cirencester tapestry project
Make your mark on THE STORY OF OUR TOWN!
Our community project for 2026, in collaboration with New Brewery Arts.
We are asking everyone (schools, families, clubs, residents…) to submit a drawing of Cirencester life, past or present. Together they will make up a huge image – 1.2 x 3m – which the whole community will embroider during festival week using the two traditional stitching techniques used in the real Bayeux Tapestry.
See below for further details or download our handy information sheet. Good luck!
TO ENTER, PLEASE FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS!
- Competition open to absolutely everyone of all artistic abilities!
- Draw your scene in pencil on a sheet of white landscape A4 with clear, clean lines (not too sketchy) filling the page. Don’t colour in.
- We will go over your lines with a black felt pen so don’t make it too intricate – it needs to work as an embroidered outline.
- The original Bayeux Tapestry is famous for depicting the Battle of Hastings, but its true magic lies in how it acts as an accidental time capsule of everyday medieval life. With that in mind, we’d love to see lots of people, animals, trees, vehicles & familiar buildings. It might be fun to incorporate your specific part of town.
- The real Bayeux Tapestry includes intricate top and bottom margins but please leave those off – our festival illustrator, Emily Moss, will add those afterwards to bring it all together. Feel free to include writing if you want, though.
- We will choose ten drawings for the main image, but will take elements from others to embellish margins and fill any gaps.
- You can drop your submissions to the Library or Corinium Museum, or email scans to: hello@cirencesterhistoryfestival.org by 31 July 2026. Don’t forget to include your name and contact details.
- Come along to The Old Department Store during Festival week (23 Oct – 1 Nov) to see if your drawing made it on to the final design – and have a go at stitching our community tapestry for future generations to enjoy.
