Blackpool is like one big stage set.
We dare you to walk out on the streets of Blackpool and not see something extraordinary. Constantly documented and drawn upon by artists across the world for inspiration, Blackpool is a feast for all the senses.
Gordon Young’s Comedy Carpet
You can find the Comedy Carpet on the Blackpool Promenade, right outside Blackpool Tower.
Blackpool has always been the spiritual home of comedians and so when Blackpool Council planned the multi-million pound regeneration of the promenade and necessary sea defence works, they also commissioned the Comedy Carpet as a public and lasting celebration of laughter. Situated in front of Blackpool Tower, the carpet gives visual form to jokes, songs and catchphrases dating from the early days of Variety to the present. Created by artist Gordon Young, and designed in collaboration with Why Not Associates, the carpet is laid out in a grid pattern and can be read in different directions.
It contains over 160,000 granite letters and the names of over 1000 comedians and personalities. Over 80% of the stars featured here have performed in the town, including Mae West, Laurel & Hardy, Charlie Chaplin, the Two Ronnies, Ken Dodd and Johnny Vegas.
The Great Promenade Show
Follow Blackpool Promenade out of town, past the hustle and bustle and experience a great public art show right up to the tram depot.
The Great Promenade Show is a series of outdoor art installations set on Blackpool's South Shore. The works were commissioned in 2000 to animate the Blackpool Promenade and offer a creative attraction for the town. Away from the hustle and bustle of the town centre, this stretch of seafront offers great, undisturbed walking or cycling amongst what feels like an outdoor gallery, each work of art reflecting a different aspect of Blackpool’s diverse character.
Artists were chosen via a public vote and includes the world’s largest mirror ball, made with 47,000 mirrors!
The Old Rock Factory
Since opening in 2011, this building has become a significant hub for artists and creative networks. Home to a frequently changing set, here you will find work by some of the world’s most influential and recognised street artists.
You can see some of the fantastic street art in the car park on the corner of Church Street and Cookson Street, opposite another hidden gem – The Regent Cinema.
Art Bed & Breakfast (AB&B)
A B&B will be a traditional Blackpool Bed and Breakfast re-imagined by artists for the 21st Century. Situated in the former Ocean Hotel on Blackpool’s promenade its central mission is to support arts, culture, training and development opportunities for local communities and creatives whilst still performing as a highly attractive hotel for staying guests.
As many aspects of the re-creation of the hotel as possible will be commissioned with artists, from day-to-day operational space to the guest bedrooms. Opening in 2018, A B&B will invest in a continual programme of new commissions, public engagement, learning and talent development. Check in on progress and check out how to be part of it by visiting abandb.co.uk
A B&B is set up as Community Interest Company with support from LeftCoast, Arts Council England, Clore Duffield, Blackpool Council, Coastal Communities Fund, Community Business Fund and the Tudor Trust.
