Part of Stockport’s Town of Culture programme, the Real Public Art Show has been exhibiting at the Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery since 30th July. Designed to showcase the talent of residents across the borough, the Real Public Art Show exhibits pieces that depict life in Stockport, and includes everything from paint to poetry and cross-stitch.
Visitors to the exhibition were able to vote for their favourite piece in the ‘People’s Choice Awards’, with both an adults and children’s category up for grabs.
Now, the winners of the public vote have been announced by Councillor Graham Greenhalgh, the Mayor of Stockport, in a ceremony at the Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery on Saturday 2nd September. A huge 1298 votes were cast by visitors to the exhibition between 29th July – 31st August.
Bird Taylor claimed the top prize in the adults category, with her piece ‘Threshold, Edgeley Garden’, a beautiful depiction of life in her home in Edgeley. Bird also claimed the Michael Hartley-Rose Awards presented by Stockport Art Guild.
Miriam Jennings took home the children’s category winner title. Her piece, ‘My Town’, is a striking silhouette of Stockport’s skyline, featuring key landmarks like the Hatworks museum and the Market Hall.
Miriam Jennings with Cllr Graham Greenhalgh, Mayor of Stockport, and Mayoress Carol Greenhalgh
Both took home an £100 Hobbycraft voucher so that they can continue to create fantastic art.
Congratulations to the runners up in the competition, who won £50 and £25 Hobbycraft vouchers respectively. Dave Jobling’s ‘Iconic Stockport’ and Nicolas Granville with ‘St Mary’s Church, Stockport’ took the second and third places in the adults category, with Sophie Barratt’s ‘Pear Mill’ and Jess Evans’ ‘The Frogs are Back’ claiming these spots in the Children’s category.
The Real Public Art Show runs until 21st September, and is free to visit. Part of the wider programme of Stockport Town of Culture events, the art show links to the Stockport Makes pillar of the programme.
The art displays also include hundreds of Stockport Children’s art work, all completed as part of a library competition to win your height in books. The artwork is themed around this year’s shortlisted new UK fiction books which Stockport children voted on. They choose their favourites and then the winning authors were crowned winners at the annual grand ceremony at the ballroom.
