HUDDERSFIELD’S historic railway station is providing a platform for the arts.
The recently-refurbished station lobby will form the backdrop for a group of professional artists, designers and musicians to demonstrate their skills.
And organisers hope their exhibition, to be held throughout the months of June and July, will be just the ticket to entertain rail passengers setting out on their daily commute or summer holidays.
The group of creatives is based at town centre coffee house Time Circa 2010 and the exhibition has been organised by its owner and director Andrew Dunne.
He said: “The station has been recently renovated and there is now a special feel to the place. The station came up with the idea that rather than leaving its spaces blank, it could provide an ongoing exhibition space.
“The aim of our exhibition is to promote the best of British art, design, music and drama. We will also be referencing the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.”
Andrew, whose career has included being an artistic director and production designer for film, television and theatre, will be exhibiting some of his abstract art works. He has already exhibited at venues in Scotland and London.
The railway station exhibition will also include theatre and film director Catherine Brill’s debut film, Before Wonderland, which is a darker take on the famous Alice in Wonderland story and details the lives of its main characters.
Also exhibiting will be Lauren Maxwell, a fine artist, illustrator and graphic design, whose vintage fashion magazine, Silver Hammer, is due to be released later this year.
The work of costume designer Gillian Pugh, who has previously exhibited designs for stage costumes based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, will also be represented along with the work of fashion designer and former Huddersfield University lecturer Joanne Blanco-Bello.
Musical contributions will come from Callum Lee and father and son musicians Simon and Mark Durrans, who perform together as classic rock guitar and singing duo Acoustimosh.
Abstract fine artist Oliver Storey-Dunne, will also feature some of his work along with Paul Walsh.
The improvements to the Grade I listed Huddersfield railway station cost £620,000 and were carried out by construction firm Strategic Team Group on behalf of First Transpennine Express.
The 40-week project, which received funding from the Department of Transport’s National Station Improvement Programme, included refurbishment to the shop, counter and booking hall areas, passenger waiting areas and toilets.
