Project Factory
Connect, collaborate & celebrate
together in Wells, Somerset
Once Upon a Time
Wells Lantern Festival 2027
Community lantern parade: Saturday 16 January 2027
Step into a world of stories, legends and fairy tales as the streets of Wells fill with light.
Our friendly lantern-making workshops bring children, families and adults together to learn creative skills and take part in a shared community celebration. Basic lantern kits start at £5, volunteers are available to help, and everyone is welcome.
Workshops are provisionally planned for 8–10 January. Full details will be announced shortly.
Wells Lantern Festival 2026
It Came from Outer Space
Light Up Wells Lantern Parade 2025 - A Carnival of Animals
Wells Lantern Parade 2025
A Carnival of Animals
Bristol's Ambling Band leads the parade
Helene and Steve lead the way.
A Carnival of Animals!
Mr Jody Wells Headteacher of Wells Cathedral Prep School - said he was delighted to see some of the school's pupils participating: 'it was a joy to witness the stunning array of lanterns on display'
Past Projects
DOUBT 2020
Antony Gormley’s DOUBT returns to the artist’s collection as Wells Cathedral prepares for replacement project
Opera Brava
The project to put Opera in The Bishop's Palace was a risk that was on the scale of the Gormley Project. To cover the costs of bringing a 28 person cast, crew and orchestra to Wells and put on an education programme for schools we knew we would have to raise in the region of £30,000.
Platinum Jubilee Celebrations
Project Factory in partnership with WOWFest secured £18,500 in grants from the National Lottery Communities Fund and the Arts Council to put on the celebrations in Wells on Sunday 5th June.
The Changing Shops of Wells
Wells and Mendip Museum showcase the Changing Shops of Wells using photographic archives of the 1890s, !970s and 2000 showing the changing face and changing use of the retail premises of Wells.
Community Day
We are absolutely delighted to announce that the date has been set for our second 'Wake Up Wells' Community Day and we have been awarded funding from The National Lottery Community Fund…
Sew Buntiful
We’re taking it upon ourselves to celebrate kindness through creating and displaying an abundance of home-made bunting throughout the city. Are you our next Bunting Ambassador?
The Portway Annexe
A group of local community organisations worked with Wells City Council to safeguard this historic building from the developers and maintain it for community use…
Have you got a Project you’d like to run?
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to run a workshop to share your favourite creative endeavours with like-minded people?
Or maybe your professional skills could be of benefit to others in the community?
Whatever project you would like to launch, Project Factory could be part of the solution - we can offer support and guidance in many various forms, whatever you need, to bring it to life.
“Events run by Project Factory never fail to delight and challenge you to try something new.”
E. Young, Wells resident and Project Factory volunteer
What would you like to do today?
Try something new.
Our selection of courses and workshops are a great way to dip a toe into the warm and welcoming community waters here in Wells.
Whether you are looking for a way to explore and challenge your creative skills, meet a few new people or just try something new and different, browse our calendar and sign up for something today.
And don’t delay - our spots fill up quickly!
Volunteer with us.
Have you got a skill you could share with our community by running a course or workshop?
We like to bring an exciting range of courses to our community and welcome everything from arts, crafts and technologies to academic subjects, professional skills and, of course, anything that promotes wellbeing.
Or perhaps you’ve only got a few hours free here and there, you don’t want to run a project of your own, but you’d like to contribute to bringing the community of Wells together? Don’t worry - we’ve got ways, means and causes a-plenty to keep you busy!
Get in touch today to talk about how we can help you to get involved with a project in and for your community.
