A pop-up exhibition about Preston will open next month in what is currently an empty shop.
The Preston Pride of Place Project will feature people’s personal collections and thoughts about the city, and Prestonians are being invited to add their own creative contributions to the evolving display.
The free exhibition at 3 Friargate in the heart of the city will begin with a launch event on Thursday 3 March from 5pm to 8pm and run until Thursday 31 March.
The display will be created from pictures, stories and artefacts contributed from people’s own collections.
It will open with a display of photographs of Preston by The Caravan Gallery artists Jan Williams and Chris Teasdale, who are currently exhibiting at the Museum of Lancashire, along with the winning images from a photography exhibition which is still open to enter.
A ‘People’s Map’ and ‘People’s Wall’ will allow visitors to add their own contributions and observations.
The Caravan Gallery artist, Jan Williams, said: “The exhibition will grow day by day as people add their own contributions about Preston.
“This is a great opportunity for the people of Preston to show off their local knowledge and creativity.
“Everyone is welcome to participate from individuals to schools to crafts and community groups – we just want your inspiration.
“We’ve run similar projects in other cities and it has been described as part exhibition, part reverse visitor information centre – because it is local people who provide information about their city.”
A series of informal workshops, activities and competitions are also being held as part of the Preston Pride of Place Project. Visitors will also have the chance to express their views about Preston past, present and future in an entertaining survey.
Contributions to the exhibition can be scanned, or displayed and returned in April, when the event ends. People are also being invited to donate items to The Caravan Gallery archive.
County Councillor Marcus Johnstone, Lancashire County Council cabinet member for environment, planning and cultural services, said: “It is great to see a space in central Preston transformed into a dynamic participatory pop-up art exhibition.
“Everyone is welcome to contribute and define how and where they live. We want people to share their views. This can be by writing, photography, drawing, video, sculpture, singing, knitting, or whatever, to produce this exhibition to celebrate the city and its character.”
A photography competition is also running to support the Preston Pride of Place Project. This is free to enter for anyone who lives in Preston or nearby. A selection of the best entries to this competition will be included in the display when it opens. The competition is open until Sunday 21 February.
A commemorative publication will be available following the exhibition, featuring some of the material collected.
The Preston Pride of Place Project will run from Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10.30am to 5.30pm. A closing celebration of the finished display will take place from 5pm to 8pm on Thursday 31 March.
This project supports the touring exhibition, ‘extra {ordinary} – Photographs of Britain by The Caravan Gallery’, currently on show in Preston until the end of March.
For more information about The Caravan Gallery, call 07808 160 207, email admin@thecaravangallery.photography or visit http://www.thecaravangallery.photography
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