A new community-lead art trail is set to line the streets and brighten up Old Trafford when it arrives next month.
The OT Art Trail – which has been organised by OT Creative Space and is funded by Arts Council England – sees a number of artists work together with members of the local Manchester community to create six individual large scale murals, which are soon to be painted onto walls and building gable ends around the area, including in Seymour Park and Ayres Road.
The new murals will add to murals and artwork already seen around Old Trafford.
The several new street art sites will be linked together via a downloadable audio tour, which is said to be suitable for people of all ages.
Five artists, all bringing an individual and different style to the mix, have been commissioned by OT Creative Space to paint the new murals, and they include Old Trafford artist and designer Robert Lomas, aerosol and graffiti art specialist Jamie Rennie, fine artist Sam Owen Hull, Russ Meehan, who is also known as Mural Life and graffiti artist, and photographer Martene Rouke.
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On top of that, Old Trafford-born spoken word artist and writer Isaiah Hull will also create a piece of spoken word to connect the murals as part of the audio tour.
Each mural on display will centre around the theme ‘community togetherness and diversity’.
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Due to several lockdowns and ongoing restrictions amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the workshops that the art trail team had originally planned to hold in local schools, residential homes and other community settings had to be put on the back-burner, and they instead sent out 300 creative packs.
The team also involved the community through a number of activity sessions over Zoom and through social media, as well as with interactive displays in the window of OT Creative Space on Ayres Road.
Several local organisations also lent a hand in recruiting the community on board, and creative packs were even handed out to families in local parks.
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That’s not all either, as last month, the trail team ran a prize draw with local shops in the Old Trafford area to encourage residents to submit their ideas, and pupils from two local schools – St Alphonsus RC Primary and Old Trafford Community Academy – were also asked to get involved and share their thoughts on what Old Trafford means to them.
Speaking ahead of the arrival of the OT Art Trail, Lynda Sterling – from OT Creative Space – said: “We had to be very creative in order to maximise community participation at a time when we are being encouraged to stay apart rather than come together.
“Technology has played a part, but also good old fashioned paper and colouring pencils”.
She continued: “To find the locations, we walked around the local area and picked out key places [and] it was then a case of knocking on doors and putting notes through people’s doors if they were out.
“We found people extremely keen to have original artworks painted on their houses, [and] we estimate the murals will last between five and 10 years before they start to fade, so it’s quite a commitment”.
Michelle Griffith, one of the Old Trafford residents who has volunteered her home on Ayres Road as a blank canvas for a mural, has said that the trail is “just what Old Trafford needs”.
“It will bring some colour to an otherwise muted part of Old Trafford.” she continued.
“I’m really excited by the community engagement and getting to work with and alongside the artists.
“It’s bringing together factions of the community that are normally dormant”.
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You can find more information ahead of the launch of the OT Art Trail in early May via the OT creative SPACE website here.
What's On
Chester Zoo named best zoo in the UK thanks to more than 11,000 ‘excellent’ ratings
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… Chester Zoo has been named to best zoo in the UK for 2024.
Everyone in and around Greater Manchester and the North West is familiar with just how brilliant the UK’s biggest charity zoo is and all the work it contributes towards conservation and protecting endangered species all across the world – but now, it’s got itself a respectable new title to prove it, and it’s all thanks to tens of thousands of positive TripAdvisor reviews.
The world’s biggest travel guidance platform has named Chester Zoo as the best-rated zoo to visit in the UK this year, with more than 11,000 ‘Excellent’ ratings.
Based on millions of online reviews, the new ranking puts the beloved Cheshire-based attraction ahead of the country’s other zoos after earning consistently good feedback from its visitors.
Chester Zoo has been named the best zoo in the UK for 2024 / Credit: Chester Zoo
According to Chester Zoo, the “wonderful news” means that, as a conservation charity, it can continue its work with countries across the world to “help all animals survive and thrive”, as well as provide expert care to the 37,000 animals who currently call the zoo their home.
The zoo has also thanked its visitors for all their continued support each year, as this allows to “keep making a difference”.
“With every admission ticket, membership, animal adoption, or experience purchased, you are contributing to our mission of preventing extinction,” Chester Zoo said in a statement.
