Panorama was a creative project working with 140 people who have experienced homelessness, in partnership with The Booth Centre. Artist Lois Blackburn and songwriter Matt Hill led workshops with participants, combining visual art, songwriting, and performance to create scrolled artworks—Panoramas—inspired by the collections at The People’s History Museum in Manchester.
The project explored innovative ways to blend history, storytelling, and creative writing with art and music, giving participants the opportunity to step into another skin and see themselves in new ways.
One participant had previously slept in the doorway of the museum, while another often walked past, peering through the windows but never feeling confident enough to go inside. As part of the project, participants made research visits to the museum and performed their new collection of songs and scrolled artworks for the public on 11th June, as part of the Manchester Histories Festival. The work was also included in the museum’s Represent! exhibition.
A key achievement of Moving Panorama was the sense of ownership and belonging it fostered. Participants became part of the museum’s story, and the theme of ‘Struggle’—both personal and political, drawn from the museum’s collection—ran through all the work created together.
Link to Full song collection
Exhibitions and performances
June 2018 The Booth Centre, Manchester. Audience 40+
June 2018 All Saint’s Park, Manchester, as part of the Manchester Histories Festival. Audience 35+
June 2018- Jan 19 The People’s History Museum, Manchester. Audience approx. 81,000
Panorama project is supported by Arts Council England, The Booth Centre, The People’s History Museum and Manchester Histories Festival.
Lois Blackburn 