Leeroy New: Balete Spacecraft Family Workshops

This event has ended.
Photo of Leeroy New on a ladder working on his sculpture
Date
21 - 28 Oct 2023
Venue
Castlefield Viaduct
Tickets
FREE

Saturday 21 October

Wednesday 25 October

Saturday 28 October

Drop in any time between 1 and 3.30pm

This event has ended.

This family workshop is suitable for all ages and abilities.
Running time: Drop by between 1pm and 3pm

Accessibility features available for this event: Wheelchair Access

Leeroy New needs your help to build Balete Spacecraft. Drop by our family craft workshops and add your creations to his colourful, plastic sculpture.

Leeroy New’s Balete Spacecraft lands in the Social this Autumn as part of The Welcome – our nine-day cultural celebration to mark the opening of Aviva Studios. But there’s a catch. The sculpture is not finished.

Join us at Castlefield Viaduct – the city centre’s iconic reclaimed green space – for a craft-making session centred around plastic waste. Create your own plastic additions, make flowers and decorations, then watch them come to life as part of Balete Spacecraft.

Balete Spacecraft is inspired by the sacred Balete tree of the Philippines, which is a dwelling place for otherworldly beings in Philippine folklore. A colourful commentary on consumerism, the sculpture is made from reclaimed hazel and willow woods that are native to our region, and plastics found from across the city.

This is your chance to contribute to an artwork by Filipino artist-designer Leeroy New. And a great way to get kids thinking about sustainability and plastics.

Sessions are free and suitable for all ages and abilities. Bring your colourful plastic bottles – the brighter the better! – and drop by between 1pm and 3pm. Refreshments will be provided.

Leeroy New: Balete Spacecraft runs from 11 to 19 November as part of The Welcome. Drop by the Social to see the sculpture and your colourful additions. 

Image: Arks of Gimokudan 02 ©Somerset House 2022

CREATED BY THE PEOPLE OF GREATER MANCHESTER

The Welcome is a series of events celebrating the opening of Aviva Studios, curated by the Factory Assembly. Representing a cross-section of the people of Greater Manchester, we’re calling the shots with a programme that brings together the best in circus, street culture, music, food, art and more.

Access information

Here you can find out about different access features and performances and advice on content. For more information about the different types of access performances we offer, please visit the Access hub. If you have specific access needs that aren’t yet addressed, please email access@factoryinternational.org prior to the event and we’ll do our best to help.

The event takes place in Castlefield Viaduct. The full address of the venue is Castlefield Viaduct, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M3 4LG and what3words is chops.inner.grin.

Castlefield Viaduct is a 330-metre long Grade II-listed viaduct sits in Castlefield, the oldest part of the city of Manchester surrounded by 2000 years of history. It was built in 1892 by Heenan and Froude, the engineers who worked on the iconic Blackpool Tower, the viaduct was used to carry heavy rail traffic in and out of Manchester Central Station and the Great Northern Warehouse until 1969.

Since then the viaduct stood unused, though regularly maintained by National Highways. Now it has been reclaimed as a green space in the heart of this vibrant city, celebrating its part in Manchester’s past, present and future by transforming into a temporary 'garden in the sky'.

Leeroy New: Balete Spacecraft Family Workshops will take place in the visitor building on Castlefield Viaduct. The event will be set up as a mixture of seated and standing.

We would encourage you to access the viaduct via the Deansgate train station and tram stop, where there is a lift and step free access across to the viaduct.

You may take the stairs up from Duke Street if you are able to – the Duke Street lift is currently out of action.

There is more information on this in the Travel Information section below.

Leeroy New: Balete Spacecraft Family Workshops will start at 1pm and run until 3.30pm.

This event will be BSL interpreted on request. Please email leeroy@factoryinternational.org if you require this.

Accessible toilets are available at Castlefield Viaduct.

Travel information

Below you can find information on how to get to the venue/event.

The closest stations are:

Deansgate station and Deansgate-Castlefield tram.

By train

If you are arriving at Deansgate train station make your way across the bridge to the Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop. Cross all the tram lines and turn left down the access road. Look for our signs on the raised pavement. Walk across the car park at the end following the pedestrian signs directing you to Castlefield Viaduct.

By tram

Alight at Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop. Cross all the tram lines and turn left down the access road. Look for our signs on the raised pavement. Walk across the car park at the end following the pedestrian signs directing you to Castlefield Viaduct.

All platforms at the Metrolink and railway stations have step-free access to the platforms. There is lift access from the street to the stations (accessible at the end of Deansgate on the corner with Whitworth St West). There is no tactile paving at Deansgate railway station, and level access to the Manchester platform is across the overbridge from the Metrolink station (this is to your right as you come out of the lift from the street).

Free bus services stop at all city-centre stations, and near to Castlefield Bowl along Deansgate, Bridge St and Quay St. Buses on these free routes are wheelchair accessible. For full details of the free bus routes, please visit the TfGM website.

Make your way to Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop. If approaching from Deansgate or Whitworth Street West, cross all the tram lines and turn left down the access road. Look for our signs on the raised pavement. Walk across the car park at the end following the pedestrian signs directing you to Castlefield Viaduct. Alternatively, if approaching from the Liverpool Road direction, climb the staircase just off Duke Street to arrive at the entrance.

For a list of other parking bays available in the area, visit Manchester City Council website.

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