A TOWN centre park will be transformed into a giant knitted art installation – if enough people can join in and help.

Music, dance and food have always been central to the Middlesbrough Mela Festival and in recent years sports, workshops and crafts have become an increasing part of the party.

New for this year is the Mela big knit and communities across the Tees Valley are being invited to take part in this large scale arts project to be unveiled at Albert Park this summer.

Organiser Lisa Bean said: “The project will use the natural landscape of the park as a canvas, turning the trees into colorful pieces of art. We would love to wrap the trees with knitted/crochet squares or circles, hang flowers and pom pom garlands, mandala knitted dream catchers or anything else people would like to create that fits in with either a Mela theme or natural landscape.”

Free workshops led by local artist Mikki Rogers take place at Middlesbrough Town Hall between noon and 1pm on Friday June 1, 8 and 15 and are open to beginners and those looking to try crochet for the first time.

All pieces created through the workshop will form part of the giant art installation situated in Albert Park for the Mela festival and beyond.

Middlesbrough Mela takes place this year in Albert Park on August 11 and 12. It is the 28th instalment of Mela since the festival began in 1990.

For more details please contact Lisa_bean@middlesbrough.gov.uk or call 01642-729653.