ARTISTIC groups are getting together with the aim of making Mossley into Tameside’s cultural hub.
One of the items near the top of the agenda, though, is tracking down the owners of properties and walls that could host installations of an increasingly popular art trail.
So far, a number of paintings have been placed around the town, with the plan of growing its number and including different organisations, like Mossley Hollins High School.
However, Mossley Town Team member Paul Dowthwaite detailed how more property owners are needed to be found or come forward after it secured £2,500 of funding from the Government’s Welcome Back Fund for a pop-up art gallery to appear on the Market Place.
He said, with views echoed by fellow Town Team member Chris Lyness: “We’ve done it initially with the artist Chris Cyprus but it will involve others and pupils at Mossley Hollins, who’ve created a mural.
“There are already five installations but we’re aiming for at least 40, with the idea being that Mossley will become a public art gallery.
“That will encourage people to come in and from a Town Team point of view, it’s all about pride in the town.
“Each painting will reflect an aspect of Mossley but we’re looking for sponsorship but also permissions of building owners to put them on.
“But finding them is a tortuous process because a lot of the properties in the town centre aren’t owned by the people to whom those who live in them pay their rent.
“We’re following a trail all the time! We’d dearly love to put the Mossley Hollins mural on the wall opposite the fire station.
“But can I find out who owns it? Maybe one day.”
Mossley’s Art Trail is part of a plan to eventually make use of the artistic talent dotted around the town – and meetings have been held aimed at making ideas more formal.
Global Grooves and DW Theatre Company, as well as community based Recreate Mossley, who work at community level with local residents, attended the first meeting of What Is it about Mossley? at The Vale.
Chairman of Mossley Town Council, Cllr Frank Travis said: “The art is fabulous. It’s just the sort of thing that showcases the town and attracts visitors.”
Tameside Council is also involved with the group, which will meet again in the New Year, ‘to explore a whole range of possibilities, including how we can promote events, get more people involved at grass roots level and create opportunities for all.’
Cllr Leanne Feeley, the authority’s executive member with the brief for culture, said: “I am really pleased to be invited.
“It’s a real step forward, right at the start of our work across the borough and we will continue to collaborate on this in the next few months.
“This has highlighted important issues for us to take on board.”