Event Details
- Location: Blackburn Cathedral
- Address: Cathedral Close, Blackburn, BB1 5AA
- Start date: 26th March 2026
- End date: 26th April 2026
- Times: 8.30am
- Entry fee: £0 (Donations welcome)
As part of our Centenary celebrations, we will host a vestments exhibition – ‘Fabric of Faith’ – and a new large-scale artwork piece by Margo Selby will be displayed at Blackburn Cathedral from Thursday 26th March until Sunday 26th April 2026.
Uncover the rich history and significance of the garments worn by clergy during worship, over the last century.
This exhibition – which will include historic pieces from our archive and brand new pieces, along with a stunning art installation by acclaimed British textile artist and designer Margo Selby – will explore how faith is woven into the fabric of everyday life.
This special exhibition, presented by The Friends of Blackburn Cathedral, will explore how faith is woven into the fabric of everyday life as we show the rich history and significance of the garments worn by clergy during worship, over the last century.
‘Fabric of Faith’ will showcase a range of historical pieces from the Cathedral archives, whilst also explaining the theology of religious garments and the rich history and importance of fabric production and weaving to our region.
As we look to the future, an exciting project to design and produce a new set of vestments to mark the Centenary will come to fruition, as these are unveiled as part of this exhibition. Following the four liturgical colours, the new vestments will explore themes from the Bible whilst weaving together ideas of community, unity, and the Trinity. Designed and woven by Margo Selby, the acclaimed British textile artist and designer, they will combine contemporary artistry with the traditional craft of hand weaving. These new pieces will be both beautiful and symbolic and a wonderful way to mark this milestone. In addition to unveiling new vestments, the exhibition will be enhanced further by an accompanying large-scale artwork piece by Margo Selby.
Many will recall her project – Breathing Colour – which was displayed in Cathedral during The National Festival of Making in 2024, and we are delighted that she is bringing her expertise and distinctive artistic vision to this project. This striking new artwork will accompany and enhance this significant collaboration.
This exciting project to mark the Cathedral’s Centenary has been made possible by the generous support of The Friends of Blackburn Cathedral.
There is no charge to visit, however as a charity, we rely on donations to support the cost of hosting installations like this and visitor generosity enables us to continue hosting important events like this in the future.
The Cathedral will be open from 8.30am until 4.30pm on most days for viewing the exhibition (some entry restrictions may apply on certain days).