Wakefield to be first city outside of London to display UK AIDS Memorial Quilt
Wakefield is set to be the first city outside of London to welcome the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt in its entirety later this year.
In collaboration with the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Partnership, the Quilt will be displayed in Wakefield Exchange from June 4 to June 7.
The UK AIDS Memorial Quilt currently consists of 42 quilts and 23 individual panels.
They represent over 384 individuals affected by HIV and AIDS.
The 42 blocks will be on display at Wakefield Exchange, while other partner venues, including The Hepworth Wakefield, the Theatre Royal Wakefield and Pontefract Castle, will be hosting individual panels.
Mark Lynam, Wakefield Council’s Corporate Director for Regeneration, Environment and Economic Growth, said: “We’re pleased to bring the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt to Wakefield.
“It really is a deeply moving piece, with such important stories to tell. We’re proud to host this in Wakefield Exchange and to have parts of the Quilt displayed across the district as well, for more people to see and remember.”
The Quilt is part of the world’s largest community art project, started in the USA in 1985 by activist Cleve Jones, commemorating friends, family and loved ones lost to AIDS.
Individual panels were stitched together to create larger quilts, which were then shown outdoors as a form of protest to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS.
Alongside the display at Wakefield Exchange, the exhibition will include scheduled readings of the names of those commemorated in the Quilt on Saturday, June 6.
Visitors will also be able to take part in free workshops on June 6 and June 7, including craft activities for children and quilting workshops for adults.