because the night belongs to us
The Box, Plymouth

When: 25 June 2022 to 04 September 2022
Where: The Box, Tavistock Place, Plymouth PL4 8AX
Time: 10am - 5pm
Cost: Free
Suitable for: Any age

25 June - 4 September 2022
Open 10am-5pm Tue to Sun and Bank Holidays

See a large-scale retrospective exhibition examining Plymouth’s nightlife and culture through the voices of those who've experienced it.

Explore universal themes of belonging, relationships, risk taking and safety, through to societal shifts such as youth, and counter culture. From the Van Dike Club of the late 1960s to the world famous Union Street and its club culture of the 1990s - discover Plymouth’s contribution to experimentation, self-expression, music and creativity has been distinctive, challenging and captivating. Celebrate the work of those who support the night-time economy; the social networks, communities and often hidden workforce. Learn about some of the issues surrounding life at night for different people.

'because the night belongs to us' will feature highlights from the city’s archives that tell the story of live music and weekly raves, amazing local private collections that put largely unseen objects on display for the first time in many years and interviews with a range of local legends including Jeff Barrett of Creation and Heavenly Records, folk superstar Seth Lakeman, Katie Tokus, Dave Green and Mark Davis, amongst many others.

Works by a broad range of artists that reference and represent the exhibition's themes will also be on show, including Tracey Emin, Gillian Wearing, Beryl Cook and Malcolm Le Grice. Alongside these will be commissions made specifically for the project, including activities by communities that meet at night by photographer by Dom Moore, documentary drawings of service and support industries by visual artist Simon Grennan, a sound installation created with young people from Southway by acclaimed composer Simon Dobson and films by Imperfect Cinema, local musicians and creatives.

'because the night belongs to us' is the culmination of the five-year 'Plymouth After Dark' community engagement project and has been developed with many contributions from the people of Plymouth as well as the support of DJ, psychotherapist and broadcaster Nemone, artist Keith Harrison and award winning journalist, writer and critic John Harris.

Admission is free and there is no need to book in advance.

A programme of events that brings together film, music and community activities will also take place at The Box throughout the summer.