4 May 2011 Last updated at 19:00 ET

International textile festival gives English town a boost

Lizzi Walton says the festival is an excellent way of highlighting up-and-coming artists

A small town is using its textile past to help forge a profitable future, as Mary Jane Baxter reports from Stroud in Gloucestershire.

Lizzi Walton is struggling under the weight of 25,000 brochures, and she is inundated with calls.

It is a good job she can multi-task because she has got plenty to do.

From this tiny office in the middle of a small Gloucestershire market town, Lizzi is running an international festival - one that will see some 15,000 visitors swell the local streets this month.

So are we talking music, literature or the latest fad, food - all of which are now popular festival fodder?

No, this festival is all about fabric or, to be more precise, textiles - and it is already into its sixth year.

Illustrious history

Stroud has a proud textile heritage. In its heyday, the town was bursting at the seams with mills churning out cloth.

Stroud has an illustrious textile history

By the mid 19th century, there were more than 1,000 looms at work in what was known as the Golden Valley.

Stroud Scarlet, a beautiful red woollen fabric, graced the backs of the Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Family, and local manufacturers were world-renowned.

Today Stroud still boasts a mill that makes cloth for snooker tables and championship tennis balls.

It is this former global reputation that Lizzi is seeking to build on.

"Stroud has such a proud textile heritage and I wanted that tradition to live on," she says.

"This area is teeming with talent and was at the forefront of the arts and crafts movement.

"[Famous 19th century designer] William Morris' country house Kelmscott Manor is just up the road."

Born in Stroud, Lizzi trained in fine art at Winchester and has spent much of her life working in arts administration.

Then, a few years ago, she decided to channel her considerable creative energy into putting the town back on the map and single-handedly started the festival of which she is now the director.

"I support good design, provide contemporary artists with a platform to showcase their work, and aim to create a real buzz around textiles again," she says.

Recession boost

This year, more than ever, one senses that buzz is growing. The recent recession has awakened a whole new generation to the delights of sewing, knitting and crochet.

"Make do and mend" has gone from being a wartime necessity to a fashion trend, and in Stroud itself two enterprising barmaids from The Prince Albert are now running popular monthly clothing repair sessions alongside the peanuts and pints.

Visitors to the festival

• 2006 10,000
• 2008 12,000
• 2009 14,000
• 2010 15,000

But Lizzi is keen to point out that textiles are not just about domestic crafts.

"It's really not just about women making quilts, although of course that definitely has a place," she says.

"Textiles helped make Britain great and fashion, for instance, is a huge generator of wealth.

"Fabrics play a major role in all our lives, from the cradle to the grave we're literally touched by textiles. It's a global language."

Exciting programme

This year the festival is an exciting mix of exhibitions, talks and workshops, with artists coming from as far afield as Holland, France and Japan to take part.

The festival pulls in 15,000 visitors to the small market town during the month

Established world-class makers rub shoulders with emerging talent, and quirky fringe events provide opportunities for everyone to get involved.

Putting on a festival in a recession is no easy task, and the programme is delivered on a shoestring. Apart from Lizzi, there is just one part-time administrator.

"With investment, we could draw even bigger crowds," she says.

"The local economy is already benefiting from hosting an international festival, and visitor numbers have grown year-on-year, with 65% of people coming from outside of the county.

"Bed and breakfasts in the town this month are full. The craft sector brings in cash and helps people think outside of the box, both important commodities - especially today."