Free celebration of art, film and community in Winsford

Winsford town centre will play host to a free festival celebrating local filmmaking and community painting day, where visitors can help to put the finishing touches to a new mural celebrating Winsford and its market.

The event has been organised by Cheshire West and Chester Council and will take place on Saturday 5 September alongside this month’s popular Artisan Market.

The Cine-Fest will showcase the fantastic community-driven filmmaking created through Cine-Window Winsford, shining a light on the contributions of the participants and artists who have been involved over the past two years.

People can also try their hand at painting as part of a Community Painting Day, helping to put the finishing touches to a new bold and welcoming mural that celebrates Winsford Market and its place at the heart of the town’s past, present and future identity.

Work on the mural outside Winsford Market will begin on Monday 24 August, and be completed on Saturday 5 September with the help of the community. The community painting will take place between 11am and 3pm, all equipment and aprons will be provided, and all paints are non-toxic suitable for all to use.

The design has been co-produced with the help of market traders and the Pockets Snooker Club. It will bring the market to life through depictions of generations of traders, the products sold, architecture and atmosphere, blending in the wider landscape of Winsford, including the River Weaver, Winsford Flashes, marina and surrounding nature.

The design includes products and details associated with the market, including fruit and vegetables, jewellery, vinyl records, threads, deli produce, barbering tools, beauty products, tools and hardware, and more. Children, adults and grandparents will appear within the design to reflect the family-run businesses, intergenerational ties and the strong community feeling that is central to the market.

Emily Wood, Artistic Director of Cabasa, said:

“We’re really excited to begin painting the Winsford Market mural and to see Rhian Kempadoo-Millar’s beautiful design come to life on the wall. The design has grown from time spent in the market, speaking with traders and learning about the stories, relationships, goods and everyday exchanges that make it such a distinctive place. We wanted to create something bold, colourful and welcoming that celebrates the people of the market, its past, present and future, and helps guide visitors towards the entrance.”

As part of Cine-Fest, the old Greggs unit in Winsford Cross Shopping Centre will be transformed into a pop-up cinema for the day, with visitors able to watch and connect with locally produced films. The cinema will screen a 60-minute film loop showcasing community-created work over the past two years as part of the Cine-Window Winsford programme. It will run continuously throughout the day, allowing visitors to drop in at any point.

Alongside the screenings, people can become stars in their own film at Cine-Window Winsford in the shopping centre, using an interactive point-cloud installation that invites audiences to step beyond passive viewing. Using motion-tracking technology, the system uses 3D scanning to respond to people’s movements and recreate them on screen with distorted perspective in real time.

Chris Oakley, Creative Producer for Cine-Window Winsford, said:

“I’m very proud of this film programme and that we are able to showcase the incredible work of the participants in our projects working alongside professional artists. I am looking forward to sharing Cine-Window’s work with the people of Winsford, and give them the chance to interact with some of the technology used along the way.”

Cllr Lisa Denson, Cabinet Member for A Fairer Future, said:

“We are really looking forward to what promises to be a fun and exciting day for the community. Cine-Window have led some brilliant projects over the past two years, and have provided local people with the platform and opportunity to get involved and learn and showcase their creative talents. I can’t wait to see the film showing a compilation of these projects, and for the wider community to come down and see for themselves the creativity that is right on their doorstep. Culture, creativity and play are vital parts of modern town centres and are supported by Cheshire West & Chester Council as part of its regeneration of Winsford.”

Plans for a £1 million investment to transform Winsford Market as part of the ongoing regeneration of the town centre were discussed with traders and approved by the Council’s Cabinet in July 2025.

The plans will see the Market remain in its current location and be refurbished with increased trading days to attract more traders. Investment will be made to enhance the current offer and develop new community space within the current building for people to enjoy, creating a sustainable Market that is fit for the future.

This will feature improvements to the condition of the building, and an improved entrance that will increase visibility and encourage a greater number of visitors. There will also be a reconfiguration inside the Market which will create community space for groups and events, helping to revitalise the trading environment. Work is currently expected to start on refurbishment before the end of the year.

The monthly Artisan Market in the town centre has already helped to increase footfall and trade, including into the permanent market.

Cllr Nathan Pardoe, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy, Regeneration and Digital Transformation, said:

“Winsford Market is at the heart of the community, and this mural will be a bold and eye-catching way to reflect its place in the town’s wider identity. Not only that, but it will also be a striking new feature next to the Market entrance which will encourage people to visit and see for themselves the great selection of goods and services traders have to offer.

“Investment in the Market has been a long time coming and I am delighted that the refurbishment of the Market is now not too far away. It’s great to hear the enthusiasm of traders about the green light for the plans – they will be the step change that Winsford Market needs, transform it for the better and secure its future. The Council has already delivered the biggest investment in the town centre since the 1960s with the first phase of regeneration works, and the refurbishment of Winsford Market is the next step in the Council’s ambitious project for the town.”

For more information on the Council’s regeneration of Winsford town centre, visit:

https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/regeneration-of-west-cheshire/winsford-regeneration/town-centre

For more information on Winsford Market, visit:

Winsford Market | Cheshire West and Chester Council

To find out more about the work of Cine-Window Winsford, visit:

Cine Window Winsford

Pictured - Emily Wood, Artistic Director of Cabasa (L) and Rhian Kempadoo-Millar, Mural artist (R) in front of the wall where the mural is being painted.