Chelmsford 100: Connecting hidden gems

People carrying the colourful C100 flags through a field.

 

100 Stories
100 Silks
100 Miles

In 2022 a brand-new festival of connecting, creating, talking, and walking was launched in Chelmsford, Essex. 

Led by Chelmsford Council for Voluntary Service (CVS), in collaboration with international arts company Kinetika, the festival bought together a wide range of individuals and local community groups. They asked them to share a story about what living in Chelmsford means to them, and in particular, what it had meant to them during the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Together, they turned each of the 100 stories into its own hand-painted silk batik flag, creating a mobile installation of 100 works of art. The flags were then carried by volunteers on 100 miles of local walking routes, sharing the stories as they went.

Chelmsford 100 is a legacy of community will and spirit through difficult times. The festival will grow in years to come; creating an expanding and connected celebration that everyone can feel a part of.

This exhibition will showcase a selection of the flags alongside film footage and photographs of some of the 100 miles they have journeyed. The display will explain how the flags were made and visitors will be able to read each of the 100 stories that inspired them.