Textiles in context is an exhibition in which first year students from Hereford College of Arts BA (Hons) Textile Design course look beyond the studio to consider the role and impact of textile design in a wider context.

Work on display includes a curated selection of 20th century textile objects from the Hereford Museum’s collection of Costume and Textiles, describing how textile design is influenced by the world around us and in turn influences the world.

The Textile Design degree programme at Hereford College of Arts allows students to develop collaborative skills through working on projects both internally, within HCA’s dynamic creative community and externally, with employers and galleries.

"This collaborative forward facing project defines our textile heritages as a continuum of knowledge rather than something that has already happened," said Claire Anderson, course leader. "Working with the archive at the Museum helps to equip the students with valuable research skills for future employment and postgraduate study.”

Working with Hereford Museum’s Learning and Resource Centre has given many of the students a new opportunity to find out about the museum’s collections, and has helped to develop their knowledge of the culture sector.

Althea Mackenzie, Collections Officer, Hereford Museum Resource and Learning Centre said “The students have been using the collections at the Museum Resource and Learning Centre as inspiration to create their own interpretations. Studying items from different historic periods they have been able to see the parallels and differences with contemporary thoughts on textiles and the fashion industry.”

The exhibition is open Tuesday – Friday, 10-4pm and Saturday, 10-12.30pm until Saturday, March 29. Entry is free.