Lowestoft Folk

Each programme included creative sessions, a trip to a Lowestoft-based museum and a celebration event.

Guided by professional artists, participants created their own contemporary folk art, adding new voices and fresh interpretations to their local heritage.

A group of Pakefield Primary School pupils joined residents at Hildesley Court sheltered housing unit and together they explored artefacts in the Lowestoft Museum. They learned about the art of quilt making, in particular the Suffolk Puff.

Using a variety of printing techniques, the group created a series of paper Suffolk Puff panels, two of which are exhibited in the Domestic Room at Lowestoft Museum, whilst the others are displayed at the school and Hildesley Court.

Inspired by the collection of Lowestoft Porcelain, the group learned cyanotype printing techniques to create a series of original prints that are now exhibited in the Porcelain Room at the Museum.

A new group of pupils and residents  explored artefacts in Lowestoft Maritime Museum. They created hand-stitched pictures of boats, beautifully decorated shells and boats in bottles, all inspired by the Museum's collections. 

Pupils from Roman Hill Primary School then teamed up with residents at Britten Court Care Home to explore the local folk art at Lowestoft Maritime Museum.

They created original sea shanties, based on characters in the Museum, and instrumental music, evoking dramatic seascapes. They also made a cast of shadow puppets and performed their very own story about the Maritime Museum to their year group at school.

The Cabinet of Curiosity and Sea Chest are unique exhibits, specially commissioned to celebrate the work created by participants and the collections that inspired that work.


The Sea Chest is full of objects created by the participants. Turn the handle and watch the silver darlings dance, lift the periscope and see magnificent boats on the horizon, listen to the shell and hear the stirring sea shanties.

The Cabinet of Curiosity holds hand-bound story books containing an original story about the Museum illustrated with participants’ drawings, poems and songs. Three drawers, each lined with gold hold special artefacts with a story to tell.

The project brought creativity, joy and new connections to both young and old.