We've been named the BEST zoo in the UK, thanks to YOU! 🇬🇧
This news comes after receiving thousands of positive reviews on the travel website, Tripadvisor 🙌
Your support helps us to protect more than 500 of the world's most threatened animal and plant species🐅🌱
Speaking on the coveted new TripAdvisor title, Jamie Chirston, who is the CEO at Chester Zoo, says he’s “over the moon to be named the best zoo in the UK”, adding in a statement that: “It’s an incredible achievement and especially pleasing given it’s based on thousands upon thousands of genuine reviews and opinions.
“It’s a real seal of approval from our visitors, and testament to every single one of our dedicated, hardworking, and talented staff that make our conservation zoo the wonderful place it is.
“Every time someone walks through our gates, not only do they enjoy all kinds of wildlife experiences and a have great day out, but they’re also contributing to the vital conservation work we carry out here and around the world, and that’s why, as a not-for-profit conservation zoo, this top TripAdvisor ranking means such an awful lot to us.
It’s all thanks to more than 11,000 ‘Excellent’ ratings by visitors on TripAdvisor / Credit: Chester Zoo
“It’s confirmation that we’re getting things right for our visitors, [which is] especially important as, together, we’re preventing extinction and making a real difference for wildlife.”
The UK’s best zoo isn’t the only title Chester Zoo has claimed this month either, as TripAdvisor has also listed it as the eighth-best zoo or aquarium to visit in the whole of Europe too.
So it double congratulations are in order – and they couldn’t be more well-deserved, right?
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
What's On
Peter Kay’s gigs at Co-op Live have been postponed as the arena admits it’s not ready for opening act
Danny Jones
Just a day before the venue was set to welcome its very first act, Co-op Live has announced that arena opener Peter Kay’s gigs have unfortunately been cancelledand postponed until later this month.
Both of Peter Kay‘s highly-anticipated shows have ultimately had to be called off after Co-op Live revealed that the brand-new entertainment venue is simply not ready to welcome guests just yet, with work still to be completed on key areas of the building, namely power supply issues.
Issuing a regretful statement on social media, the arena has confirmed that the shows will now be rescheduled to Monday and Tuesday, 29-30 April.
An important update from Co-op Live. Following our first test event on Saturday, regretfully we have made the difficult decision to reschedule our two opening performances by Peter Kay. These dates will move from 23 April and 24 Wednesday to Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 April. pic.twitter.com/SxW50Ph5hm
Co-op Live confirms Peter Kay’s pair of opening shows have been cancelled and rescheduled.
Addressing the situation online, Co-op Live said: “Following our first test event on Saturday, regretfully we have made the difficult decision to reschedule our two opening performances by Peter Kay…
“It is critical to ensure we have a consistent total power supply to our fully electric sustainable venue, the completion of which is a few days behind. Rescheduling gives us the extra time we need to continue testing thoroughly.
“This is vital to satisfy the rigorous set of guidelines and protocols that are necessary for a venue of this size. Peter Kay has very graciously agreed to perform his record-breaking comedy at Co-op Live on 29 (rescheduled from 23) and 30 (rescheduled from 24) April 2024.
“All tickets remain valid and ticket holders will be contacted by their point of purchase. Refunds will be available for those who can no longer attend. We are very sorry for the inconvenience that this change will undoubtedly cause for some.” Safe to say many of those looking forward to the show have been left frustrated.
Booked train ticket hotel and can’t make next week! Place is a joke !!
Please tell me why I am finding this out of flipping TWITTER and have not been emailed?!
— 🧜🏽♀️ Lauren Sparks – Book Siren 🧜🏽♀️ (@thickthighnolie) April 22, 2024
Speaking to The Manc, a Stockport gig-goer who had tickets said they had to find out via social media and that her group had still received no email notifying them about the cancellation, adding, “We just logged into the app to find the date on our tickets had been changed to next Monday”.
As for the beloved Bolton-born stand-up and British comedy legend himself, Kay added: “I’m truly gutted as I know how disappointing this will be for everyone with tickets, but obviously it’s a brand-new venue and it’s important that everything is finished and safe for full capacity audiences.
“Fortunately, we’ve been able to reschedule the shows to next week, (I’ll have to miss my Bums & Tums class) but hopefully I’ll see you then.”
The venue also went on to assure that they will still be hosting The Black Keys on 27 April in the lower bowl with 10k fans as planned and will continue to test the resilience of the venue and its operations for the time being.
They also reminded fans who previously missed out on tickets that due to dates being moved, tickets may now become available.