A chance for the whole family to take part in the Cooper Gallery's new project

A FAMILY friendly fun day takes place at Barnsley’s Cooper Gallery, Church Street, on Saturday, 23 January, as part of Barnsley History Day.

The day will be packed activities that anyone of any age or previous experience can attend. The participants will be able to work with local artists, curators and historians to create unique artworks based on the pictures at the gallery.

Community groups, students and volunteers from Barnsley have been already been researching and reinterpreting the permanent collection at the Cooper Gallery in Barnsley through a range of creative activities including filmmaking, painting, and sculpture.

The Heritage Lottery funded ‘Material History: Discovering the Cooper Gallery and Its Collection’ project wants to engage local people in the heritage of the gallery, its pictures and the local area, through exciting, new and creative activities.

Cllr Bill Newman, Cabinet Spokesperson for Development, said: “The project has been targeting community and schools groups so far and now wants to get the general public involved. The objects produced on the day will be exhibited at the Cooper Gallery in September this year.”

Fiona Spiers, Head of HLF, Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “This is a great project that will transform the gallery for future visitors and let the local community directly input into how the gallery is presented. This project will really bring the collections to life for everyone to explore.”

Families, young people and adults can take part from 10.30am until 1.30pm. There will be a large scale painting installation to complete, videos to record and creative stories to write. The event is totally free and a great chance for the whole family to come to an art activity.

The Barnsley History Day also includes activities and attractions at the Town Hall and Central Library.
 
For more details please email: coopergallery@barnsley.gov.uk or phone (01226) 242905.

ENDS