Lewes Town Council is proud to announce the upcoming exhibition, 50 Years of Change, which will take place on Saturday December 7 and Sunday December 8, 2024, at Lewes Town Hall.

This free two-day event celebrates half a century of transformation in the town, reflecting on key themes and events and the dynamic cultural, social, and environmental changes that have shaped Lewes. There will be an exhibition in the Town Hall’s Corn Exchange, and a programme of talks and film screenings in the Lecture Room.

As Lewes Town Council entered its fiftieth year, Councillor Matthew Bird, who was Mayor during the 2023 to 2024 year was inspired by the vibrant history and ongoing transformation of the town, and with other councillors and Lewes Town Council staff joined a working group to explore how to celebrate the anniversary.

An exhibition to celebrate the town that the council represents and serves was agreed to be the best way. A group of councillors, Lewes Town Council staff members and colleagues from Lewes District Council, have worked with curator Jo Myles to create an exhibition that invites the community to celebrate and reflect on the journey of Lewes over the past 50 years.

Councillor Bird says: “I’m thrilled to see the 50 Years of Change exhibition, inspired by the formation of the Town Council in 1974, come to life. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the incredible story of Lewes in the 50 years since and explore the big themes that define our town, from a history of protest to the devastating flood of 2000. This exhibition is a testament to Lewes’s resilience and creativity, and I hope it inspires conversations about the future of our town as well as its past.”

50 Years of Change will highlight the recent developments in Lewes, from shifts in commerce and the life of the high street to the evolving relationship between the town and the River Ouse.

The exhibition will feature archival photographs and documents showcasing how Lewes looked in decades past and how it has adapted to meet the challenges and opportunities of the modern era. There will also be engaging displays with objects and stories from the groups and people who have witnessed and contributed to Lewes’s transformation over the last 50 years.