Your Local Independent 195

June 2025 Page 3 AD SALES 01204 478812 ROCHDALE’S year as Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture has now seen the launch of a vibrant new public art display. The Town of Culture Outdoor Gallery can be viewed around the Station Gardens redevelopment on Drake Street. The striking open-air exhibi- tion features 24 artworks selected following an open callout by Culture Co-Op earlier this year. These sit alongside two specially commissioned poems celebrating creativity, a showcase of students’ work from Rochdale Sixth Form College and Hopwood Hall College. The outdoor gallery project has been delivered in partnership with Culture Co-op, Rochdale’s Creative People and Places organisation, and Rochdale Development Agency, funded by Arts Council England, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rochdale Council. MULTI award-winning poet Sammy Weaver has been appointed as Rochdale’s first ever poet laureate. The talented creative writer has been commissioned to capture the spirit of Rochdale in words, raising awareness and helping encourage people to engage with poetry during the town’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture. Sammy, who lives on a narrow boat along Roch- dale Canal, is excited about the opportunity. She said: “This seemed like a great chance to be a pub- lic poet in a place that has become my home, encourag- ing others, especially young people, to get involved and telling Rochdale’s fascinating stories through poetry. “In the spirit of the co-op- erative movement that began in Rochdale I really like how the role has room for creative ideas to grow and for locals to have a say in the project. “Anyone can be a crea- tive writer if given the right support and I hope that through my work I am able to share the joy that poems can spark.” Between now and March 2026 Sammy will be leading workshops in schools bor- oughwide, mentoring Roch- dale’s two new young poet laureates as well as reflect- ing with her own words during the town’s big year in the Greater Manchester cultural spotlight. After completing her cre- ative writing masters at Manchester Metropolitan University, Sammy bought a boat and moved from the city to the tranquillity of the Pen- nine waterways, using the moors and the post-industrial spaces as her inspiration: She said: “I really love it here, the wonderful commu- nities we have, the canals, reservoirs and rivers, I love water and all the scenery we’re surrounded by, as well as the new developments in the town centre and of course the majestic town hall.” Her debut poetry collec- tion ‘Angola, America’ won the Mslexia Poetry Pam- phlet Prize in 2021 and was shortlisted for the Michael Marks Award. Sammy has more than 10 years’ experience leading cre- ative writing sessions across the UK. Earlier this year she was made a Yaddo Fellow and was writer in residence at the organisation’s artists’ community in New York. The appointment is part of Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Cul- ture. The title, awarded by the Greater Manchester Award-winner: SammyWeaver Sammy’s new role is well versed Striking: Hannah Mortimer poses next to her piece entitled ‘Head in the Clouds’ Creative lines: Farah Nisa next to her poem‘Creatively Me’ Outdoor art on display Combi ned Author it y (GMCA), celebrates the town’s rich history, creativity, talent and diverse arts scene. Rochdale is building on the town’s cultural capital and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement with more than 35 arts organisations delivering an ambitious programme that runs until the end of March 2026. ‘People power’ will be cen- tre stage throughout the year, with residents helping to plan, develop and deliver much of the line-up of crea- tive activity alongside a num- ber of big events. TO ADVERTISE IN THE INDEPENDENT CONTACT OUR TEAM ON 01204 478812