Visual Arts & Exhibitions

Three autumn exhibitions, including a confectionery-inspired glass show by Liverpool artist Linny Venables, open as the gallery marks its 115th birthday Rock, ice-cream and illuminations have long been Blackpool’s trade. This autumn, Grundy Art Gallery is making them the centrepiece of a trio of exhibitions. Threy open at the Queen Street gallery on Saturday 24 October, timed to tie in with Lightpool and to the gallery’s 115th anniversary. The centrepiece is Sweet Factory by Linny Venables, a Liverpool-based Disabled artist whose glass sculptures are modelled on confectionery. They celebrate shared histories of sweet-making, working-class food traditions and seaside culture. Venables…

A wildflower field on disused land will be occupied by giant creatures and lit up after dark for Welcoming Winter, a free evening of art, light and seasonal spectacle. A family of three-metre-tall creatures made from hay will emerge from the darkness of a Mereside meadow this month, as part of celebrations for Lightpool's 10th anniversary. Welcoming Winter, on Friday 23 October, will bring the Field of Dreams to life after dark. The event is free and everyone is welcome. The Field of Dreams is a seven-acre stretch of disused land that LeftCoast, the Creative People and Places programme for…

Thirty artworks, 10 world premieres, the return of Carnival Magic and 10-metre comminity-sewn tapestry – Blackpool's biggest light-art party turns 10 this October half term, running from Wednesday 21 to Saturday 31 October. Ten years ago, Lightpool Festival started as an idea – that Blackpool's illuminated heritage could stretch further than the seafront and that art shouldn't cost anything to enjoy. A decade on, that idea has grown into a regular fixture on our annual cultural calendar,. Lightpool Festival returns for its 10th anniversary edition from Wednesday 21 to Saturday 31 October, transforming venues across Blackpool into an after-dark trail…

From a deconstructed charity shop wedding dress to a full exhibition, the founder of fashion brand Luv Me Again talks upcycled bridal wear, circular fashion and why Blackpool's "rough-around-the-edges" charm deserves a catwalk of its own. Blackpool Threads is a new exhibition of upcycled bridal wear from Luv Me Again, the sustainable fashion brand built on giving forgotten garments a second life – starting with wedding dresses. The collection takes old, pre-loved dresses and reworks them into something entirely new, while drawing its inspiration from the character, history and personality of Blackpool itself. The exhibition opens at That Alternative Studio…

House of Wingz brings together the town's artists, performers and makers for a fifth Style Assembly, this time built around one message: RESTYLE. Blackpool Style Assembly returns on Saturday 24 October, bringing the town's designers, models, photographers and performers back to House of Wingz for its fifth edition – and this time round, organisers want to talk about your wardrobe. Hosted by House of Wingz alongside event partners Herbrand, Durose Studios and That Alternative Studio, Style Assembly has spent four editions building a creative network of more than 100 local models, photographers, designers and makers, establishing itself as one of…

Christine Rodger has spent decades charting the coastline of western Britain – first from the deck of a small cruiser, sketchbook in hand, and now from her home on the Fylde Coast. As her new exhibition, The Coastal Theatre of Western Britain, opens at Aunty Social this September, she sat down for coffee, scones and an exclusive interview with someone already familiar with her work – her daughter, Helen Rodger – and even picked up the bill. I’ve followed Christine Rodger’s work for decades – you could say I was raised on it. Not because I had an incredibly cultured…

Art Explora's Mobile Museum arrives in Grange Park tomorrow, showcasing parts of the Government Art Collection and delivering a programme of hands-on workshops for local families who may otherwise struggle to access the arts. Grange Park isn’t often seen as a destination for the arts. But tomorrow a purpose-built Mobile Museum – MuMo – will be rolling in to @TheGrange community centre showcasing artwork from the likes of JMW Turner, Paul Nash and Bridget Riley, and inviting local families to make masterpieces of their own. Brought to Grange Park by Art Explorer, the purpose-built gallery is one of a small…