Picturing High Streets was a three-year project delivered by Photoworks to create a contemporary picture of England’s high streets through artist residencies and a public call out. It was part of the High Streets Heritage Action Zones Cultural Programme, and produced in partnership with GRAIN Projects, Impressions Gallery, Open Eye Gallery, London College of Communications, Photofusion, QUAD/FORMAT, Redeye, ReFramed and The Photographers’ Gallery.
From September 2022 to September 2023, people across England responded to themed fortnightly challenges and submitted their photographs on Instagram under the hashtag #PicturingHighStreets. All entries created an unofficial archive documenting a year in the life of the English high street on Instagram, and a selection form this permanent collection in the Historic England Archive.
From March to September 2023, Bristol Photo Festival commissioned leading Bristol-based and international photographers to draw out the stories of Bristol’s high streets and co-create work with the communities who inhabit them. The project, DREAMLINES: Picturing Bristol High Streets, was jointly funded by Historic England and Bristol City Council, and was part of the West of England Combined Authority’s Love our High Streets project.
After coming across a photograph of Shirehampton Men’s Social Club taken in 1951, Chris felt compelled to create a record of the club today in order to better understand how Shirehampton has changed over the last 70 years. He has collaborated with the club to create contemporary portraits of its members. Chris has also spent time making portraits along Shirehampton High Street, at times working candidly, engaging quickly with passers-by, and at other times he has set up a temporary studio. Collectively, his photographs illustrate Shirehampton as a living community that continues to evolve and adapt as circumstances change.
This is part of the Volume: HEC01/128/02/31 Picturing High Streets: Mass Participation Project - Bristol; within the Sub Series: HEC01/128/02 Picturing High Streets: Mass Participation Project; within the Series: HEC01/128 Picturing High Streets; within the Collection: HEC01 Historic England
© Chris Hoare
Photographer: Hoare, Chris
Social Club, People Posed
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