From the Earth to the Stars: new arts trail celebrating Winsford this summer
Cheshire West and Chester Council has developed an arts trail in Winsford with local schools and groups in a celebration of the town and local community.
From the Earth to the Stars will launch on 21 June, when residents and visitors will be invited to explore the art trail, find the artworks and take part in exciting creative workshops in the town centre.
Artists have been working with children and young people from local schools and groups over the Spring to create new artworks that celebrate Winsford. The artworks, that include film, animation, sculpture, sound pieces, text art, shadow puppets and installations have all been inspired by the town’s past histories, present stories and its future possibilities.
The art trail was designed to engage local school pupils, groups and communities with the changing high street. The artworks can be found within the newly created public realm, from the town centre subway to Winsford Library and into Winsford Cross Shopping Centre and will be exhibited until the end of September 2025.
The artists, schools and groups who have created the artworks include:
- Artist Dave Bixter has been working with Year 9 pupils from Oaklands School. Inspired by archive photographs depicting Winsford’s salt mines and the various hand tools and machinery used by the miners, the pupils have made a series of soundboxes, decorated with prints of the salt mines. They used the soundboxes to create an imagined soundscape of the salt mines, with melodies inspired by their journeys to and from Winsford. The artwork will be installed in Winsford Library.
- Laura-Kate Draws is working with Year 3 pupils from Winsford High Street Community Primary and Nursery School. The pupils have created drawings, paintings, typography, and patterns that celebrate Winsford's past, present, and future. Their inspiration comes from the local architecture surrounding the school, photographs from the archives, and the town's green and blue spaces, including the River Weaver, the Flashes, parks, and surrounding countryside. These artworks, and more, created by the pupils will become part of a new artwork in the Town Centre subway, that shares different views and stories of the town.
- Lucy Niemczyk has been working with Year 1 and Year 5 pupils from St Chad's CE Primary School to tell the stories they choose about Winsford’s past, present and future. Lucy and the pupils recreated stories from Winsford’s past, present, and imagined future using shadow puppetry. The stories inspired a sculptural installation in Winsford Cross Shopping Centre and a film of the pupils' shadow puppet performance.
- Mark Haig, Gizmobots, has been working with Year 4 pupils from Darnhall Primary School; and New Images Youth Club and with children and young people who are Home Educated. During a series of workshops, they have used found and recycled materials to build a family of four robots, who will stride through the town centre.
- Caroline Daly has worked with Year 3 and 4 pupils at Over St John’s C.E. Primary School. Inspired by the children’s hopes for the future, Caroline and the pupils imagined a rocket landing in Winsford, transporting our family of robots to the town… They created unique designs for the rocket, by exploring what the sights, sounds, smells and tastes might be in an eco-friendly future town
- Neuza Morais worked with Year 2 pupils from Willow Wood Primary School.
- Inspired by the transformational effects of colour and storytelling, Neuza and the pupils have co-created an installation that will drench the entrance to the shopping centre with vibrant colour.
- Joe Edwards has been working with Cine Window Winsford Film Club and The Junction Club, provided by Winsford Youth and Community Forum to co-create and produce a new film that explores and celebrates the places and spaces of Winsford. The new film will be shown on the first floor of Winsford Library.
We’re thrilled to support such a creative and inspiring community project. It’s wonderful to see how scrap materials from our Warehouse have been repurposed and brought to life by the talented children and young people from around Winsford and Mark from Gizmobots. We are sure the arts trail will be enjoyed by so many in the local community this summer.
The art trail is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the talents of children and to forge an identity and pride in the town. Ninety children from around Winsford took part in the building of these sculptures. The process involved the kids stripping waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) before categorising it into sizes and types. The components created were then creatively assembled by the children into the sculptures you see here.
Mark Haig, Gizmobots, who has been working with pupils from Darnhall Primary School; and New Images Youth Club and with children and young people who are Home Educated
We can’t wait to see these new artworks installed and celebrate Winsford’s heritage and future with the town. The project has enabled schools and their pupils to play an active role in developing and celebrating their town centre and what it has to offer. The artworks will invite children, young people - their friends, families and the wider community to explore the transformed town centre. Importantly, they will bring colour, vibrancy, and pride in the town, all whilst providing the opportunity for the children to learn about the town and creativity and develop new skills. The artworks will encourage children and adults to move around and explore the transformed town centre, sparking curiosity and adventure. The Council has an ambition to nurture and develop a cultural and creative offer in the town centre. Over several years, there has been a focus on recognising and celebrating creative people and activity in the town - this has seen new projects developed by Cine Window Winsford, Winsford Library, Crosshatch Studios, Cheshire Dance and more. We are delighted that the creative offer in the town has grown organically, and is continuing to strengthen, in a way that is complementary to the town centre regeneration programme.
The first phase of the Cheshire West and Chester Council led £22 million regeneration of Winsford town centre is now complete. It is the biggest investment in the town centre shopping area since the 1960s. The demolition of buildings no longer fit for purpose, such as Queens Parade and Fountain Court, has paved the way for the building of new and improved spaces for businesses. Winsford welcomed Costa Coffee to the town in May 2024, with the new B&M superstore and garden centre - roughly half the size of a football pitch, also now open. The regeneration has boosted the local economy with over 70 jobs created so far. Other businesses including Peacocks, Greggs, Nationwide, MyDentist, Caprinos, Hollie&Co., Tur&Co. and Specsavers have also relocated to new units in the town centre.
A new 168-space car park off Dene Drive is now open and includes 18 EV charging points. In addition, there are 5km of new pathways, providing improved routes for walking, cycling and dedicated cycle storage. Around 5,000 sq. m. of public open spaces have been created for pop-ups, events and visiting attractions, with more green space in the town centre than ever before and a new purpose-built civic square outside Winsford Library, where the town’s refurbished war memorials now stand pride of place.
I am delighted to see this project come to life, it’s great to see Winsford school children and local residents celebrating our town and its identity. The trail will showcase the first phase of the Council’s ambitious regeneration of Winsford Town Centre, putting the new public square to great use. The artwork celebrates change to Winsford over the years, and will boost footfall for local businesses. Changes to public shopping habits mean modern town centres must be about more than retail. They are about culture and providing opportunities for learning and creativity to flourish, which is precisely what the Council is supporting with this work. Winsford is on the up, and this trail is the perfect way for the community to celebrate the transformation of our town centre into something far better than what was there before.
From the Earth to the Stars is part of the Future High Streets programme and funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
For more information on the Council’s regeneration of Winsford town centre, visit:
To find out more about From the Earth to the Stars and the artwork on display, visit:
