As the renovation of Kettering Library and Alfred East Gallery continues, the people of Kettering embraced the once-in-a-lifetime chance to leave their mark on the new roof and become part of Kettering’s history.
As the first Collyweston slates are being installed onto the Library roof, ensuring our Grade II Listed heritage buildings are protected for generations to come, a small number of tiles were made available to the community get involved in our exciting restoration project.
On Saturday 6th December, enthusiastic families and individuals were given the unique opportunity to decorate 121 tiles, one for each year since the Library first opened. After using pens and paint to tag a tile and leave their mark, the finished tiles will be installed on the Library’s roof and become part of our town’s heritage.
When installed high up above Sheep Street, the tiles will be laid face down to preserve the heritage of our historic buildings. Even though each artwork will be hidden from view, the tiles are numbered and recorded so that everyone involved will be able to point to which tile is theirs when roof works are complete.
And that’s not all… A photo will be taken of each tile before installation, and these images will form part of a future exhibition in Alfred East Gallery. Visitors to the Gallery will have the chance to see the art and messages painted and drawn onto the tiles.
Children enjoying the day
It was fascinating to see the variety of subjects chosen during our Tag-a-Tile event. Some people chose to paint their family pets, others chose to depict their family tree. We had poems written to lost loved ones, messages of support for Kettering Library, and even a portrait of Sir Alfred East.
A Christmas tree by Bailey
It was a day full of positivity and excitement for the future, where children wrote their names and adults expressed their appreciation for the Library’s vital service.
A heart warming message on Michelle’s tile
Kirstie Stevens, Kettering Library Manager (pictured above), said:
“The Tag-a-Tile project was a fantastic success, showcasing brilliant partnership working across local services. It was inspiring to see the community’s support for Kettering Library, and I’m excited for our reopening so we can continue delivering the best service to our community.”
The Tag-a-Tile event was organised and operated by the team from Alfred East Gallery and Manor House Museum. Billie Stevenson, Alfred East Gallery Manager, said:
“It was overwhelming to see so much positivity from the community. This was a brilliant and exciting project to work on, and really brought together the people of Kettering in a wonderful show of support for our services.”
Alongside members of the public, tiles were also decorated by some of our key partners and stakeholders. These included Friends of Kettering Art Gallery and Museum, Friends of Kettering Library, Kettering & District Art Society, Kettering Civic Society, Zan Art, and Northants & Rutland Open Studios .
On the day, we were joined by Mark and Daisy from the awesome Irregular Art Hub – massive thanks to them for their invaluable help getting countless children messy with paint and glitter.
Daisy and Mark from Irregular Art Hub
We would also like to thank Kettering Town Council for hosting us in the Parish Rooms, and to The Sugar Barn for the packs of sweets given out to participants after the event.
Make sure to follow us on social media for further updates as the exciting Cornerstone roof project continues.
Remember that during restoration, Kettering Library remains open to the public in their temporary home. Head to the rear of the Library and Gallery, where you’ll find the Library team inside the new extension, happy to help as always.