An innovative audio visual exhibition featuring 20 ‘living portraits’ will take over shop fronts and restaurant windows across the city later this month to coincide with Manchester Pride.
By scanning QR codes featured on a series of portraits dotted across Manchester city centre, people will be able to listen to the true spoken stories of 20 LGBTQ+ people who live or work in the city.
The PROUD exhibition, which has been commissioned by Manchester Business Improvement District and curated by Heard Storytelling, promises to take listeners on ‘personal and candid journeys’ revolving around the theme of ‘Proud’ and representation.
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Amongst the stories, listeners will be able to hear from Augustine, who was recently ordained Priest at St James and Emmanuel, and Norman, who talks about how coming out as bisexual at the age of 72 helped change his life.
Also featured in the exhibition is Darren, who talks about difficult beginnings as a child on Moss Side and his moments of triumph towards self-acceptance, and Vil, who as a child threw open a dressing up box and took delight in dressing up in princess gowns.
The 20 portraits will be hosted in the windows of shops, restaurants and businesses across the city centre from August 20 to September 2.
The photos can be found at locations including Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Manchester Arndale, Royal Exchange building on Exchange Street and Kala and Kuoni on King Street.
Jane Sharrocks, Chair of Manchester Business Improvement District, said: “Manchester BID is delighted to be supporting Manchester Pride through this beautiful audio visual exhibition which will allow city centre visitors to hear first hand accounts from members of our LGBTQIA+ community.
“These stories are deeply personal and inspirational and we, alongside our retailers and hospitality businesses, feel incredibly privileged to be able to provide a platform to share them.”
Colette Burroughs-Rose, Co-founder of Heard Storytelling, added: “We wanted to collect and share these important voices to bring people together to listen to each other’s lived experiences.
“We hope that the sharing of these stories will send a powerful message of solidarity, hope and pride to people who may need to hear it. The power of true storytelling and its ability to develop understanding and deepen connections is more important than ever in these uncertain times.”
During the exhibition, people can scan the QC code featured on each portrait with their mobile phones to access the stories. Alternatively, they are also available on the Visit Manchester website.
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