Centre Stage Exhibition

Centre Stage is a community art project that puts the people of Wisbech in the spotlight.

Reimagining Wisbech’s historic Market Place through contemporary photographic portraits, the project draws inspiration from Alfred Balding’s 1887 painting in the Wisbech and Fenland Museum’s collection, to produce a vibrant, collaborative installation celebrating the town’s diverse residents. The project is a powerful narrative of Wisbech’s living history, bridging past and present by celebrating the community’s rich diversity and ongoing story.

Between April and October 2025 we toured community groups, businesses and the streets of Wisbech to meet and photograph as many people as we could! Using Balding’s painting of Wisbech market place as a talking point we chatted to people about the market place, its history and heritage, and the people of the town, past and present. It was a wonderful experience to hear so many stories and memories from the town’s residents as we collected the portraits of all the people we interacted with. We also commissioned a model of Wisbech market place to be made, designed by scale artist Jess Wright and co-created with Wisbech Shedders & Fixers group. This not only included an intricately detailed rendition of the market place, complete with contemporary and historic shop fronts, but also miniature wooden figures of the 134 portrait subjects to sit inside the model! 

The stunning portraits of the town’s residents taken by award-winning photographer Steve Hatton of Electric Egg were then presented together with the original painting and the model of Wisbech market place at an exhibition in Wisbech & Fenland Museum between Wednesday 25th February and Saturday 7th March. It was fantastic to see so many of the portrait subjects come along to the exhibition to see their photographs displayed as well as marvel at their miniature selves and put them Centre Stage in the model! 

The model has now commenced its tour around Wisbech. It was housed at Wisbech Library between Wednesday 11th March and Saturday 21st March and has since moved onto its new temporary home at:

Cambridge Science Centre, Horsefair Shopping Centre

Between:

Wednesday 25th March and Thursday 30th April

Opening hours:

28th March to 4th April (Easter Holidays) Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10:30am – 2:45 pm.

4th April to 30th April (term time) Public opening Saturdays 10:30 am – 2:45 pm.

Visitors are encouraged to interact with the model by moving the figures around and taking their own snapshot! Tag us in your photos on Instagram @marketplacearts @electricegg @small_but_wrighty.

Steven Hatton & Electric Egg

Steven Hatton is an award-winning photographer, filmmaker and co-founder of creative production company Electric Egg. Recurring themes in his, and Electric Egg’s work are the connection between people and place and exploring social and historical narratives.

Portraits: Steven Hatton, Electric Egg

Lighting and Production Assistant: Kieran Hill, Electric Egg

Jess Wright

Jess trained at Plymouth University (Fine Art) and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (Theatre Design) and has worked for theatres, TV and film for set design and prop making before returning to her creative art practice. Jess exhibits across the South West and runs workshops for both adults and children.

Shedders & Fixers Wisbech

Shedders & Fixers enjoy working with other groups and being part of our local community, helping out as much as they can.

With very many thanks to the following groups/businesses for taking part in this project:

Sally Tabor and The Shedders & Fixers Team, The Damsons Group and the National Trust Team at Peckover House, Youths of Fenland, People & Animals/Wisbech Community Farm, Port of Wisbech, Luxe Cinema, Wisbech Society and Preservation Trust, The Ferry Project, Elgoods Brewery, Sunlounger Travel Agents, the traders of Wisbech market, Wisbech Library. Wisbech Castle.