Open Eye Gallery is delighted to be supporting Suzanne St Clare as Chester’s Photographer-in-Residence as part of Historic England’s High Streets Heritage Action Zones scheme. 

Picturing England’s High Streets is a three-year project which is part of the national cultural programme for High Street Heritage Action Zones. Residencies will take place in six high street locations with the photographers using a ‘socially-engaged’ approach, working alongside local communities to create a contemporary portrait of England’s high streets between now and 2024. Photoworks and Historic England have partnered with Open Eye Gallery to appoint a Photographer-in-Residence in both Chester and Prescot, Knowsley with local knowledge of each area. 

Suzanne St Clare said of her appointment: 

‘Chester has been part of my family life since childhood.  When I was looking through my dad’s old 35 mm Kodachrome slides recently I came across one of us feeding the ducks by the Dee.  Even though it was a Sunday afternoon my mum was in a two piece suit from Browns!  In the summer holidays whilst my dad called in on suppliers in the city centre I’d wander round the black and white timber framed buildings in Eastgate Street and spend my pocket money in Woolworths.

Having worked closely with Chester residents early this year for Reclaiming the City I was inspired by their thoughts about their identity with Chester and sense of place.  I am thrilled to be collaborating with a wider audience to explore this further, particularly at such an exciting time as we create our vision for the cultural future of the city.’

As the photographer-in-residence for Chester, Suzanne St Clare will be working with local communities from 2021-2024 to reimagine the high street, producing images which will become part of the Historic England Archive. Adding to this, during 2021/22, emerging photographer Ciara Leeming will develop work with a local community group. Both will receive additional support from Cheshire West and Chester Council.  

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council said:

‘I am delighted that Chester will be part of Picturing England’s High Streets with Open Eye Gallery. We’re really looking forward to working with photographers Suzanne and Ciara and the team in enabling the voices of our local communities to be part of the city’s stories.’

Sarah Fisher, Executive Director of Open Eye Gallery said: 

‘We are really delighted to have appointed Suzanne St Clare to work over the next three years on the Picturing England’s High Streets project together with Cheshire West and Chester. Suzanne has a lot of experience as a socially engaged photographer and a strong connection with Chester. She recently completed a pilot project working with Chester Pride called Reclaiming the City, which focussed on individuals stories of place.  Equally we’re delighted to have appointed Ciara Leeming, a talented early career photographer to work with communities this year, alongside Suzanne.’

Suzanne St Clare is an artist, photographer and educator based in North West England, specialising in socially-engaged practice. Over the past 12 years, she’s worked with Open Eye Gallery, Tate Liverpool, Wirral Borough Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Wales NHS and Knowsley Council to develop, run and document projects with communities and groups. She has had a close relationship with Chester since childhood. She studied Fine Art and Photography at the University of Chester and recently worked with the local LGBTQ+ community exploring the theme of ‘belonging’, as part of the Chester High Street Heritage Action Zone Cultural Programme. 

Ciara Leeming is a photographer and writer who grew up near Chester. Recurring themes within her work include community, regeneration and migration. She often collaborates with marginalised groups including Roma migrants, Gypsies and Travellers and refugees. 

To find out what is happening in your area and get involved, follow @HistoricEngland #HistoricHighStreets #PicturingChester and visit: www.HistoricEngland.org.uk/HighStreetCulture