Year-in-the-making 'Paper Birds' Jubilee exhibition coming to Leigh

One of 93 organisations across the country to be awarded funding from the Platinum Jubilee Fund, Wigan-based arts Healthy Arts will launch their ‘Paper Birds’ exhibition on Saturday, March 25, at Leigh Spinners Mill.

Receiving £400,000 from the Jubilee Fund, Healthy Arts, a not-for-profit that works with the community to learn about heritage in creative ways, will showcase the culmination of 12 months of work by professional artists and members of the community.

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The visual exhibition has involved numerous artists and volunteers (Image: Healthy Arts)

The flagship visual arts installation in the Horrocks Gallery on Floor 4 of Leigh Spinners Mill will be 1,000 origami paper cranes with accompanying haiku poetry attached to the ‘flying’ birds.

This promises to be a visually stunning exhibition and has only been made possible thanks to hundreds of contributions from participants across Wigan and Leigh, which was crucial for artists Brian Whitmore and Louise Fazackerley who had the vision for the project.

With professional artists also working on various strands of the project, the Wordsmiths creative writing group will turn their words into a visual art exhibition that will sit alongside the paper birds.

One creatively project entitled ‘Spinning Stories’ uses oral intergenerational storytelling to create a photography and film showcase, while others showcase creating ceramic displays of nests and homes.

Dance and poetry project ‘Flying Shuttles’ will be showcased in the exhibition (Image: Healthy Arts)

In addition to this, there will also be a live performance of a new play about living in Leigh, entitled ‘Flying The Nest’.

Penned by local actor-writer, Joseph Walsh, and directed by TV actor, Will Travis, this community play sees local actors working with Spinners drama studio ‘A Will & A Way’.

Leigh Film Factory will also be hosting short films, including a chance to look at the dance and poetry project, ‘Flying Shuttles’, while Leigh Young Writers, will also be performing.

Louise Fazackerley, Martin Green and Jo Platt (Image: Healthy Arts)

Martin Green, Project Manager at Healthy Arts, said: “We are proud to have received this funding that will help remember the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in creative and locally meaningful ways. Thank you to all the National Lottery players that have made this possible.”

Jo Platt, General Manager of Leigh Spinners Mill, added: “This year-long Platinum Jubilee project has been so important for the Mill. It is essential for us to work alongside tenants, the community and Healthy Arts for the benefit of our residents.”

The event runs from 2pm to 6pm on Saturday 25th March, with tickets can be found here.

Performances of ‘Flying The Nest’ will happen at 3pm and 4.30pm with films being shown at 2.30pm and 4pm.

The visual arts exhibition will remain open during the Easter holidays and can be accessed between 11am and 2pm on 28th & 30th March as well as 1st, 4th, 6th and 8th April.