THE GROUP behind the project which encouraged residents to share their lockdown experiences is putting on an exhibition to mark the reopening of the country.

The new exhibition will bring together the work of 11 photographers who look to the future through the eyes and voices of local groups, clubs, businesses and individuals.

The 'Endurance' exhibition will showcase more than 100 photos celebrating resilience, creativity and community throughout Bridport and the surrounding areas.

The free exhibition will take place in the Allsop Gallery at Bridport Arts Centre. It has been created by the group behind Bridport Lockdown, a project which began in April 2020 to capture and archive stories from daily life in and around Bridport throughout the pandemic.

It now includes more than 1,500 images, sent in by almost 300 people, which will eventually become part of the archives at both Bridport Museum and Dorset History Centre.

Eddy Pearce, the founder of Bridport Lockdown, said: "“One gallery full of photos will never be truly representative of a town or a local area. However, the photographers involved really hope that what visitors see in the exhibition, captures the spirit of the amazing place where we live and throws some positive light on tricky times.

"The photos include shots of local sports clubs, market traders, musicians, publicans, the kiosks in West Bay, and many others.

"We are hugely lucky to have quality work from a wide range of contributors - ranging from those taking their first steps from education into a photography career, to established award-winning photographers with work in the permanent collection at the National Portrait Gallery."

When planning the photography exhibition at the arts centre, Mr Pearce felt that as we begin to take steps out of the latest lockdown period it is time to looking forwards, not back. He and the ten other photographers involved set out to capture new portraits of some of those hit longest by lockdown restrictions, to see how life looks through their eyes. Each of the portraits in the exhibition is displayed with thoughts from the people in the photo.

Mick Smith, director of Bridport Arts Centre, said: “This is the perfect exhibition to open up the Arts Centre with; celebrating as it does the resilience and humanity of ordinary people, brought out by some splendid and beautifully sensitive photography."

Forty photos from Bridport Lockdown are also on display, chosen by the photographers in the exhibition and others who have supported the project.

Endurance is open from 10am to 4pm from Tuesday to Saturday until Saturday, June 6.

For more information, please visit www.bridportlockdown.org