We think the geography of Preston can occasionally be detrimental to its creative scene, with artists being incentivised to migrate to its metropolitan neighbours. That being said, the local scene remains vibrant, and there’s a lot of really talented artists in Preston. The desire to create is apparent by way of its visual arts, music, and other forms of creative self-expression – all of which possess a unique North-Western angle that can’t be replicated.
How are you finding being part of creative life in the city?
While new to displaying work as we are doing in August, we find it exciting to see Preston beginning to reclaim its independent scene for creative expression, be it music, art or something else.
Read more: Shawn Sharpe creating mural to tell PNE’s story at the Town End
What about the local music scene?
This is something we’re very pleased to be a part of. Venues like The Ferret and Vinyl Tap make it that pretty much any weekend you can see live music here, which is amazing. They also give a place to up-and-coming musicians to perform, which is so important. We want to work within the scene to hopefully help it grow even further. We have found it to be welcoming and encouraging in all aspects.
Which other venues are important to the city’s creatives?
Spaces such as SHOP are crucial to the local scene’s survival, and also its growth. It’s vital that the channels and physical spaces that platform Prestonian artists continue to remain and expand within the city, so that these artists can continue to showcase their work and meet like-minded individuals.
Tell us about your upcoming exhibition.
We are heavily inspired by the brutalist architecture that popped up all through the country in the mid 20th century. Council estates, civic centres, town halls and our beloved Bus Station all built in this utilitarian style that was meant to reflect social progress and development. While progress seemed short-lived, that promised future and optimism is what we see in post-industrial life in Preston.
We will be displaying our exhibition, Prest-Industrial, on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 August, from 12pm to 5pm each day. We will also be headlining Vinyl Tap on the Saturday evening. We hope to see you all there and we really do hope you take advantage of the scene’s open arms as we have.
To find out more, follow on Instagram @stormkerb, @rowanej, and @shop_preston.
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