Patchwork Communities Quilt goes on tour of the district

The successful Patchwork Communities quilt is about to go on tour to libraries across the district. For the first time the quilt, which has been on display at the Novium Museum, is going to tour the district it represents.

In 2014 the Novium Museum worked with members of the community from all across Chichester district on an exciting and engaging patchwork art project. The project sought to engage members of the community with a sense of place, and asked them to design and create patches representing the people and places that made it. With 12 patches in total, showcasing the district from Selsey all the way to Camelsdale, the Novium Museum worked with schools, WI groups, craft groups and community groups, to produce this fantastic piece of art. It took over 800 hours of over 50 people's time to create.

The quilt has been displayed in the Novium Museum since May 2015, until early this year when it went to Fishbourne Roman Palace Collections Discovery Centre to be displayed there. The quilt is now scheduled to travel to West Sussex libraries in the Chichester district, to be displayed in the places depicted. The artwork was used to bring a myriad of people, culture and memories from all over the district in one place, and so now begins its journey back through the district to reach those who were unable to view it in Chichester.

Councillor Gillian Keegan, Cabinet Member for Commercial Services at Chichester District Council, says: "The aim was to create something that not only represented the whole district, but actually included them in the making of it.

"The finished quilt represents Chichester District in a truly stunning way - the detail in each patch is quite incredible, there's something else to see every time you look at it, and a story behind each one."