The Almanac: Folk Crafts & Culture
The Almanac: Folk Crafts & Culture is a creative programme exploring traditional craft practices from across Central and Eastern Europe, with a particular starting point in Latvian and Lithuanian traditions. Through artist-led workshops, participants have been invited to learn new skills, share knowledge, and explore how craft connects cultures, histories, and lived experience.
Artist
Madara Vimba and Dovile Sakalauskaite
Madara Vimba is a Lincoln-based artist and marketer with a developing curatorial practice. As a Latvian-born artist, her creative practice is deeply rooted in exploring Central and Eastern European identity and cultural representation of CEE artists in the UK. Dovile Sakalauskaite is a Boston-based, Lithuanian-born multidisciplinary artist, and a valued member of the Transported team as a Project Assistant and Associate Artist. Working across a wide range of visual art forms — from painting and silk painting to face and body art — her practice explores colour, texture and creative techniques including sgraffito, macramé, 3D modelling and lantern making.
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
The Almanac: Folk Crafts & Culture is co-delivered with Rooted Arts, founded in 2024 by Chelsey Everatt. Rooted Arts connects communities to each other and nature, improving mental wellbeing. Securing a National Lottery Project Grant from Arts Council England has allowed Rooted Arts to launch an exciting 6 months of activity to establish roots in Lincolnshire communities, and to bring creativity across the county.
Funding for this project has also 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.