±«Óãtv

People passing through Liverpool's Clayton Square have the opportunity to browse through footage of collective gatherings from the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties

From Friday 24 July, and running throughout August, Places Of Public Resort is a giant video carousel on the ±«Óãtv Big Screen, Liverpool. Members of the public in Clayton Square can scroll through the archive footage using hand movements, picked up by a camera feed.

Responsive software allows them to view diverse footage such as the opening of the Liverpool International Garden Festival, a human birdman competition in Sefton Park, Les Dawson braving the biting winds of Blackpool beach, street parties, amateur wrestling, travelling fairs, bathing beauties cavorting in long-demolished lidos and Spandau Ballet descending by helicopter to 30,000 screaming fans at Haydock Park.

The short news reports and clips, dating between 1966 and 1986, are largely chosen from the ±«Óãtv North West Regional News & Documentary Archive that was donated to the North West Film Archive at Manchester Metropolitan University when the ±«Óãtv moved to videotape formats.

Many of the clips have not been screened publicly since their original broadcast. Places Of Public Resort is a collaboration between the North West Film Archive at Manchester Metropolitan University, the International Centre for Digital Content at Liverpool John Moores University and the ±«Óãtv, commissioned by Liverpool City Council.

Bren O'Callaghan, ±«Óãtv Big Screen Manager Liverpool, said: "I am delighted that we have been able to work in partnership with these leading organisations to bring such an innovative and exciting project to life. The images used in Places Of Public Resort are so evocative of the times in which they were filmed that I am sure they will bring back many memories of how people chose to come together."

The project has been awarded the London 2012 Inspire Mark, which is given to innovative projects and events inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Places Of Public Resort launches at the London 2012 Open Weekend, Friday 24 to Sunday 26 July 2009, and will be available daily on the ±«Óãtv Big Screen, Liverpool, from 2.00 to 5.00pm.

The project will continue throughout August, on Wednesdays from 4.00 to 6.00pm and Saturdays from 2.00 to 4.00pm.

Notes to Editors

Big Screen Liverpool is a permanent installation delivered via a partnership between the ±«Óãtv, Liverpool City Council and the London Organising Committee for the Olympic & Paralympic Games 2012.

Also referred to as the UK Live Sites, Liverpool launched in 2004 and has a reputation for innovative interactive projects and arts programming. It is part of a wider network established in 2003 currently numbering 20 sites across the UK.

The Big Screen network does not show any form of commercial advertising, campaigns or appeals. Neither does it charge for use and is instead intended as a creative, cultural and community platform, live-event hub.

The screens work to deliver short film, video art, interactive installations, photography, relays of national and international events, selected ±«Óãtv programming and as official Olympic adopted space in each participating town and city.

HH2