Looking back at Halton Fest with Hazlehurst Camera Collective
On Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th June, Hazlehurst Camera Collective took over a cosy corner of the Creative Marquee at Halton Fest 2026, running two stalls that quickly became a hub of activity.
We showcased a beautiful exhibition of nature‑inspired photography, created to celebrate the Year of the Invertebrate theme from Halton Nature Watch, which officially launched at the festival. The work on display was genuinely stunning — so much so that several prints were snapped up by visitors on the day, giving our members a real confidence boost.
Alongside the exhibition, we hosted a free cyanotype‑making activity. Cyanotypes are one of the earliest photographic printing processes, known for their deep Prussian blue colour. Invented in 1842 by English scientist Sir John Herschel, the process uses two light‑sensitive chemicals which, when exposed to UV light and washed in water, create that iconic blue image.
Festival‑goers were invited to contribute to a community cyanotype quilt. Each person received a cotton square to decorate with digital negatives, pressed flowers, feathers, and their name. Once all the squares are complete, we’ll be sewing them together — with the help of Rachael Prime — to create a patchwork quilt that Hazlehurst can use as a hanging or tablecloth at future events like the Creative Socials.
In the run‑up to the festival, our members put in a huge amount of preparation, including some late nights coating 150 fabric squares and dozens of bookmark‑sized papers with cyanotype emulsion. The bookmarks became a popular make‑and‑take activity and disappeared quickly — we even ran out early on Sunday.
The cyanotype table was buzzing throughout the weekend, with Camera Collective members volunteering in shifts to help visitors create their prints. The teamwork was brilliant, and several members said how much they loved the sense of community that grew around the activity.
One of the loveliest moments was seeing people return later in the day just to check how their prints had developed — some even posed proudly for photos with their finished squares before handing them over for the quilt. Members of the public left feedback that they really enjoyed the activities and were eager to find out when they could take part in more.
By the end of the weekend, we had collected 93 completed squares, giving our community quilt an incredible start.
What Happens Next
The next step is to invite resident and associate artists from Hazlehurst Studios to create their own squares. Once these have been added, the completed pieces will be stitched together into a community cyanotype quilt for Hazlehurst to use at future events.
Thanks to Lauren Quayle of Quayle Social for documenting the event
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