Lockdown art on display in exhibition

A SMALL scale arts display is being planned in Leek.

The event, if covid regulations allow, will take place in the town centre on Friday and Saturday, October 23 and 24.

Entitled ‘Paint our Town’, it will give residents and visitors alike the opportunity to see how Leek and the Moorlands have used art and writing to manage.

The Foxlowe Arts Centre will be hosting an exhibition of local amateur artists in their newly refurbished function room, and ‘Borderland Voices’ will be taking over the old Post & Times office in the Market Place for their Artist in Residence, as well as displays of the group’s work. A particular theme is The Women’s Land Army.

Leek Town Council’s events committee chairman, Matt Swindlehurst, said: “There will be a special emphasis on young people’s art. Staffordshire Moorlands Children’s Centre will be coordinating displays around the town centre, and everyone of school age or younger is encouraged to share their paintings, stories and poems of their experiences in lockdown.

“These should be no larger than A4, and the artist’s name and age should be added. It is hoped that this display will continue throughout the week.”

Drop off points will be at St Johns Church on Belle Vue, Haregate Community Centre, and the town council offices on Stockwell Street.

“We are very grateful to Leek United Building Society for helping sponsor the event, as well as Trinity Church, the Foxlowe, and Staffs Moorlands District Council in letting us use their premises,” added Councillor Swindlehurst.

Leek Mayor Stephen Wales said: “The pandemic has inadvertently brought the opportunity for many of us to rediscover, and develop, our creative and artistic output in different ways. For the creative energy in us this has been therapeutic, and these life-affirming displays and performances shows the human spirit at its best.”

Contact Councillor Swindlehurst at matt.swindlehurst@btinternet. com or call 07800 867940.