While rooted in Baltic traditions, the programme has been shaped by the people taking part—creating space for a wider, transnational exchange of ideas, stories, and making. Participants have brought their own references and influences into the sessions, building a shared creative experience that reflects a broad and evolving cultural landscape.
At the heart of the programme is a focus on flower motifs, which carry deep meaning across many folk traditions. From the Lithuanian rūta symbol to decorative traditions found across Poland and Ukraine, floral patterns are linked to ideas of protection, harmony, and the cycles of life. These themes resonate locally too, drawing connections with British folk traditions, historic textiles, and the natural environment around Boston.
Workshops took place at Shodfriars Hall, led by artists Madara Vimba (embroidery), Kristina Skei (straw garden making), and Dovile Sakalauskaite (wool felting). Each artist delivered sessions designed to build skills over time, giving participants the chance to experiment, develop their own ideas, and create finished pieces.
The programme looks ahead to its next stage at Fydell House, where the building’s historic textile collection and surroundings will provide inspiration for future activity and exhibition—bringing together contemporary making with local heritage.
The programme culminates in a public exhibition, celebrating the work created and the diversity of materials, traditions and creative voices involved.
Partners & Funding
Funding for this project has been contributed by Boston Preservation Trust (BPT) through their Heritage Lottery grant. The Boston Preservation Trust works to improve and protect the architectural heritage of Boston and the surrounding area, with Fydell House at the heart of their work as a valued community space for events, exhibitions, and local activity.
Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. The Almanac: Folk Crafts & Culture is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to deliver a creative programme exploring traditional craft, cultural exchange, and connections to the heritage of Boston.
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players we support projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. From historic buildings, our industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.
Bringing creativity to every corner of our community.
After being inspired by hosting the National Gallery’s Art Road Trip in early 2025 when they visited Boston and South Hollland that showed us what’s possible when you take art out on the road and meet people where they are., thanks to funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund’s GRASSroots Grants, with additional support from Arts Council England and The National Gallery, now, we’re building on that proven model to create something uniquely rooted in our area.
What is the Art road Trip?
Art Road Trip – Boston & South Holland is a travelling programme of pop‑up exhibitions and hands‑on arts activities, designed to make creativity accessible, joyful and part of everyday life.
We’ll be visiting community events, schools, markets, village greens and more, bringing art directly to the places people already gather.
Expect inspiring, heritage-themed activities including:
- Weaving • Mosaic • Printmaking • Painting • And more
- All inspired by local buildings, stories and landmarks
- Delivered by professional Lincolnshire artists and our friendly team
- Available to visit Boston, Spalding, Holbeach, Surfleet, Whaplode, Crowland, Moulton and surrounding villages
Why we’re doing it
Why we’re doing it
Art Road Trip is all about removing barriers to cultural participation. Not everyone can travel to exhibitions or workshops, so we’re creating portable arts experiences that can pop up anywhere. By taking activity into rural and underserved areas, we hope to:
- Celebrate what makes our area unique
- Spark conversations and creativity
- Build pride of place
- Connect communities through shared experiences
- Listen to local voices about what arts and culture they want to see
This project also runs alongside our regular consultation programme, keeping community decision‑making at the heart of Transported’s Creative People & Places ethos.
Inspired by Lincolnshire’s Art and People
With support from The Usher Gallery, we explored artworks in their collection that best represent the county and could inspire creative activity.
After consulting with community groups, we invited local artists to develop portable workshops responding to these chosen paintings — resulting in a set of brilliant, place-based activities ready to go on tour. The National Gallery has also provided in-kind support, donating the touring exhibition system used during their own Art Road Trip, helping us create high-quality pop-up displays for events across the region.
Current Selected artists
Marion Sander
Marion Sander offers activities from easy drop‑ins like coloured transparencies and clay reliefs, to guided cyanotype collages on paper or textiles, as well as more advanced ceramic and sculpture workshops.
Kerry Wint
Kerry Wint Delivers accessible art activities inspired by works in the Usher collection, including a “Flowers” completion artwork, a relaxing biro‑and‑watercolour “Woodpecker” card activity, and a collaborative silhouette portrait display.
