Folk of the Footbridge
Follow the project on social media for stories and information
@FolkoftheFootbridge
The history of the River Usk in Newport is being brought to life in a new collaboration between Newport museums and heritage service and the Friends of Newport Museum and Art Gallery
The Folk of the Footbridge project will tell the stories of the Usk, its banks and the people who cross it every day.
Using the city centre footbridge as a focal point, the project will seek to hear stories and share artwork from residents about their relationship with the river and their use of the footbridge.
The Usk has played a major part in shaping the city, and in hearing people’s stories, the project hopes to help them place their lives and family history into the wider context of the history that lies on their doorstep.
The project will use existing digital platforms to share the stories, as well as developing a new podcast. Should restrictions allow for it, the project will run performance based walking tours, in collaboration with Tin Shed Theatre and Operasonic.
All of the collected stories and images will be deposited with the People’s Collection Wales, whose channels will also be used to share tales and memories during the project.
The project is funded through a 15 minute heritage grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and will run until the end of June 2021
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