Storying Barnsley Exhibitions
We'd like to invite you to join us to celebrate 'Storying Barnsley' and the programme's three years of creativity across the borough.
Through a series of exhibitions across the town centre, members of the public will be able to experience and find out more about the work that has brought communities and artists together.
'Storying Barnsley' is a celebration of the identity and creativity of local communities and artists. Funded by Arts Council England, Barnsley Council's Cultural Development Fund programme has supported three years of creative activity primarily across the towns of Cudworth, Goldthorpe, Hoyland, Penistone, Royston and Wombwell.
What’s On
Open daily 8th March - 11th April 2025, free entry & no booking required
Barnsley Civic will host an exhibition by photographer Sam Batley, titled A Barnsley Story, and an immersive installation from Lenny and Whale, whose Sanctuary of Colour activities engaged audiences around the borough last summer, and a pop up display of the Principal Townscapes designs by local artists.
The Civic is also the place to experience Calling Barnsley, a bespoke phone box where you can hear evocative stories recorded by Barnsley College students.
Library @ The Lightbox will host a textile installation created by artist Izzy Dabiri with Wombwell community groups, and a large-scale display of photography on the Eldon St windows by Sean O'Connell, featuring local creatives and artists.
Upstairs at Barnsley Markets there will be 3D sculptures and tester QR codes giving a taste of artist Patrick Murphy’s upcoming virtual art trail – ARtQuest for Barnsley.
Images by Gavin Joynt
At Barnsley Civic
Sam Batley 'A Barnsley Story': 7 March - 28 March 2025
Lenny & Whale 'Sanctuary of Colour': 7 March - 11 April 2025
LUNG 'Calling Barnsley': 7 March - 11 April 2025
Principal Townscapes: 7 March - 11 April 2025
Sean O'Connell 'Portraits of Barnsley Artists': 28 March - 11th April
Opening times: Monday to Saturday: 10am - 4pm; Sunday: Closed
At Barnsley Library @ The Lightbox
Sean O'Connell 'Portraits of Barnsley Artists': 7 March - 4 April 2025
Izzy Dabiri 'Wombwell in Three Acts - Past, Present, Future': 7 March - 11 April 2025
Sam Batley 'A Barnsley Story': 7 April - 30 April 2025
Opening times: Monday: 9am - 7pm, Tuesday: 9am - 5pm, Wednesday: 9am - 7pm, Thursday: 9am - 5pm,
Friday: 9am - 5pm, Saturday: 9:30am - 4pm; Sunday: Closed
www.barnsley.gov.uk/services/libraries/find-a-library/library-the-lightbox
Upstairs at Barnsley Markets
Patrick Murphy 'ARtQuest for Barnsley': 7 March - 11 April 2025
Opening times: Monday- Saturday: 8:30am - 4:30pm; Sunday: Closed
1. Calling Barnsley - LUNG
2. Principal Townscapes - Various Artists
3. Sanctuary of Colour - Lenny 8 Whale
4. A Barnsley Story - Sam Batley
5. Portraits of Barnsley Artists - Sean O'Connell
6. Wombwell in Three Acts - Past, Present, Future - Izzy Dabiri
7. ARtQuest for Barnsley - Patrick Murphy
About
Storying Barnsley is Barnsley Council's 3-year Cultural Development Fund (CDF2) engagement programme. Funding was awarded to Barnsley Council in 2022 and after a period of research and development, the Storying Barnsley team commenced work on a range of projects across the borough, alongside the CDF2 programme of capital works at Elsecar Heritage Centre, Forging Ahead.
Storying Barnsley aims to bring art, artists and communities together in collaborative creative projects. From 2022-2025 this has been delivered through vital support for local communities and creative practitioners across Barnsley’s six Principal Towns and Elsecar.