| Welcome to the September edition of the Kirkgate Quarter Chronicle.
Huge thanks to all those that have already donated to our recent fund raising campaign, by Paying for a Pane! We will be in touch soon.
If you haven’t yet donated but would like to be part of the centre’s story you can still sponsor a window here. There are just four large window panes left to sponsor! |
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| We have a special fund raising event coming up next month, as we invite Nick Shill to share his knowledge with us at a Wine Tasting Evening.
Saturday 3rd October
starting at 7pm
For more information,
and to book your place,
click here |
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| September 14th to 20th is RECYCLE WEEK and we have a number of ways you can do your bit to reduce landfill….
Crafts@Kirkgate this month is a Hooky Rug Workshop, the perfect way to recycle worn out clothes or other fabric that you have lying around. Perhaps a favourite old shirt that you can’t wear anymore but adore the colour or feel of. Why not turn these pieces into something new and beautiful, that also has a useful purpose. Find out more about the workshop leader, Sarah, later in the Chronicle.
There are also ways to recycle and reduce waste while also making yourself a few extra ££s… |
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Kirk Kit is our annual sale of sporting, outdoor and adventure equipment and clothing. It’s been really successful since it’s launch in 2024- we have had all sorts of weird and wonderful items for sale! Everything from rowing machines to motorcycle gloves, camping stoves to punch-bags! We can sell your unwanted bicycles, roller skates, even camping bits and pieces, plus sporting/outdoor shoes and clothes.
Find out more about registering to sell your items at Kirk Kit by clicking here.
Anyone who has been to a Cockfrock sale will know the format, and speaking of Cockfrock- our Autumn 2026 sale is set to be another record breaker, with all the seller slots now sold. Make a note in your diary for some serious frock shopping on the 14th and 15th November.
We also have our regular Kirkgate Market events, where you can rent a table and sell your unwanted but still useful bits and pieces. Games, books, jigsaws are always on sale from the Kirkgate table and we often have some amazing bespoke craft creations and artwork from regular stall holders. |
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@Home@Kirkgate
Out of Ink Returns to the Kirkgate Centre
We’re delighted to have Cumbria Printmakers back at the centre, it is such a treat to see the walls of the Egremont Room come to life with their incredible variety of art work. We hear from the organisers below.
“Following the success of last year’s exhibition, Out of Ink returns to the Kirkgate Centre this October with a new collection of original prints by members of Cumbria Printmakers. |
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| The exhibition celebrates the remarkable diversity of contemporary printmaking, from bold linocuts and intricate etchings to collagraphs, monoprints and experimental techniques. Each artist brings a distinctive approach, demonstrating the breadth and creativity of original printmaking being produced across Cumbria today.
Cumbria Printmakers is a co-operative that supports artists at every stage of their printmaking journey. Through exhibitions, workshops and collaborative projects, the group aims to make printmaking more visible and accessible throughout the county. |
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| Visitors will have the opportunity to meet many of the artists during the exhibition and discover the processes behind the work. Unlike digital reproductions, every print on display has been created by hand using traditional or contemporary printmaking techniques, making each piece an original work of art.
By involving local businesses and organisations, this exhibition also supports Cockermouth’s growing creative community.
Join us at the preview evening for the first opportunity to see this year’s exhibition, meet the artists and enjoy refreshments in an informal atmosphere. Whether you are an experienced collector or simply curious about printmaking, everyone is warmly welcome.” |
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| If you are interested in booking the Kirkgate Centre for a special event, regular activity, or exhibition do get in touch for more information. |
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Get Creative@Kirkgate
We have three crafts@Kirkgate workshops still to come this year, our next day of creativity is with Sarah Greenwood. She will guide us through the process of making a hooky rug, a wonderful way to recycle material rather than throw away worn out garments and cloth. We asked Sarah to tell us more about herself… |
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| “I started making rugs about fourteen years ago when my mother in law Diana came to live with me and my family. She was a prolific rug maker but had a major stroke, so I started a rug group for physical and social therapy; Diana taught us to make rugs, and I’m afraid I haven’t stopped since.
I’ve made many rugs over the years, but some are too personal to part with. Forton Services was an icon on the long journey home from our annual holidays in Devon as a child, so I decided to render this concrete edifice in old woolly jumpers. I’ve made a triptych of Chapelcross, as it was in its heyday, and during its demolition, and as it is now, which you can see on my instagram. |
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| Rug making appeals to me for its recycling element, turning something which is worn out back into a useful object, though I have been known to eye up my friends’ clothing if it is a particular colour I need.
I run workshops, UK wide, but mostly in the north, teaching proddy rug making; if you’d like to learn this easy cheap craft have a look at the posters hanging with this exhibition. An all day session learning how to recycle old clothes into something possibly beautiful and maybe useful! If there isn’t a workshop near you, send me an email, I’m happy to travel.”
Sarah’s workshop is on Saturday 19th September, from 10am until 4pm with a light lunch provided (included in the price, but feel free to bring your own lunch if you prefer). |
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First Ever Volunteer Awards@Kirkgate
This month is your last chance to nominate a volunteer for our very first Volunteer Awards. |
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| If you know of a volunteer that has gone above and beyond to make your visit to the Kirkgate the best it can be, or if there is someone that you feel has made that extra effort behind the scenes, do please let us know. If you have someone in mind but aren’t sure of their name, then do still nominate- we can work out who it is from a description and if you let us know which event they were working. We wouldn’t want anyone to miss out! |
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| Nominations close at the end of September. |
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Kirkgate History and Heritage
Did you read about our recent drama at the centre? We don’t mean on the stage! We had a visit from the local police and the bomb squad!! Thankfully the World War Two artillery shell was declared safe, and normal activities were swiftly resumed. Eloise tells us more about the Heritage Group’s activities…
“This month has been a very busy one for the heritage group. In early August, we began a long-term project to audit the Cockermouth Heritage Collection, update our records and improve their storage.
