Hertford Street, Coventry, Niall McDiarmid

As part of Coventry’s bid to become UK City of Culture 2021 it has announced ambitious plans to widen accessibility to arts and culture, and generate a 20% increase in BAME audiences for the arts.

One of the first projects to be commissioned as a part of the project is Tale of Two Streets, which aims to engage a wider audience with Coventry’s growing cultural scene. This two-year photographic project will start in 2018 and explore the diverse communities that live and work on two historic streets in Coventry: Foleshill Road and Far Gosford Street. The two roads are home to many communities including Asian, Afro Caribbean, White British and Eastern European residents, who live and work closely together.

Renowned street portrait photographer Niall McDiarmid will be exploring Far Gosford Street, while 10 emerging photographers–graduates from Coventry University–will cover the people and places of Foleshill Road. Two photographic books and a touring exhibition are planned for 2019, with four other graduates from the University writing the books’ narratives. The project is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England as part of the Great Place Scheme.

Market Way, Coventry, Niall McDiarmid

You can learn about Coventry’s bid for City of Culture 2021 via social media and the dedicated website: www.coventry2021.co.uk.