Last chance to see current The Fire Within exhibition in Wigan

Love Is A Rebellious Bird, on show in The Galleries Shopping Centre, reopens on July 30 for a final fortnight.
Love Is A Rebellious BirdLove Is A Rebellious Bird
Love Is A Rebellious Bird

The exhibition is the second to be hosted on the upper floor of the shopping complex since the launch of the borough's cultural manifesto in May 2019.

After the two weeks the displays will be taken down for good and The Fire Within's curators Al and Al, along with a talented team of local artists, will then work on a new exhibition which will open in September.

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Going to see Love Is A Rebellious Bird will be a slightly different experience due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with reduced opening hours, signs reminding people to obey social distancing, hand sanitiser and a limit on how many arts enthusiasts can visit at once.

Coun Chris Ready, cabinet member for communities and culture at Wigan Council, said: "We’re now in a position to provide visitors with one final opportunity to experience the current exhibition before we re-launch in September.

"Culture is a key driver in social inclusion, economic growth and health and wellbeing, which is why the work we’re delivering as part of The Fire Within is so vital as we look to recover from Covid-19."

The second year of the cultural manifesto is called Digital Wigan, with the new exhibition in September focusing on the impact of technology on the arts and culture.

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It was due to launch in May but this had to be paused because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Since launching its cultural manifesto the council has been working with schools and communities in a bid to make culture more accessible to all the borough's residents.

Arts organisations have also had to get creative during the Covid-19 pandemic to continue delivering services and sessions when venues have had to be shut.

Coun Ready said: "

“I’d like to pay tribute and say thank you to all of our groups, artists and cultural organisations for adapting as best as possible and striving to continue to deliver their sessions for the people of our borough.

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“Although this has been a very unsettling time for everybody, we’ve truly realised the power that technology and digital can have on people’s lives, and that is what we will explore during our second year.”

The Fire Within will reopen on July 30 and culture fans can visit between 11am and 3pm Thursday to Saturday.

The new exhibition, which will run from September to January, will be called We Will Always Be Together and will be supported by online material.

Wigan Council is also offering grants to freelance artists and creative practitioners who require financial assistance due to Covid-19.

Find out more at www.thefirewithin.org.uk.