Picturing High Streets was a three-year project delivered by Photoworks to create a contemporary picture of England’s high streets through artist residencies and a public call out. It was part of the High Streets Heritage Action Zones Cultural Programme, and produced in partnership with GRAIN Projects, Impressions Gallery, Open Eye Gallery, London College of Communications, Photofusion, QUAD/FORMAT, Redeye, ReFramed and The Photographers’ Gallery.
From September 2022 to September 2023, people across England responded to themed fortnightly challenges and submitted their photographs on Instagram under the hashtag #PicturingHighStreets. All entries created an unofficial archive documenting a year in the life of the English high street on Instagram, and a selection form this permanent collection in the Historic England Archive.
The photographs in this set were selected to represent the theme ‘Signs of Spring’. The brief for this theme was: ‘As the clocks go forward soon and the nights start to shorten, we’re celebrating spring equinox by asking you to show us your signs of spring, regrowth and regeneration on the high street.'
The photographer wrote the following text to explain how their image relates to this theme: "The pet shop is at the top of the main shopping street in Dursley, as well as pet supplies it sells plants and bulbs. Their display next to the planter full of narcissi captured flowers on the high street and flowers to buy and grow."
This is part of the Volume: HEC01/128/02/15 Picturing High Streets: Mass Participation Project - Signs of Spring; within the Sub Series: HEC01/128/02 Picturing High Streets: Mass Participation Project; within the Series: HEC01/128 Picturing High Streets; within the Collection: HEC01 Historic England
© Annika Howard
Photographer: Howard, Annika
Shop, Shops And Shopping
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