This definitely threw up some surprises (including the WW2 shell which ‘enlivened!’ the day.
We have since been preparing our exhibition: The Cockermouth Heritage Collection Unboxed, which we are showing for Heritage Open Day at the Kirkgate Centre. A selection of objects chosen by the audit volunteers will be on display, together with some maps, everyday objects and school photographs.
We also have some real treasures to share from Cockermouth’s heritage.
Miss Peacock’s beautiful valise was a particularly special piece to open. Made by a London firm and especially initialled for her, the valise opens like a gladstone bag to show silver topped bottles for cosmetics and small items, her silver hairbrushes and mirror, and tiny matching cases for documents, writing, manicure and sewing. She later married into the prominent Cockermouth family, the Mitchells. |
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| In contrast, we have the workhouse bells from the Poor Law establishment, and the union workhouse. The bell show was originally cast in 1801 for the Lord Eldon of Sunderland ship, until it was decommissioned in 1817. |
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| Objects on display will also include some from Cockermouth’s industries, including Millers shoes, Harris Linens and Jennings Brewery, and share some of the more obscure stories of where our collection has come from.
Refreshments will be available on the day, and our volunteers are around to show you the collection. We look forward to seeing you all then!”
Eloise Stott
The Cockermouth Heritage Collection Unboxed: Saturday 12th Sept 10am-4pm
The Kirkgate Centre Egremont Room |
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Kirkgate Quarter
We were so impressed with a recent live gig here at the Kirkgate that we decided to ask the performers if they would like to write a piece for our Kirkgate Quarter Chronicle.
Jack Pearce was more than happy to share his thoughts with us on visiting the centre, and Cockermouth.
“I had the pleasure of playing at Kirkgate Arts and Heritage Centre on 23rd August with my jazz quintet, the Jack Pearce Quintet.Although I’d never actually visited Cockermouth before, I’ve driven around the town countless times on family holidays to the Lake District when I was younger. I therefore wasn’t quite sure what to expect when we arrived, but I certainly wasn’t expecting to find such a fantastic arts centre tucked away in what, from the road, seems like an unassuming little Lakeland town. |
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| We had a brilliant evening. It’s always great to see the music being warmly received by such a receptive audience. Especially when you play somewhere new and discover an audience who are willing to get behind original music.
The Jack Pearce Quintet is my main creative outlet, and we spend as much time as we can playing across the country. The band formed while we were all studying at Leeds Conservatoire, and over the last couple of years we’ve developed the music through touring and playing together at venues and festivals across the UK.
That touring has also led us to our first album, Church Lane, which will be released on 9 October 2026. The album features seven of my original compositions and brings together contemporary jazz, funk and soul, with a strong emphasis on melody, improvisation and the chemistry we’ve developed as a live band on the road. |
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| A snapshot of Jack and the band soundchecking before the gig. |
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| The album was recorded in the 12th-century St Mary’s Church in Kirkby Lonsdale, a beautiful space whose acoustics became a really important part of the sound. The warmth and resonance of the church, along with its vaulted ceilings and stained glass, gave the recording a character that would have been impossible to recreate in a conventional studio.
We’re now taking Church Lane on the road with an Album Release Tour in October 2026 and January 2027. We’ll be playing 29 dates across the UK, travelling from Aberdeen to Plymouth, and I’m really looking forward to bringing the music to as many different audiences as possible.
It was a real pleasure to play Kirkgate in August, and I hope it won’t be my last visit to Cockermouth!”
We hope so too Jack! What a superb night of music it was. If you missed them this time around do keep an eye out for future gigs, they really are a talented bunch. Jack’s website- www.jackpearcesax.com and you can find him on social media Instagram/Facebook- @jackpearcesax. |
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| We’re busy behind the scenes confirming our Jazz@Kirkgate artists for 2027, with some already appearing on the website for bookings! We kick off in January with Ancient Infinity Orchestra. We’re just hoping we can squeeze them all on our humble stage! It’s going to be an amazing night! |
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| You don’t need to be a ‘jazz fan’ to appreciate the superb musicianship of these artists! |
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| September is always a busy month for us all, back to school for the kids, and settling into more of a normal routine for parents and grandparents. There’s also a lot going on around the town with the food festival, then swiftly into preparations for the stream of autumn celebrations (halloween, bonfire night and that time of year I’m not quite ready to mention yet…).
It’s a packed programme at the Kirkgate and again we will be juggling all sorts of other work alongside busy events. It would be boring if it was too easy, we like a challenge! It’s wonderful to read the feedback from Jack on his recent visit to the centre. In the admin office we’re often so busy that we forget to take a moment and soak it all in- the reasons we are doing what we do.
We love to hear from our volunteers and customers too- so if you have enjoyed something recently (or been to an event that didn’t quite reach the mark) do get in touch and let us know. Don’t forget that this month is your chance to reward one of our incredible team of volunteers, with a nomination for our Volunteer Awards. Selecting the winners is going to be a really tough challenge for our panel of judges!
Emma Heys
Chief Executive |
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