Chester High Street Historic Action Zone

Three artists have been appointed to develop community artist residency projects for the Chester High Street Heritage Action Zone programme.

• Matt Baker, Artistic Director of Theatre in the Quarter, will lead an engagement project with Chester Residents using film and creative writing.
• Local theatre company, Yet Another Carnival, will be working with people who formerly slept rough on a spoken word project, in partnership with Forfutures.
• Suzanne St Clare, a socially engaged photographer will be working with Chester Pride and the LGBTQ+ community, supported by Open Eye Gallery.

Artworks from the projects will be showcased using digital platforms and using creative spaces in the city centre.

Lead partner Cheshire West and Chester Council has been awarded funding by Historic England for a programme of pilot activities to help shape a future Cultural Programme. A new consortium will bring high quality creative activity into the historic centre of Chester, working with communities to celebrate what is unique about the city. 

Following the initial COVID-19 lockdown some residents felt that they had rediscovered and ‘reclaimed the city’ which has resulted in the first project theme: ‘Reclaim the City’ that will run until February 2021.  

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council said: “Thanks to the funding from Historic England, this first project will be a starting point for artists and communities to discuss and understand how experiences throughout the COVID-19 pandemic shifted individual and community relationships within the city.

“Participants will share their thoughts, insight and discoveries about what Chester and what culture means to them.” 

The consortium is now looking for a Photographer Apprentice from the LGBTQ+ community to work with Suzanne St Clare on her Photography project.  Anyone interested and would like further information about this role contact: artswest@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

The Chester High Street Historic Action Zone Cultural Consortium members include: Chester Pride; School of Arts and Media, University of Chester; Storyhouse; St Mary’s Creative Space and Theatre in the Quarter.  Open Eye Gallery are partners for the Pilot Activity programme.

About High Streets Heritage Action Zones

Historic England is working with local people and partners through grant funding and sharing our skills to help breathe new life into high streets that are rich in heritage and full of promise - unlocking their potential and making them more attractive to residents, businesses, tourists and investors. The High Streets Heritage Action Zones scheme, backed by government funding, aims to help with the recovery of local high streets from regenerating historic buildings to helping to engage local communities through art and cultural projects. 

About Historic England

We are Historic England the public body that helps people care for, enjoy and celebrate England’s spectacular historic environment, from beaches and battlefields to parks and pie shops. We protect, champion and save the places that define who we are and where we’ve come from as a nation. We care passionately about the stories these places tell, the ideas they represent and the people who live, work and play among them. Working with communities and specialists we share our passion, knowledge and skills to inspire interest, care and conservation, so everyone can keep enjoying and looking after the history that surrounds us all.