Above: 8 Words for Barrow-in-Furness, installation outside the Nan Tait centre, photo Anna Litchfield
8 Words for Barrow-in-Furness Exhibition
October 2020
Art Gene
Corner of Bath Street and Abbey Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 5TY
During lockdown, we asked for your 8 Words for Barrow-in-Furness. We were blown away by the response, with over 180 entries to the competition. Now we present 20 of our favourites in a socially distanced outdoor exhibition, outside the Art Gene building on the corner of Bath Street, Barrow-in-Furness.
In May of this year, we invited Barrow and Furness locals into a virtual conversation about their place. The 8 Words for Barrow-in-Furness Competition was inspired by 8 empty billboards at Hollywood Park roundabout in Barrow which appeared during the national lockdown. All advertisements ceased and the billboards were papered with an aspirational sky blue colour. In the absence of advertising, we invited locals to add their own words and thoughts to them, with the aim of activating and capturing the voices of local people during this ‘unprecedented’ time.
Above: 8 Billboards in Barrow-in-Furness, the image that inspired the competition.
Photo Charlie MacKeith, 202
What would you say about Barrow… in just 8 words?
The online competition received an incredible response, with over 180 entries from people of all ages, ranging from the light-hearted and humorous to sincere calls for change in this time of crisis. Selected by Art Gene’s Artist/Directors Maddi Nicholson and Stuart Bastik, a total of 20 entries will be on display as part of an art installation outside Art Gene’s building this Autumn, which will be viewed from the street.
Competition Winners
Selected from over 180 entries, 13 prize-winners in 4 categories will receive a framed print of their ‘8 Words’ on the billboards, announced at an Online Prize Giving event, presented by Helen Wall, Deputy Mayor for Barrow-in-Furness, and published Walney poet Kate Davis, who has recently appeared on BBC Radio 4 on Thursday 22nd October 5:30 – 6:30pm via Zoom. Re-watch the event below:
Above: 8 Words for Barrow-in-Furness Online Prize Giving Event, presented by Helen Wall, Deputy Mayor for
Barrrow-in-Furness, and published Walney Poet Kate Davis, recorded on Zoom
THE WINNERS