Come and see ‘What Makes Gipton?’ at Gipton Gala!

Gipton Gala, Sunday 14 July, 11am – 4pm
FREE, All welcome, level access

This year’s Gipton Gala is nearly here! Come and join us on Fearnville Fields on Sunday 14 July to get involved in our new commission What Makes Gipton? by artist Andy Abbott, funded by Leeds Inspired. The work uses oversize modular parts which slot together like a house of cards to create a huge interactive sculptural installation. Each card carries images of work by Makers from east Leeds, covering everything from graphic design and illustration to printmaking, screenwriting, puppetry, painting, drawing, sculpture, felting, embroidery, artist’s publications, theatre and radio production. The installation is brought to life through the use of Augmented Reality. Holding up a mobile device reveals hidden digital content. 3D models, image slideshows, and videos appear on the structure, including short films showing the Makers themselves talking about their work – why they do it, where they make it, and what they love about being creative.

Throughout the day there will be the chance to use tablets to access this digital content, and to talk to Andy, the ELP team and other Makers about the project. If you download the Zappar app in advance you’ll be able to use your own device. You can also get involved in reshaping the structure as we take it apart and rebuild it in different configurations. What Makes Gipton? is part of our longer-term ambition to build a Maker Space for east Leeds, in partnership with Bauman Lyons architects, MassBespoke, and Leeds City Council/Leeds2023. Find out more about this on the day and how you can get involved in the research and development stage.

It’s been exciting to find so much creative talent right across east Leeds, and this is only the beginning. After the Gala we’ll be sending the work on tour around east Leeds to continue the conversation, thanks to our recent successful Crowdfunder campaign. We’ll be talking to people who already make, people who would love to get involved but don’t know how or where to start, and anyone who’s just curious about what ‘making’ means and why people do it. Keep an eye on our social media and our website for further info, and come and join in.

Andy Abbott is an artist, musician, writer and arts organiser living and working in West Yorkshire. He has exhibited and performed internationally as an individual artist and in various collaborations including the art collective Black Dogs. Recent projects include a participatory map looking at Bradford Common Spaces for the National Science and Media Museum, and a Virtual Reality video game set in Luton for the town’s Pilot Year of Culture. www.andyabbott.co.uk

With thanks to all the Makers who’ve allowed the use of their images:

Alocin’s Crafts (Scholes)
Ann Barrass (Whitkirk)
Ellen Burroughs (Gipton)
Buttercrumble (Whinmoor)
Callum Casey (Seacroft)
Chapel FM (Seacroft)
Rachael Fox (Leeds)
Alexandra Francis (Whinmoor)
Tracy Francis (Whinmoor)
Paul Harker (Gipton)
Joanna Jowett (Halton)
Suman Kaur (east Leeds)
Diane Lofthouse (Roundhay)
Hannah Merrill (Halton)
Spinning Lizard (Cross Gates)
Naomi Roxby Wardle (Seacroft)

What Makes Gipton? is funded by Leeds Inspired and is part of Index Festival 2019, a new visual arts festival for Leeds and Wakefield taking place during Yorkshire Sculpture International. www.indexfestival.org

With thanks also to our partners Bauman Lyons architects, MassBespoke, Leeds City Council and Leeds2023