SNAP-HAPPY Worcestershire residents are being invited to look at the High Street as never before and chart and celebrate of its people and places.
Over the next 12 months, Historic England and Photoworks will encourage people to respond to a fortnightly challenge which uncovers the secret life of the high street, posting their own photographs on Instagram using #PicturingHighStreets.
From celebrating local high street heroes which make our places so special; capturing favourite hang outs and meeting places; to recording the hidden heritage of our high streets: the most evocative photographs will be featured on the Picturing High Streets Instagram channel.
Designer and retail expert Wayne Hemingway will join the renowned artist Camille Walala, best known for her large-scale murals that transform public spaces, as judges to help choose the winning images to go into the national touring exhibition.
Ben Hope, marketing director at Clear Channel and Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England will also take part in the judging.
The high street cultural programme is part of the £95million government-funded High Streets Heritage Action Zone scheme, which is breathing new life into more than 60 high streets across England.
Culture and heritage reconnects people to their high streets and helps people rediscover, celebrate and shape them through renovations to important historic buildings in high streets and community engagement – including poetry, film, music, performance and photography events.
“High streets are at the heart of communities. We know their future feels uncertain and high streets are facing a pivotal moment in their long history.
It’s time to get out there, rediscover our high streets, and tell the stories behind the shopfronts,” Mr Wilson said.
A selection of photographs submitted before December 21, 2022 will form a national outdoor exhibition opening in the spring, filling advertising space, outdoor exhibition panels and shop windows on high streets across England.
These photographs – alongside a selection of others submitted from January 2023 onwards – will also enter the Historic England archive, the nation’s archive for England’s historic buildings, archaeology and social history.
Follow @PicturingHighStreets on Instagram and post your pictures using #PicturingHighStreets.
