Talking Shop: Project Pride Nelson
Dress on display in the Project Pride Nelson exhibition
With generous support from Heritage Lottery Fund Young Roots programme, we worked with artists and groups of young people to research and interpret the heritage of Nelson town centre for the local community.
During 2011 creative facilitator and artist Karen Alderson looked at how the centre of Nelson has changed over the years with a group of girls from local school Marsden Heights. Investigating the growth of the town and its changing trade, the group have created artwork which will go on display first in the local ACE Centre and then tour around other local venues. The initial exhibition coincided with the completion of the new road through the town centre in summer 2011, marking a new chapter in the development of Nelson.
Huckleberry Films worked with us to produce a documentary about all the Project Pride activity which took place across Accrington, Nelson and Burnley, which you can view here.
You can also read the artist’s blog about the project in Nelson here.
Through researching the history of their town the young people leading the project want to explore what makes their area unique and encourage the community to celebrate their heritage.
Visits to local museums, libraries, archives and sites have enabled the group to understand what they have to be proud of in Pennine Lancashire. Telling these stories to the community is the next step, and we aim to do this with the touring exhibition.
Supported by Heritage Lottery Fund Young Roots programme www.hlf.org.uk
