The Whitaker in Rossendale is set to host a series of creative and thought-provoking events this spring, celebrating fashion, art, motherhood, and sustainability through collaborations with various well-known creative voices.
The programme begins with ReFashion Catwalk on Thursday, February 26, delivered in partnership with The Manchester College.
The event will see the museum transformed into a vibrant catwalk space as a new generation of emerging designers showcase their collections.
Visitors can expect an evening celebrating creativity, innovation, and craftsmanship, with students presenting their artistic vision and approach to contemporary fashion design.
The evening will also feature artist Nicola Dale, who will invite audiences to be ‘In Mourning’.
Inspired by The Whitaker’s collection, Nicola has developed a new performance that acts as both an ode to Victorian mourning wear and etiquette, offering a striking and immersive artistic experience.
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On Sunday, March 8, The Whitaker will host The Art of Motherhood: A celebration of womanhood, motherhood, and creative expression.
This special event brings together an inspiring panel for an open conversation about creativity and motherhood. The Whitaker’s Creative director, Gaynor Seville, will be joined by Absolutely Fabulous actress Jane Horrocks, artist and painter Elizabeth McLoughlin, and Matilda McDermot from Mothers Who Make.
Together, they will explore experiences of motherhood and birth, the role creativity plays in their lives, and the joys and challenges of working in the creative sector as mothers.
The series continues on Saturday, March 14, with the In Fashion Panel Discussion, an engaging conversation focused on fashion, creativity, and the environment.
Speakers include Patrick Grant, judge on The Great British Sewing Bee, Professor Andrew Groves, founder of the Westminster Menswear Archive, and independent designer Violet Flamingo.
The panel will explore the rise of fast fashion, its impact on people and the planet, and how individuals can make more thoughtful and sustainable choices about what they wear.
Tickets for all events are available via www.thewhitaker.org, where visitors can also find details of new exhibitions launching in April 2026.
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