Oldham Council and Lets Go Global are inviting residents to help light up Oldham Gallery as part of the Big Digital Project.
The local authority’s Arts Development team and local artist Jonathan Lewis have been working with members of the public and with groups including Young Oldham Dance, Oldham’s Institute of Public Information, Oldham Theatre Workshop, Actors House, To Do and a Hoo-Ha, Peshkar Productions and The Rainy City Roller Girls. Together they have created thought provoking short films which, combined with recently digitised archival footage of Oldham from The North West Film Archive, will reveal how the town looked and felt in the 50s through to the modern day.
‘So This Is How It Feels to be Oldham’ will explore the borough’s sense of identity through an hour long performance featuring four projections outside the gallery running simultaneously, enabling the public to interact with unique large scale art. Oldham’s show takes place at 7.30pm on Friday, March 21.
Councillor Jean Stretton Cabinet Member for Co-operatives and Neighbourhoods, said: “I’m pleased so many residents from across the borough have got involved in this project and Gallery Oldham will provide a fitting backdrop for what should be a colourful and entertaining night.”
The Big Digital Project is a community-led project produced by Lets Go Global, working with artists Andy McKeown, Peter Walker and David Harper from externalGalleries. Communities across Greater Manchester have produced pieces of work that will be performed in the places they live. Using custom designed, open source software and multiple projectors, the Big Digital Project has been capturing unique stories, local pride and the strong, individual voices that bring to life the distinctive spirit of Greater Manchester
The initiative will culminate in a spectacular, large-scale lightshow in and around Manchester’s Albert Square on Saturday, March 29 at 7.30pm.
The Big Digital Project is supported by Greater Manchester Strategic Arts Fund, funded by AGMA and Arts Council England.
