Our Doorstep Diaries MK 2020 Project started during the first lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, We set out to drive some positivity into the community and ended up photographing hundreds of people across Milton Keynes. Towards the end of the project we decided to contact MK Gallery to exhibit this community project, they thought it was an amazing idea and said yes!
We had 2 confirmed dates for our exhibition before this however due to going into another lockdown unfortunately our exhibition kept getting pushed back.
The first confirmed date was: 20th November 2020
The Second confirmed date was: 8th January 2021
both of these dates didn't go ahead because of lockdown 2.0 & tier 4 restrictions.
A year on and lockdown easing we received brilliant news our new confirmed dates are from 18th May 2021 - 27th June 2021!
These dates looked promising and now we are fortunate to say our exhibition is up to go along and remember the positive times during lockdown and highlight the good memories we spent together.
Below we have put together an article of behind the scene snaps on the build up to the opening of the exhibition.
26th April 2021:
We started decorating and painting the walls at Mk Gallery Project Space, the skyline was drawn by hand by my very talented partner! When planning the exhibition we were originally going to paint the skyline grey, but changed our minds and decided to use blow pens along the sides of the skyline for a colourful but not too over powering effect.
28th April 2021:
The hanging of the images and frames began, also the organisation and placement of 70 housing blocks! Which took a lot of hesitation and re-organisation!
30th April 2021:
Our exhibition was ready for a window viewing gallery from the 3rd May 2021 as Galleries could not open to the public until the 18th May 2021 due to the covid-19 roadmap of non essential retail/leisure re opening.
3rd May 2021:
The exhibition was ready for the public to view through the windows!
For 2 weeks the gallery stayed as a window viewing exhibition.
18th May 2021:
The day we were waiting for! - The opening day! where the public could come in and view the exhibition, We received a lot of press and our day looked something like this:
-An interview for BBC Three counties radio @ 8:20 Live!
- Mel Jeavons ( manager of MK Living Archive ) arrived who collaborated with us to show their lockdown lives MK project on TV in the gallery, Their project was a series of filmed interviews during the first lockdown.
-The current Mayor of Milton Keynes Cllr Andrew Geary arrived at MK Gallery Project Space @ 10AM to say a few words and to officially open the exhibition.
- I was handed a Local hero arts and culture award for this project by the Mayor Of Milton Keynes, This was unexpected but a lovely surprise!
- Anthony Spira Director of MK Gallery came to view the exhibition along with the mayor, who then took us for a tour around the main exhibition which was 'Memphis plastic fields' after we had our guided tour by him we sat with Anthony, Andrew Geary ( at the time the mayor of Milton Keynes ) Mel Jeavons ( Manager at MK Living archive, and us to have a coffee in the galleries cafe.
- BBC Look East (West) arrived to do filmed interviews and to announce our exhibition on the news, They arrived @ 12PM, and it was shown on TV on BBC Look East @ 6:30PM ! we had a 2 minute feature on their news programme.
- We invited a family whom we photographed and is displayed in the gallery to have an interview with BBC Look East. They were great and loved every moment!
All in all we had an extremely long but brilliant day! Below are some behind the scenes snaps thanks to Anne Green ( owner of Milton-Keynesia - about Milton Keynes. Read M-Kia magazine, find her on twitter. )
A 2 minute coverage we had on BBC Look East ( West ) News report about Doorstep Diaries MK exhibition, filmed by BBC Look East.
We were thrilled to meet Sam Read ( Milton Keynes reporter for BBC Look East. )
21st May 2021
The local MP Iain Stewart arranged to meet me at the exhibition, he arrived with his PR, Adam we took a few photos in front of his photo I took of him during the project.
24th May 2021 onwards,
We have been very happy to have received selfies from the participants of the project in front of their image when visiting the exhibition.
The exhibition is free to enter for all ages, We look forward to seeing you there or seeing your selfies!
After everything had calmed down, I was able to take some photos of my own.
#DoorstepDiariesMK #Portraits #MKGallery #Exhibition2021 #MiltonKeynes #CommunityProject #Stacephotography
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