Familiar Lives

of bromsgrove

During September-December 2024 I ran a community art project named Familiar Lives of Bromsgrove which cumulated in an exhibition in Bromsgrove Library and a limited print publication. The aim of the project was to learn of the everyday and familiar lives of the people of Bromsgrove past, through a personal photograph dated anytime from 1945 to the present day.

The first stage of the project involved sending invitations to the community, - to meet me at a local venue (the Library and Destination Zone) and bring along a photograph.

There was a story in the local paper advertising the project, social media adverts and leaflet drops.

The invitations were then extended to various local groups and I received very supportive responses from the Bromsgrove Historic Society (Reminiscence group) and the Bromsgrove Photographic Society. I also asked local Bromsgrove family and friends to take part. A short presentation to introduce the project was given with an in-person visit to the Bromsgrove photographic society.

Participants took part by bringing along to me a personal photograph of their own and to discuss a short story around the photograph and then being able to be part of writing that story/narrative to sit alongside the photograph for final reproduction in the publication and exhibition. Some participants preferred for me to write the short story and then they commented on or altered as part of the creative process and some wrote their own. Those participants who wrote their own stories were not changed by me as the artist.

The photographs and stories were designed into the publication and onto individual display panels for the exhibition. The exhibition took place between Saturday 11th January -Friday 24th January 2025. The exhibition and publication launch event on 11th January was well attended and there are photographs from the day.

At the end of the exhibition, participants were asked if they wanted to keep their individual display panels. They were delighted to have these as a memento of their participation and as a keepsake.

The exhibition panels highlight their personal stories and photographs as an important part of the make-up of the wider community of Bromsgrove. I also felt as they owned their stories, they would also own the outcome of the project.

If you would like a free copy of the publication please contact me in the contact section of my website requesting your copy.

Familiar

Lives

exhibition2025

Original Participant consent form sample