Ellie Benton
Ellie provides a simple viewfinder drawing activity inspired by landscape paintings, alongside a PA‑led three‑step “Pattern & Place” decorative postcard workshop.
Laura Mabbutt
Laura offers imaginative activities from extending an artwork “Beyond the Frame,” to a guided “What the Sitter Sees” portrait‑response task, and a deeper mixed‑media storytelling workshop, “The Sitter’s Story.”
Dovile Sakalauskaite
Dovile leads two adaptable sessions: “Discovering Clouds” using soft pastels for expressive cloud studies, and “Portrait Textures – Sgraffito,” a staged textural portrait activity suitable for varying venue types.
Where we’re going next
Keep an eye on our Events page and social channels for announcements of where the road trip will stop next. You’ll find us at festivals, school events, community days, markets and more, please get in touch if you would like to know more.
The project is led by Lincolnshire-based artist Marion Sander and collaborates with local artists, churches, schools, and community groups to create artistic installations and events that foster connections between people and place.
Project Aims
- To develop partnerships with local organisations, ensuring wide-reaching impact and sustainability.
- To engage rural communities in creative activities that celebrate their heritage and environment.
- To enhance community cohesion through participatory arts projects.
- To create lasting artistic installations that reflect the stories and traditions of each location.
Events so far
holbeach – all saints church (800th anniversary)
Stones & Stories launched at All Saints, Holbeach, marking the beginning of the church’s 800th anniversary celebrations.
Artist Marion Sander led Stories of Light, a lantern-making activity where participants created ceramic tealight holders inspired by modern-day saints and Holbeach’s history. The anniversary year began with a beautiful Candlemas service led by Bishop Nicholas, followed by birthday cake and prosecco, and the first activity of this special community project.
Workshops have also taken place at Tonic Health in Holbeach during summer 2025, where young people created clay and cardboard lanterns. These lanterns, alongside others made earlier in the year, will all come together in a community display on All Saints Day (1–2 November 2025), culminating in a service led by Bishop Stephen.
moulton – all saints church
At Moulton’s Springing into Life Easter celebration in April 2025, Transported delivered Birds of Clay.
Families created clay birds inspired by species found in the churchyard.
This family-friendly event also included crafts, quizzes, and an Easter trail, and brought Stones & Stories further into South Holland’s villages.
whaplode – st mary’s church (900th anniversary)
At Acoustic Nation’s Homegrown event, residents created cyanotype pennants for a community bunting.
In September 2025, Marion and the Transported team delivered workshops to Whaplode Primary School to produce air-dry clay sculptures of gargoyles & grotesques, rubbings, and drawings inspired by the church’s architecture and history
Their amazing creations, and the community bunting, were then displayed in an exhibition in the church St Mary’s 900th anniversary weekend celebrations on the 5–7 September.
HOLBEACH ALL SAINTS
Over October 2025, Marion delivered a series of creative workshops to the Holbeach community, inspired by a task from our Art Road Trip project. Using coloured acetate, participants drew their favourite parts of the Holbeach area, contributing to a collaborative “stained glass” window installation.
On 2 November 2025, the completed artwork, along with a large lantern display, was unveiled inside the church during the Sunday service, showcasing the creativity of local school students and the wider community.
future developments & opportunities
- Expansion of artistic interventions, such as mould-making for permanent installations and sandblasting techniques for heritage trails.
- Integration of stained-glass-inspired elements into ceramic artworks.
- Development of case studies on community engagement and placemaking.
- Further collaborations with local artists, schools, and community groups to expand the project’s reach.
get involved!
Stones & Stories is ongoing throughout 2025. We invite residents, schools, and community organisations to join us in shaping these projects. Whether through hands-on creative activities, sharing local history, or supporting event planning, there are many ways to be part of Stones & Stories. Keep an eye out for upcoming workshops and public engagement sessions.
For more information and to stay updated, follow Transported on social media or visit our website.