Routed – Stories from Barnsley

Barnsley Museums and Heritage Trust are delighted to have received funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the Routed project. Thanks to National Lottery players, the project will provide a fantastic opportunity for people in the town who do not normally engage in heritage activity and visit the museum to do so.

Barnsley Museum and Heritage Trust will be working in partnership with Barnsley Museums and artist partnership Lenny and Whale to deliver this multi-layered project that will capture stories and memories of the Town Centre from local Barnsley people.

Artist partnership Lenny and Whale were planning to deliver a series of workshop and story gathering sessions with community and heritage groups throughout the year, but the current situation with the Covid19 pandemic has meant a big re-think about how to deliver the project safely whilst still connecting with people across the town. The artists have been distributing single-use cameras and asking people to take a series of photographs titled ‘My Barnsley’. They have also been interviewing and taking portrait photographs of people who work and live in the Town Centre. They are now putting a call-out out for community members to send them their snapshot memories. These are stories, memories and photographs of interesting experiences and recollections that people have of living, working and socialising in Barnsley Town Centre. Lenny and Whale are requesting memories from people of all ages and walks of life, they will share them via the Routed website and on social media. A selection of the gathered stories and memories will be celebrated at the Routed exhibition at Experience Barnsley Museum, in the Town Hall in October 2021.

Additionally, up-to ten heritage based stories will be chosen as the inspiration for a creative art based trail that will be installed around the Town Centre for people to explore. If you would like to share your story or memory from Barnsley Town Centre you can send it to hello@routednbarnsley.co.uk or WhatsApp / text them to 07985 185519 or use the website www.routedinbarnsley.co.uk.

Paul Jagger MBE, Chair of Barnsley Museums and Heritage Trust says, “It is wonderful that National Lottery Players have made it possible for us to capture the stories of people in Barnsley at such a time of change in such a creative way. We hope that as many people as possible will engage with the project and the wonderful heritage of Barnsley”.

Lenny and Whale say “Barnsley Town Centre is changing rapidly, there are striking and exciting new buildings that are changing the landscape and providing new opportunities for the people that live here. ‘Routed’ is a celebration of these exciting changes and of the town’s rich heritage. We are really looking forward to the opportunity of getting to know the people, stories and heritage of Barnsley and share our discoveries back with the community through an exciting and vibrant exhibition at Experience Barnsley and creative art based town trail.”

www.routedinbarnsley.co.uk
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