Major new exhibition at The Lowry explores popular children’s books on the page and stage

Picture This will run from Saturday 23rd July until Sunday 30th October 2022

The evocative world of children’s literature and theatre is being explored at a major new exhibition running from July to October 2022 at The Lowry in Salford.

Picture This will feature six popular children’s books that have a strong visual identity on the page and have also been vividly brought to life on stage.

Each section of the free family exhibition will include illustrations and artwork from the books – which range from much-loved modern works to iconic classics. Alongside will be filmed extracts from stage productions, with a variety of props, costumes, designs and posters.

Throughout there will be interactive opportunities for visitors to draw, write, perform, read and play and even devise their own production ideas. At the heart of the exhibition will be a stage, featuring daily readings of the featured books and many other titles, as well as performance, music-making and artist-led workshops.

The six books / productions featured in Picture This are:

• Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson; illustrated by Axel Scheffler. Presented on stage by Tall Stories
• Coming to England by Floella Benjamin; illustrated by Diane Ewen. Presented on stage by Birmingham Rep, Floella Benjamin, Keith Taylor/Nicoll Entertainment.
• Wild by Emily Hughes. Created by How It Ended and originally presented by Unicorn Theatre in association with How It Ended.
• The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Presented on stage by Protein Dance. With exclusive new artwork by Chris Riddell.
• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll; illustrated by Chris Riddell. Presented on stage by The Royal Opera House.
• You Choose by Nick Sharratt and Pippa Goodhart. Presented on stage by Nonsense Room Productions.

Chris Riddell, Illustrator of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Little Prince says: “I am delighted to be part of such an exciting family exhibition that celebrates both the power of children’s books and the sheer enjoyment of creativity. Alice in Wonderland and The Little Prince have long been enjoyed both on the page and stage and it is wonderful to see these experiences brought together by the Lowry for everyone to share.”

Diane Ewen, Illustrator of Coming to England says “I’m hugely excited to be asked to contribute to such an amazing exhibition to celebrate Coming to England in a phenomenally respected gallery such as The Lowry.  As an artist and illustrator, who has visited and loved art galleries forever, I can’t wait for everyone to see this exhibition.”

Michael Simpson, The Lowry’s Director of Visual Arts says: “It has been fun and exciting to work with so many creative storytellers, illustrators and theatre companies on this exhibition.  We are so grateful to them, and to Macmillan Children’s Books, Flying Eye and Puffin Books, for their ideas, support and enthusiasm.”

Situated on the waterside, at the heart of Salford Quays, The Lowry is an award-winning venue housing two major theatres, extensive art galleries and a range of public spaces including cafes, bars, a restaurant and shop. The Quays is also home to MediaCity, which includes Imperial War Museum North and bases for the BBC and ITV Studios.

The Lowry art galleries are free to everyone and display the famous LS Lowry Collection, alongside a vibrant programme of special exhibitions. Bringing visual arts and performance together are central to The Lowry’s exhibition and engagement programmes.

Picture This and the accompanying programme is committed to ensuring it features and celebrates a diverse cast of characters, stories, authors, illustrators and performers. For more information on Picture This, and The Lowry, please visit www.thelowry.com