Luke Myer MP visited the Sounds of Steel interactive exhibition at Loftus Arts today, which brings together voices, music and community stories from along the Tees to the villages of East Cleveland. The project has been funded by Historic England with artists, researchers and local partners, and features work created with students from Redcar & Cleveland and Prior Pursglove College.

Luke met members of the project team including lead artist Nell Catchpole, project manager Dianne Bowell and researcher Sarah Irwin from the University of Leeds. Sarah shared her work on how communities experience inequality, climate concerns and family life, as well as her research for the exhibition. Luke discussed with her the contribution that steel has made to Teesside’s heritage as well as her views on the contribution that green industry could make to Teesside, building on his work in Parliament to bring new energy and engineering jobs to the region.

Luke also met a student from Prior Pursglove College, Hannah Pugh, who had contributed photography for the project and hopes to go on to teach Film Studies. Luke studied at Prior Pursglove himself and became a teacher, and said he was impressed by the confidence and insight shown by the students involved.

Luke said the project spoke strongly to the role of community in East Cleveland’s identity. He listened to an audio piece from residents in Carlin How reflecting on the neighbourliness of local villages and the belief that although this has been tested, it remains part of the area’s character. Luke referenced similar themes in his maiden speech in Parliament last year, where he spoke of the collective spirit running through the history of Teesside and East Cleveland. He said the exhibition captured those values and showed how art can help preserve and strengthen them.

The exhibition is on display at the former United Reformed Church in Loftus for the remainder of the day, and will soon move online to a new website.