Kirkham’s Historic England HAZ, Cultural Programme
Included:
Community and schools’ engagement programme.
12 Days of Kirkham – a heritage trail celebrating local heritage & animating
the high street.
This project was planned to raise awareness of local heritage and promote pride of place, as well as attracting visitors to the high street. The K was inspired by medieval illuminated letters, which are highly decorative. The wider community and pupils from local schools were invited to illustrate Kirkham’s heritage using a letter K, during a programme of workshops facilitated by artist Maxine Lee Mackie.
Over 400 individual artworks were put on display in the local library from these a number were selected to influence the final design. Those responsible were presented with certificates, prints and mugs, that bore the final design. The illustrated letter K, co-created by artist Maxine Lee Mackie, was then installed on a prominent window on the high street, to form part of the 12 Days of Kirkham installation, celebrating Kirkham heritage and providing a festival fun town trail.
The illuminated letter K, also featured in the 12 Days of Kirkham, festive project that celebrated the towns heritage. This project brought a sense of theatre to the high street, as people came to watch the artists paint their heritage inspired designs, A QR code displayed in each shop window linked the design to a certain aspect of local heritage.
They all look fantastic. This is going to make Kirkham feel very special this year!!!
The 12 Days of Kirkham Song, created by the community and performed by the community choir, the Kirkham Singers, was also accessible via a QR code. An interactive festive heritage quiz brought families to the high street, Local businesses were delighted with the attention it brought both to Kirkham town centre and individual businesses, with some experiencing a significant uplift in trade.
The 12 Days of Kirkham – Celebrating Local Heritage & Animating the High Street
This project brought a sense of theatre to the high street, as people came to watch the windows being painted by the artists as they painted their heritage inspired designs. A QR code, displayed in each shop window, linked the design to an aspect of local heritage.
We absolutely adore our window! A huge thank you to Gaenor Hall for creating such an impressive display for us!
The 12 Days of Kirkham Song was created by the community and performed by the Kirkham Singers, Community Choir, was also accessible in each window via a QR code. A related interactive festive heritage quiz brought families to the high street, to provide free festive fun. Local businesses were delighted with the attention it brought both to Kirkham town centre and individual businesses, with some experiencing a significant uplift in trade.
Artists:
Gill Smith
Maxine Lee Mackie
Gaenor Hall
Katie Halsall
Artwork Focus: 12 Club Day Queens
Along with many towns across Fylde, Kirkham’s major celebration is its Club Day. This is usually celebrated in June and includes the participation of local churches, schools, groups, associations, and organisations who process through Kirkham and Wesham. A longstanding tradition of Club Day is the choosing of a Rose Queen to represent each of the six churches in Kirkham and Wesham. This artwork celebrates club days queens past and present.
Club Day has a long and illustrious history and has been reported on in newspapers from the Victorian period onwards. On 6 July 1907 the Preston Herald described the Club Day of the previous Monday and called the event ‘one of the prettiest and most popular events in the Fylde District. Similarly, on 2 July 1896 the Lancashire Daily Post noted that ‘Glorious weather favoured the annual Club Day at Kirkham today’.
“I am absolutely delighted to be part of Kirkham Treasures 12 Days of Kirkham and to have the artwork celebrating Kirkham Club Day and the Club Day Queens on the window. Watching Gill do her magic was a lovely experience, and she even let my little boy paint a few leaves which I’m sure will be a lasting memory for him! It’s been lovely watching people walk past the shop and admire the artist’s work.
Kirkham is such a wonderful town with people who are proud of their heritage and it’s lovely to see this being recognised.”
Jamie Owner of Smooch Beauty, Poulton Street
Gill Smith
Artist Gill Smith is a Northwest based illustrator. She completed an MA in Children’s Book Illustration at The Cambridge School of Art in 2019 and was short-listed for The Batsford Prize and a winner of the Picture This illustration competition in 2020.
