Glossop Creates has added a sparkle of creativity to the town's festive proceedings with the Love Glossop Winter Art Trail.

Funded by High Peak Borough Council utilising Welcome Back funding, the art trail encompasses 24 local business windows on the high street, which have been paired with local artists to create a town centre exhibition where Glossop itself is the gallery.  

The inspiration behind the window designs came from a specially-commissioned poem of hope and resilience by local author Mark P Henderson. One word from the 24 word poem is hidden in each of the window destinations along the High Street, and as audiences follow the art trail, the poem will be slowly revealed. 

Participating window artists are all local and include illustrator Chellie Carroll, street artist Deggy, author and artist Michael Howard, sculptor Brian Fell and renowned painter Ghislaine Howard. Featured local businesses include KIN.DER, Glossop Wholefoods, Bay Tree Books, Pepino Deli, Underwood Tattoos, Cask & Kitchen, Hyssop, Mettricks, Napoli, Partington Theatre and Harvey Leonard’s.

Lighting up Glossop’s high street throughout December and until January 3, the 24 windows will be illuminated in the evenings, creating a beautiful festive walk around the town centre. 

The Love Glossop Winter Art Trail has been made possible with Welcome Back funding from High Peak Borough Council. It will build on Glossop Creates’ social media advent calendar that promoted local businesses last Christmas. 

Claire Tymon, who heads up Glossop Creates, said: “This fabulous piece of festive activity is designed to welcome everyone back to the high street during the Christmas season - a key time to support local businesses and independent makers. The project utilises the creative talent in the town to help reanimate the heritage and history of Glossop.

“We are so proud of Glossop and its wonderful creative community, and we hope that the event will encourage even more collaboration within the town as we go forward into 2022.”

The maps, which have been designed by local artist Michelle Lyons, can be collected from KIN.DER in Glossop Gasworks on Arundel Street (next to Aldi). The trail will run alongside a social media advent calendar by Glossop Creates, which will profile the businesses and the artists in this key period, encouraging people to shop local this festive season. 

Glossop Creates is inviting everyone participating in the Winter Art Trail to share their trail discoveries on social media using the hashtag #LoveGlossopWinterArtTrail and to submit their completed poem to @glossopcreates via DM on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

In the new year, one correct entry will be chosen at random by Glossop Creates, with the winner receiving a £20 voucher to spend at Bay Tree Books.

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