People’s memories of Newbridge Memo are being sought for a new arts project.
Caerphilly County Borough Council, together with the Newbridge Community Arts Group, want readers to tell them their Memo stories.
The council has appointed Stephen Broadbent Studios to produce a series of community- influenced artworks to enhance the town centre. One of the proposed features is the “Memory Seat”, a spiral shaped bench made up of 100 granite blocks with each segment representing a person’s story or memory of Newbridge.
This is a unique opportunity to take part in an ambitious story -collecting event which will create a cultural archive of the town’s history, as told in the local community’s own words.
Community worker Geraint King will be recording the stories over the next few weeks. Quotes from a selection of the stories will be carved on one of the seat’s granite segments and the recordings will be available to listen to on a specially designed website.
If you are interested in taking part and sharing your memories of Newbridge, the story collecting sessions will take place on:
Wednesday December 7- Station Coffee Shop, High Street Newbridge 9am –12pm
Monday December 12 – Station Coffee Shop 12pm – 2pm
Tuesday December 13- Newbridge Memo 11.30am – 1pm
Geraint King can be contacted via the Newbridge Memo on (01495) 243252 and you can learn more about the project at www.sbal.co.uk/newbridge
The “Memory Seat” and associated artworks are part of the Newbridge Regeneration Programme, which also includes major public realm improvements and the restoration of the Memorial Hall amd Institute buildings.
The scheme is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, and the Arts Council for Wales among others, with work due to start in early 2012.