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Sea Change ~ The
Art of England's North West Coast
L.S. Lowry loved painting the sea,
so it's fitting that one of his most prestigious and scarcely seen
works will be the centrepiece of a major exhibition celebrating the
transformation of the north west coast over the last 2 centuries.
Major British artists have been inspired by the NW coastline, from
Antony Gormley for his iconic sculpture at Crosby beach to Morecambe
Bay landscape painters JMW Turner and David Cox.
Lowry's oil on canvas "July, The Seaside", on loan to The
Atkinson from Arts Council England's Southbank Centre, London, was
painted in 1943 and demonstrates the artist's inability to paint
shadows. A dull day and a beach set against an industrial background
perfectly depict what he once said:- "I only deal with poverty
and gloom. I never do a jolly picture".
This major exhibition of paintings, poetry, sculpture and
state of the art film includes 2 exhibits from documentary
photographer Martin Parr's iconic "The Last Resort"
collection featuring a dilapidated New Brighton in the 1980s.
An archival print of the late Irish photographer Chambre Hardman
featuring "The Birth Of The Ark Royal" has also been loaned
by the National Trust. This world famous 1950s photograph of the HMS
Ark Royal was taken from the top of Holt Hill in Birkenhead. The
ship had just been painted white, as part of preparations for its
launch from the Cammell Laird shipyard by the Queen Mother.
Picture Post photographer Bert Hardy's iconic Blackpool Belles
photograph featuring two girls sitting on railings on Blackpool's
beachfront in July 1951 will also be exhibited. The picture appeared
on the front cover of the magazine and later became an iconic image
of life in post-war Britain
Representing the modern political seachange are Cumbria based
ceramicist Paul Scott with his enamel plate featuring a Sellafield
screenprint and Andy Goldsworthy who makes a stance with his
photographic collection, Heysham Head.
Contemporary photographer Paul Kenny's newly commissioned work made
of found materials on Ainsdale Beach symbolises the environmental
transformation.
Stephen Whittle, museums and exhibitions manager at The Atkinson,
has co-ordinated the exhibition over 6 months. He says:-
"I'm particularly pleased to include an iconic painting of 'The
Wreck of the Eliza Fernley'. Specially conserved for the exhibition,
it was originally paid for by public subscription after the tragic
loss of all but two of the Southport lifeboat's crew and all the
crew of the St Anne's lifeboat.
Sea Change reflects all aspects of the transformation of the north
west coast over the last 200 years which has seen a massive tourist
boom. Blackpool was a tiny hamlet and Southport didn't even feature
on the map until the early 1800s, whilst Fleetwood only came into
existence when it was created from nothing by Peter
Hesketh Fleetwood in the 1830s.
Then there was the massive industrialisation from Birkenhead to
Barrow and the rapid expansion of the fishing industry and
international travel and trade. The natural coastline is equally
dynamic and is constantly shifting.
There are political, environmental, contemporary and traditional
works on show. So it should appeal to anyone who has an interest in
the history and present day life of the north west British seaside.
The exhibition is part of the Sefton Coastal Festival, which runs:-
6 September to 14 September 2014, and is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The exhibition will run though fromL- Saturday, 23 August to Sunday 9 November
2014.
For more information please visit:-
TheAtkinson.co.uk or call the
Atkinson box
office on:- 01704 533333.
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Commissioner
successful in victims' funding bid
VICTIMS of domestic abuse
and child sexual exploitation are set to benefit after Lancashire's
Police and Crime Commissioner secured more than £500,000 of
government funding.
Clive Grunshaw successfully submitted three bids to a fund set up by
the Ministry of Justice to help Police and Crime Commissioners
support victims in their area.
The Commissioner competed against Police and Crime Commissioners
from across the country to be awarded a share of the fund, with
victims of domestic abuse set to benefit from improved support and
counselling services and enhanced Womens' Centres as a result.
A grant of £35,000 has also been awarded to fund Parents Against
Child Sexual Exploitation (PACE) family support workers;
strengthening both the Commissioner and Lancashire Constabulary's
commitment to tackling CSE in the county and supporting victims and
their families.
Mr Grunshaw said:- "I am delighted to have successfully bid
for £545,000 to provide vital support for victims in Lancashire.
As Police and Crime Commissioner I am committed to enhancing the
services on offer to victims of crime in the county to help them
better cope and recover, and this money is vital to ensure we are
able to do that.
I bid for £579,000 to fund four projects aimed at improving the
support available for victims in the county, and it is testament to
the hard work of my office that three of those bids were deemed
strong enough to secure the government money.
Thanks to extensive consultation with service providers and victims,
my office and I have developed a clear idea of how victims' services
in Lancashire should look, and the support they need to provide. I
have identified the areas which need improvement, and this money is
an important step towards addressing some of the county's greatest
needs.
I have made a clear commitment to supporting victims of domestic
abuse in my Police and Crime Plan, so I am delighted to be able to
announce this money will pay to refurbish Womens' Centres and
refuges, as well as provide the support and counselling which is
essential to help survivors cope and recover, to move on and rebuild
their lives.
The money to support CSE victims is also vital. My office and
Lancashire Constabulary are running an ongoing campaign to raise
awareness and encourage victims to seek help, and this funding will
ensure that those vulnerable young people and their families receive
the support they need." In total, the Commissioner has been awarded £208,000 to provide
1 to 1 and peer group support and counselling to domestic abuse
victims, £302,000 to enhance womens' centres and accommodation for
domestic abuse victims and £35,000 toward PACE family support
workers.
The money needs to be spent within this financial year, and
discussions will now take place with services county wide to
establish who should benefit.
Morrisons
Southport takes out trolley locks
MORRISONS will remove all
trolley locks at its Lord Street store in response to Southport's
customer feedback, which has called for quicker and easier shopping
trips.
A team will visit the store on 7 July 2014 to update all of the store's
trolley fixtures. This will remove the need to insert a £1 coin or
token to release a trolley from its bay.
Simon Reading, Store General Manager for Morrisons Southport said:-
"Our nation is getting busier and we have less free time than
previous generations.
Customers in Southport have told us that they want a quicker shop.
The removal of trolley locks is just one of the many improvements we
are making to our store; to make for a faster and easier shopping
trip." Morrisons is leading the way in the removal of trolley locks across
its stores nation wide. 150,000 locks will be removed from stores
this July.
The activity forms part of a significant investment programme to
make shopping trips easier for customers. Improvements include the
redesign of stores, the extension of opening hours, the updating of
car park controls and improvements to baby change and toilet
facilities. |
