Historic Christmas Tree Festival appeal for Decades of Decorations Blackburn’s iconic Exchange building, known to many as the former Apollo cinema, will welcome hundreds of visitors to the stunning town centre venue when it stages a free Christmas Tree festival bringing together community organisations, schools and local businesses. The event is the first of its…
Final preparations are underway for this history-making festival which showcases some of the brightest new talent on the live music scene. With just two days to go until Confessional 2023 starts, it will be held again in the historic Grade II-listed former Cotton Exchange in Blackburn, opposite the Town Hall. Usually a single-day affair, the…
It was a privilege to interview and film 95 year old, George Hughes from Blackburn who shared his memories of coming back from serving in Egypt just a few weeks after the reopening of the Majestic in November 1953 when he came to see Dracula. He regaled tales of all the cinemas in the town…
Vintage red cinema tip-up chairs, movie posters and the smell of buttered popcorn will be used in a multi-sensory reminiscence space to capture stories which celebrate a people’s history of cinema-going at The Exchange. The ‘Skip Back’ events will take place in a mini-museum and reminiscence space in what used to be Tiggi’s bar area,…
Are you excited about helping to bring The Exchange back to life? Would you like to be involved in creating a legacy and discovering more about the heritage of this iconic building? Thanks to National Lottery Heritage Funding we now have a Volunteer and Heritage Coordinator, Lisa Clarke who is ready to recruit and…
We’re delighted to be hosting Confessional 2023, a unique and creative two day music and arts festival featuring some of the best emerging grassroots artists from around the UK, along with higher profile artists. Now in it’s 7th year, each year the event just gets bigger and better with live bands, DJs, spoken word, live art,…
WE’VE GOT BIG PLANS – AND WE’D LOVE TO SHOW YOU THEM! Our next open day is on Tuesday 28th March and would love you to pop in between noon and 1pm or later, between 6pm and 7pm to meet our architects, Buttress. The team will share their draft plans based on your aspirations and ideas…
A global food fair by the local Harmony Project attracted over 80 people who were served an international menu serving recipes from 12 countries. Civic dignitaries from Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council attended with partner organisations such as ARC. It was a joyous event celebrating members of the community who have made great contributions with…
The Exchange has been awarded £192,000 from the Lottery Heritage Fund Re:Source, the charity behind the £9 million development of The Exchange, on King William Street, Blackburn has received £191,326.00 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund) for a project called Embracing the Past to Transform the Future. The project aims to open up the building…
Manchester based architects, Buttress have been appointed as the design team who will produce the architectural plans, with listed building consent, up to RIBA stage 3, to begin the transformation of The Exchange into a cultural and community hub for the town centre. John James McGregor, Chair of the Trustees said: “In appointing Buttress, we…
Christmas is traditionally a time of light and hope in dark times. It’s a moment to look back at the achievements of the last 12 months and look forward to the exciting times ahead. Despite continued uncertainties of the times we are living in, we can plan for the future development of The Exchange with…
Former Cinema to become a multicultural ‘Hub on the High Street’ The Exchange launches a 5 year business plan and fundraising strategy to bring communities together Flags from across the globe, representing the diversity of races and religions, cultures and communities in Blackburn with Darwen will decorate The Exchange at a special event to launch…