Berwick’s community and industry ‘royalty’ to be celebrated in new exhibition inspired by crowning of Tweed Salmon Queen
Local community groups and representatives from Berwick’s diverse industries are being given the opportunity to play a starring role in a new exhibition inspired by the crowning of the Tweed Salmon Queen.
Funded by Create Berwick and delivered by contemporary arts agency Arts&Heritage and leading Northern artist Lucy Wright, the exhibition will honour Berwick’s working-class heritage by crowning Kings and Queens of industry.
A series of photographs – which will go on display during next year’s Berwick (Tweedmouth) Feast & Salmon Queen festival – will capture the coronation of local people and celebrate the role they play in modern Berwick life.
People living and working in the town are being invited to nominate which industries, communities and landscapes should be featured in the exhibition by meeting artist, Lucy Wright, at this year’s Tweed Salmon Queen festival. The festivities begin at Queen’s Gardens, Tweedmouth, at 5pm on Thursday 17 July, with the crowning taking place at 7pm.
Artist, Lucy Wright, said: “There’s a long tradition of crowning people at events that commemorate sectors of industry – from the Salmon Queen in Tweedmouth, the Coal Queen at Miners’ Galas, and the Cotton Queens of the 1930s. I want to take that sense of occasion and pageantry to honour some of the people that serve the town of Berwick and make it the town it is – whether that’s through a local community group, or by working in some of the town’s contemporary industries.
“Each ‘royal representative’ will be photographed at their very own coronation, where they will be presented with a crown and other regalia. The images will form part of a wider exhibition where members of the public can sit in a grand throne and crown themselves King or Queen of their chosen domain for the day.”
Berwick’s natural habitats will be central to Lucy’s work, recognising the link between nature and the people of the town.
“Folk customs tell us so much about our communities, and the story of the Salmon Queen reminds us of the importance of nature to Berwick’s industry and identity. The town’s landscapes and habitats will be central to the designs in this exhibition – acting us a poignant reminder that we share these spaces together and must look after them for the future.”
Stephanie Allen, Chief Executive of Arts&Heritage, said: “We’d want to hear from people working in all sectors of industry across Berwick, as well as all those individuals and groups giving their valuable time to lead community networks across the town. We want to recognise and celebrate their contribution to Berwick.”
Andrea Oliver, Create Berwick Manager, added: “We’re over the moon that Lucy Wright and Arts&Heritage and will be leading our next annual art commission in Berwick. It’s an opportunity to create a unique experience in the town – something that engages local communities, supports the skills development of artists and creatives in the region, and takes inspiration from Berwick’s unique qualities: including its heritage, people, topography or environment.
“It’s also an opportunity to galvanize our cultural and creative businesses and inspire them to come together and create new cultural experiences in the town that demonstrate why Berwick-upon-Tweed is a cultural and creative powerhouse.”
How to get involved
Anyone interested in taking part in the new exhibition can either fill in postcards Arts&Heritage will be handing out on the day at the Salmon Queen festivities, or share nominations via an online form.
Lucy Wright explores folk as an agent for resistance and positive change, especially for working class communities. She has shown work with Art House Wakefield, Portico Library, Manchester, Field System and Meadow Arts, and established a new Dusking tradition for the Autumn Equinox, with over 1000 people participating online in 2024. A Visiting Research Fellow in Folklore at the University of Hertfordshire, Lucy has spent the last ten years exploring some of the lesser-known folk customs of the British Isles, especially those associated with women.
Next year’s annual art commission from Create Berwick follows artist Matthew Rosier’s hugely successful installation, Berwick Parade, which earlier this year transformed Berwick Barracks into a “living parade”. More than 2,300 people booked to view the artwork that featured 600 local people projected onto the walls of Berwick Barracks.
For more information about Lucy Wright, visit www.lucywright.art or @lucy_j_wright.
Image credit: Leonie Freeman
