This autumn, a new larger than life outdoor exhibition will take over Kirkby town centre as part of Knowsley’s Year as Liverpool City Region Borough of Culture.
‘Kirkbyography’ is a community project that invites local residents and people with a connection to the town to work with a team of creatives to help create a visual biography of Kirkby, which will be reproduced in large-scale and exhibited at outdoor locations across the town for 8 weeks from 21 November 2022
Through stories, films, photographs, artwork and creative writing the exhibition will celebrate and document the many personal histories of Kirkby, past and present.
The project has been made possible – thanks to National Lottery players – with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Cllr Shelley Powell, Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods said: “As part of Knowsley’s year as Liverpool City Region Borough of Culture every town and village has been given the opportunity to tell their story, and through Kirkbyography, Kirkby’s tales will be told on a massive scale.
“This is one of a number of heritage projects that have taken place across the borough, thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
“We cannot predict the amazing untold stories and memories that will be shared by people with a connection to the town and I for one cannot wait to see and experience this larger-than-life exhibition of Kirkby’s rich history.”
The story so far:
Throughout July, artists worked with pupils from all twelve of Kirkby’s primary schools in a series of workshops that used sketching and writing to inspire the children and to encourage them to share what they think and know about Kirkby.
The children were each gifted a sketch book to encourage them to continue to draw and write through the summer holidays and each school will be provided with a blank Kirkbyography scrap album in the autumn, to continue to add pupils work to over the coming years and act as a living time capsule.
View the gallery here:
Get involved:
A team of artists have already begun working closely with local residents and community groups to gather stories, facts and anecdotes about the town to feed into the wider project.
Your stories and memories of Kirkby could help shape this unique exhibition. If you have something you’d like to share about Kirkby, whether it’s an anecdote, a photo, memorabilia or something more, you can do so here or by emailing Greig.Campbell@knowsley.gov.uk
