Marsden Culture Lab

Marsden Culture Lab Workshop 1

📍 Marsden Mechanics

Wednesday 20th May

⏱ 2-hour interactive workshop 6pm-8pm, refreshments from 5:30pm

Eventbrite link 

Culture Lab: Marsden

What does culture mean in everyday life in Marsden and what should happen next?

Culture Labs are being established across Kirklees as a way for people who live, work and care about culture to come together, share experiences, and begin shaping practical actions rooted in local life.

This session is the first of two workshops in an initial pilot phase taking place in Marden Mechanics.

What is a Culture Lab?

A Culture Lab is a facilitated space to reflect, explore and take things further. Culture Labs move from conversation to collaboration to action, creating space for people to shape their own ideas and plans.

This is your Culture Lab.

What do we mean by culture?

When we talk about culture, we don’t just mean arts venues or festivals.

Culture is part of everyday life, including:

• Cooking and eating together
• Gardening, walking and spending time outdoors
• Making things and learning skills
• Sharing stories, watching films and reading
• Caring for one another and community life

Culture Labs create space to reflect on these everyday experiences and explore how they shape place, identity and belonging.

Find out more about Culture Labs here 

What will happen in this workshop?

This 2-hour session will include:

• Guided conversation and reflection
• Creative and participatory activities
• Sharing ideas, experiences and hopes for Marsden
• Connecting with others who care about culture and place

Participants will begin to explore what matters locally and identify themes and ideas that will feed into the second workshop.

About the pilot

This session is Workshop 1 of 2 in an initial pilot Culture Lab.

Insights and ideas generated will help shape:

• Emerging ideas for a local cultural action plan
• Support the emerging Cultural Strategy
• How Culture Labs might work in future across Kirklees
• The focus of the second workshop

You don’t need to attend both sessions, but they are designed to build on one another. 

If you can’t attend this workshop but would like to find out more there will be space in the Mechanics to come and share your thoughts, drop in during opening hours.

Who is it for?

Culture Labs are open to anyone who cares about culture and place. You might be:

• A local resident
• An artist, maker or creative practitioner
• Part of a community group or organisation
• Working in education, health, heritage or business
• Or simply curious about where you live

No specialist knowledge or experience is needed. 

Who will be facilitating the session?

This is your space, but the workshop will be facilitated by Jonny Kelly and Jo Warmington from the Mechanics, Claire Tymon and Claire Booth-Kurpnieks from the University of Huddersfield and Alistair Innes Macdonald as an embedded filmmaker for the Culture Lab.

Practical details

• • Duration: 2 hours
  • Location: Marsden Mechanics
  • Materials: All provided
  • Refreshments: Light refreshments will be provided from 5:30, session will start at 6pm.
  • Accessibility: The venue is accessible. Please get in touch if you have specific access needs.

• Filming: Please note that filming will be taking place on the night as Alistair is making a film about the Culture Lab.

Culture Labs are something we build together. Your experiences, ideas and voice matter.

Spaces are limited, so booking is recommended.