Putting Visual Arts and Heritage on the Map!

2nd November 2011

Categories: Modern History News

A new website launches today which features the best in visual arts and heritage in Pennine Lancashire. www.artsmap.org.uk maps heritage venues, artists’ studios, arts organisations and public art across the Pennine Lancashire region and also provides information on events and exhibitions from the featured venues and artists.

The site is an initiative from Perspectives of Pennine Lancashire (POPL) which works to raise the profile and ambition of visual arts and heritage in the region. It has been developed by Blackburn based digital agency dpi21.

The idea for the site came directly from consultation with venues and arts organisations, who wanted one place where the public could find out what was happening in arts and heritage across the region. Based around a tailored Google map of the region, visitors can search for events and exhibitions, find details of venues, arts organisations and artists studios, read news, read and leave reviews, watch video footage and link to many of the social networking sites for the venues and artists.

The arts map is funded by Arts Council England through Grants for the Arts and Modern History through the European Regional Development Fund. Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board (LBTB), have provided support for the project through marketing and promotion on the official tourism website for Lancashire, visitlancashire.com. Tony Openshaw, Marketing Director, from LBTB says "this is a significant new resource for the visitor to Lancashire. There are fantastic venues and great art to see and enjoy and we are pleased to be supporting this site and its development in the future.”

Lisa Houghton, Marketing Manager of Modern History, which promotes more than 100 industrial heritage museums and attractions across Lancashire and the North West, adds:  

“We are delighted to be involved with this terrific initiative.  Not only is it the perfect platform from which to showcase some of those key venues that tell the story of Lancashire’s monumental role in the Industrial Revolution; but also the fact that the website puts wonderful events and exhibitions like these at the fingertips should make arts and heritage in the region so much more accessible.”

One of the featured arts organisations is Mid Pennine Arts. Rob Carder, Business Development Director for MPA says “A Pennine Lancashire arts map offers visitors the opportunity to access the wonderful art and heritage in our area. It's a great initiative and we're pleased to be part of it. We hope a wider and larger audience from the region and beyond will find out about our work, enjoy it and come back for more.”

To visit the Arts Map see www.artsmap.org.uk

For more information please contact Elaine Lees, Communications Officer elaine.lees@blackburn.gov.uk or 07973 438270