AN EXHIBITION will showcase the forgotten histories of the former shops on Duke Street.

Visual artist Sarah Hardacre will launch her newly commissioned outdoor lightbox installation on the Town Hall Square on Friday, 9 December.

Art Gene, Barrow’s visual arts charity, has been working with the artist-in-residence as part of their 'Re:discover Barrow - Lost Shops' cultural programme focussed on Duke Street.

Delivered as part of Barrow's 'High Street Heritage Action Zone' initiative during her residency, Sarah has explored the forgotten histories of, and personal narratives about, former shops on Duke Street, drawing inspiration from Barrow Archives, historians and the local community.

Through interviews, workshops with the charities Women's Community Matters and Age Concern, and a memory stall at Barrow Market, she gathered photographs and personal accounts from people who have worked or shopped on Duke Street.

The result is a lightbox installation in businesses along Duke Street, comprising of fourteen light boxes displaying archival images and Sarah's own photographic collages that bring to life the histories of the lost shops.

A temporary billboard also celebrates the legacy of the former Middleton’s Court Hairdressers at 86 Duke Street and the often-overlooked stories of hairdressing, cosmetics and beauty that shaped Barrow from the Roaring 20s onwards.

The installation can be seen in shops along Duke Street and in Barrow Market from Saturday, December 9 to 16.

The opening event will be joined by the Mayor of Barrow, Chris Altree, for the opening of Sarah’s installation.

Hot soup and refreshments will be served at 6.30pm ahead of short speeches. Following these, Sarah Hardacre will lead a walk down Duke Street, talking about her installations.

The project is part of the High Street Heritage Action Zone Cultural Programme, Re:discover Barrow - Lost Shops supported by Historic England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England.

This has been a four-year programme delivered in partnership with Westmorland and Furness Council, Barrow Archives Centre and cultural organisations in the town: Full of Noises, Signal Film and Media and Theatre Factory.