Celebrated in art: Artworks: 'Shoe Spectacular - the Grand Finale' by Watch This Space / MBD

On Saturday 1st December 2012 as part of the annual switch on of Rushden High Street’s Christmas Lights, local residents and visitors to the town also had the opportunity to attend the grand finale of the countywide GLOBAL FOOTPRINT project, which offered a spectacular climax to the Christmas lights festivities and celebration of Northamptonshire’s boot and shoe industry.

Award winning arts organisation, Watch This Space / MBD created a dramatic live performance on West Street, just off the High Street, with students from Rushden Community College.

In addition students from Newton Primary school, Denfield Primary School, St. Alfreds Primary School and Southend Primary School created a spectacular archway into West Street made of over three hundred illuminated shoes with local Northamptonshire based artist Sophie Cullinan.

Large-scale video projections were beamed onto the façade of a former shoe factory and now new home of Nene Valley Community Action.

The finale event was informed through discussions with Rushden Research and Rushden Museum and supported by Rushden Town Council Events Committee and followed a day-long programme of free Christmas activities on Rushden High Street in the build up to the Christmas Lights switch on.

Watch This Space / MBD is well known in the county, previously creating the highly acclaimed SHINE program of work, illuminating 5 historic churches across Northamptonshire.  They were also responsible for the stunning Gunpowder Plot event at Lyveden New Bield, and the company helped create the Victorian Country Gathering at Canons Ashby that won Best Heritage Event in Northamptonshire.  More pictures of the event below.