CLIENT
National Lottery Heritage Fund
WHAT WE DID
Animating
Artwork
Editing
Concept
The People’s History of Leeds is an oral history project conceived of and delivered by Mojo. We collect people’s stories to share an alternative history of the city – one where people come first, and in their own words. Mojo acts as the creative partner to the project, which also includes Leeds Older People’s Forum (LOPF) and Leeds Museums and Galleries (LMAG). The project is funded by the Heritage Fund. The People’s History of Leeds encompasses books, a website, branding, social media, films and audio stories – all designed and produced by Mojo, alongside a dedicated team of older volunteer writers. The project aims to reflect the diverse mix of the people who live in Leeds and includes: the birth of Goth music; what it feels like to support Leeds United; the experiences of nurses who moved from Africa and the Caribbean to work in the NHS; and much more.
PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF LEEDS-
HERITAGE PROJECT
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THE
PROCESS
The project started with an idea – that older people had rich stories to tell about the city of Leeds. Mojo partnered with LOPF to develop the Heritage Lottery bid and were successful in being awarded funding. Mojo established a Writers Group to help deliver the project. These older volunteers helped us steer the project and discover the stories that would feature. Each theme we choose is presented as a Chapter – the Writers Team interview a number of people about their memories and these are transcribed, edited and collected as a coherent piece of writing. We have connected with over 50 organisations in the city and interviewed hundreds of people. Mojo then sources images for each Chapter, whether that be archive pictures from interviewees or museums, or by commissioning portraits from our team of photographers.
At the same time as gathering stories, we also began to develop the brand identity and website. Several iterations of the logo were produced until we settled on the existing brand. Each Chapter appears online in a uniquely designed page on the website. All the Chapters are collected as paperback books. The two books are printed and thousands of copies are distributed free across Leeds, most particularly to older people and to cultural organisations. Some of our content is online-only: a selection of audio stories and a feature called A Leeds Life where we shine a light on inspirational individuals. Mojo also produced a short documentary film, which also features on the website. Mojo has held regular public-facing events to bring the stories to a wider public, with pop-up exhibitions of stories in busy shopping hubs like Leeds Kirkgate Market and the Whie Rose Centre.
The impact of the People’s History Project has been huge – and it continues to be felt across the city. The books have been enormously popular. The Launch event held to celebrate the first book very well attended. As one reader said, the project is “genuinely presented for and by the people of Leeds to tell their stories”. Another said, “Giving people a space and a voice makes us all feel valued and valid.”
