Together theme. You'll be encouraged to share your work using #FlockTogether22.
At the end of the project, each piece will be joined together into large panels creating a large public participation artwork that will adorn the walls of the ACEarts gallery in January 2023. The final exhibition will be a celebration of the new collective and a visual representation of the unity within the community. All activities will be free and publicised on the ACEarts website, social media and in the gallery space.