The Living City launches website capturing Preston during lockdown

When the news was announced six months ago that we’d have to live in an isolated world in order to survive, some, if not all of us were anxious. But as the months preceded what did local people do with their time and have they found a more simpler way of living in what is thought of as ‘the new normal’. 

 

The Living City project was launched back in April. It was designed to document the lives of Preston’s residents over the lockdown period. 

 

Produced collaboratively by They Eat Culture and Mandala Yoga Centre the project’s main concept is to explore life in Preston through a variety of media based outlets. 

 

These include:-

Emma Lowther-Wright of They Eat Culture, explains the project in full,

 

“During lockdown They Eat Culture documented Preston people’s experience of the lockdown. We interviewed Preston people about various topics to collect thoughts about what makes Preston a good place to live, work and play and what needs to change.”

 

In June 2020 The Life After Lockdown was created which came into force when the government eased certain restrictions. It allowed members of the public to speak freely about their experiences during lockdown and what they had planned post lockdown. 

 

In addition residents of Croston participated in a photography exhibition by Charlie Holt entitled ‘Confined Inside and Out’.  Images of the members from the community were captured with words of what residents had missed and their outlook for the year to come. 

 

Now, thanks to modern technology these fascinating stories are being recorded for generations to come as The Living City project has it’s own official website. 

 

Emma emphasizes the importance  of the website,

 

“Now, more than ever, the people are able to have a platform to have our voices heard and it’s historically significant that we were able to do this even during a time when we were physically isolated from one another. We wanted to ensure that there’s an archive of material for future generations of the voices of Preston, not just London or Manchester, telling our story. We also commissioned artists to create works reflecting on the lockdown and these are also featured on the website.”

 

The project is funded by the Arts Council England and The National Lottery Community Fund.

 

You can visit The Living City website at the following website address:- https://the-living-city.org/

 

Prestonians lockdown stories stored in The Living City website.

 

^Alex Ashworth CCG Art Blogger