Hartlepool Northern School of Art teams up with North East fishermen to tell life stories
A new showcase of Hartlepool’s fishing industry will go on display in a project between the town’s fishermen and art students this week.
Students from the Northern School of Art have been working with fishers, who have been hit hard by mass die-offs of shellfish and other marine life, to tell their stories.
An array of artwork will go on display at the Duke of Cleveland pub, on the Headland, for one day only on Friday afternoon.
For several months the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has been working with the Northern School of Art and the Northeast Fishing Collective to bring the two groups together.
Darren Leighton, Hartlepool local lead for JRF, said: “The idea was to have students interact with our fisherfolk in Hartlepool and create artwork that tells the stories of their connection to the sea, the impacts of the die offs, and provide another platform for those who have the closest connection to our seas and coastal heritage to tell their story.”
In partnership with the foundation, the art college was able to access funding to purchase equipment to buy equipment such as tablets do take their art out into the community.
They have produced everything from life drawings of fishermen, to flip books and embroidery showing their lineage going back hundreds of years.
Darren added: “The students have pulled out some really thought provoking narratives and the way in which they present that is really quite innovative.”
The artwork will be on show at at the Duke of Cleveland, Church Walk, from 1pm-4pm on July 5.