Two Leading Institutions Combine to Determine the Future of the Harris

Two Leading Institutions Combine to Determine the Future of the Harris

Dec, 14 2020


Consider a respected man who spearheads the arts into the public domain. On the other side of the street is another man who encourages wellbeing into the heart of the community. The two men agree to meet and with their combined specialist area of interest they determine the future of an iconic building in the city centre.
 
Recently a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by two men, Tim Joel Head of Culture at Preston City Council and UCLAN Vice Chancellor Professor Graham Baldwin. It was signed by them both and sees both parties coming together to develop the Harris Museum and Library located on the Flag Market. 
 
This unique partnership will provide both UCLAN students and the interested public the opportunity to utilize the Harris for educational, civic and leisure purposes. 
 
To enhance it’s overall appeal the Harris will be used for the delivery of University teaching, research, community engagement amongst other activities.
 
The following five areas reveals more of what the Harris will provide:-
  • Developing a city centre resource for the support of artists, producers, projects and SMEs in the creative sector
  • Pinpointing and developing opportunities for UCLan students and staff to access, and potentially work with, the collections, resources and spaces offered by the Harris, including exhibiting their work to the public
  • Discovering opportunities to exhibit and share Harris collections and other assets in the University
  • Contributing to the evolution of the Harris as a city centre cultural and civic hub
  • Recognising opportunities to submit joint funding bids
You could say the move is already a step ahead with celebrated Turner Prize winning artist Lubaina Himid CBE having already exhibited her work in the Harris and a much loved  Professor of Contemporary Art at UCLAN so this should help to boost the creative links between the two institutions.
 
UCLAN Vice - Chancellor, Professor Graham Baldwin expressed his delight at the merging opportunity, 
 
“We are very proud of our partnerships with institutions across the world but none more so than with our fellow key anchor institutions within our local community. We are delighted to officially recognise our close links with the Harris through this Memorandum of Understanding. It means we can join forces and show everybody how Preston is a major creative centre, with innovation, research and public engagement at the heart of our work”.
 
The University of  Central Lancashire (UCLAN) and Preston City Council have joined forces to prove their commitment to the city’s creative culture.
 
^Alex Ashworth CCG Art Blogger