Audrey Hepburn’s granddaughter, the artist Emma Ferrer, to be amongst the first visitors of the groundbreaking experience at Media City

the first immersive art experience of a UK national collection, is opening to the public at MediaCity in Greater Manchester on Friday 2 May and running until Sunday 31 August, ahead of a planned national tour with dates to be announced. 

Created by FRAMELESS Creative, the UK’s leading creator of immersive experiences, and inspired by the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection, this groundbreaking new immersive, cinematic show promises to redefine the gallery experience, with an emotionally charged spectacle that pushes the boundaries of creative storytelling. 

Visitors will step into a world where the sitters’ stories come alive. This unique experience explores the fascinating lives behind some of the most iconic faces from the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection who have shaped the UK’s history and culture. From royalty and cultural icons to fearless leaders and national heroes, past and present, their stories will unfold in an unforgettable journey that fuses the best of art, technology and powerful human storytelling.  

The artist Emma Ferrer, granddaughter of Audrey Hepburn, will be amongst the first visitors to Stories – Brought to Life, featuring Jane Austen, David Bowie, Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin, Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Elizabeth II, Ncuti Gatwa, Audrey Hepburn, Dorothy Hodgkin, Mai, Nelson Mandela, Emmeline Pankhurst, Grayson Perry, Mary Seacole, William Shakespeare, Amy Winehouse, Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf and Malala Yousafzai.  

The stories will be presented on a spectacular scale, travelling across specially created frames, drawing on unprecedented access to industry leading visual effects, music and imagery, to give visitors a new way to experience some of the stories that form part of the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection. 

For its premiere in Manchester, Stories – Brought to Life will be presented in a specially designed, 10,000 sq ft state of the art, immersive digital gallery in the heart of MediaCity. 

The FRAMELESS team, including production partner Cinesite, the leading digital Hollywood visual effects company, known for their contributions to blockbuster films including the Harry Potter and the Marvel franchises, has worked closely with the expert curators at the National Portrait Gallery to tell the authentic, inspiring stories of some of its most loved sitters. The new experience brings together a rich tapestry of media, from archival content and photography to excerpts from powerful speeches and original animation.

Ryan Atwood, Creative Director for FRAMELESS Creative, said:

“Working with a cultural institution like the National Portrait Gallery has been a unique experience, especially having the opportunity to draw upon the expertise, knowledge and passion of the curatorial team. But the magic has also come from studying the sitters and working with the families, estates and the sitters themselves to understand more about the individuals behind the portraits to create an unparalleled encounter with some of the world’s most famous personalities. Our team, comprising of researchers, world class animators, visual effects specialists, music and spatial sound designers, composers and writers, have delved deep into the life stories of the individuals to bring them to life. Through the power of digital storytelling we can’t wait to share our work with the public, helping to ensure that this incredible Collection continues to be accessible and have cultural significance with the next generation.”  

Victoria Siddall, Director, National Portrait Gallery, said:

“The National Portrait Gallery’s Collection is unique in being about people and for people, and the stories we tell about the individuals who have shaped our history and culture have the power to inspire and to bring people together. Our history has always been one of innovation, so we are excited to partner with FRAMELESS on this ground-breaking immersive experience featuring some of the extraordinary people in our Collection. I am grateful to everyone who has worked so hard to bring this project to life, and of course to the families, representatives and sitters themselves who have so generously allowed us to tell their stories and to take them to audiences outside our walls.”