Join us at the Closing Celebration of The Caravan Gallery’s Sunderland Pride of Place Project to mark the end of what has been a triumphant month long residency for the artists, hosted by the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art and the people of Sunderland.
Jan Williams and Chris Teasdale devised their Pride of Place Project concept so that everyone can join them in thinking about who we are – and how we live now. The Sunderland Pride of Place Project hub on Fawcett Street has been a space for everyone to participate, and over the past month the walls of the pop-up exhibition space have been filled with artwork, photographs, quotes, poems, sculptures, postcards and memories from the people of Sunderland.
Jan and Chris have shared their own photographic impressions of the city at the hub and met many local people including some of Sunderland’s more colourful characters! An extensive exhibition of their work, extra{ordinary} – Photographs of Britain by The Caravan Gallery can also be seen at Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art until 1 May, and is accompanied by a new hardback publication which is available at the special price of £20.
Workshops and events have been held in the Pride of Place Project hub and have prompted conversations and connections between people who might never have ordinarily met. It is hoped the legacy of The Caravan Gallery’s project will be one of creative sharing, communication and collaboration, so that similar exhibitions and events will continue long after they have departed. A commemorative publication featuring highlights of the project will be produced and The Caravan Gallery will return later this year for a book launch and reunion.
The Closing Celebration will be a chance to see what is now an extensive exhibition and social commentary about what it means to live in Sunderland now. There will still be a chance to contribute to the hub’s activities throughout the event and also again on Saturday 2 May (the final day of the project). Refreshments will be provided but visitors are encouraged to bring their own food and drinks too, and there will be a chance for people to perform poems, songs or play their own music during the event.
For more information please contact NGCA: www.ngca.co.uk