First Anniversary of Excavating the Reno

On the 9th of October 2017 we began to excavate the Reno. Photo-slide I used on the 4th of October 2018 to tell our story to 200 representatives of major international museums and art galleries in the Museum of London. I burned the stage down.

Dr Emily Scott-Dearing 'Most powerful #MuseumIdeas moment for me. Linda Brogan's expletive-riddled impassioned tale of being weighed down by the whiteness, the middleclassness of creative commissioners. Finally expressed what for years she could only see from corner of her eye: @ExcavatingReno project'

1971 Phil and Sylvia owned the Reno

The double height proverbial black door

Audrey was its barmaid.

Frank in the purple beret was the king

Women wore make up

Both sexes loved a weed

Older black guys disappeared into the gambling room

Their dice

1976 flares overtake suits

Black Power brought in the Afro comb

Coke personified youth

Phil's daughter Yemi became old enough to be the Reno manager

Derek, Marcus, Derek Barnes, and Tony Bellows

Definitely would have discarded wallets outside the Reno

Marcus, Derek, Sue, and Tony

Derek was the love of Sue's life, till his was taken in 1988

The Pill gave us Women's Lib

We built our own spliffs

Me, Susie and David Palmer

Susie, Stella and Diane

bought our own copies of Reno DJ Persian's bootleg soul and funk

1979 the new knights want more than the few bob in someone's pocket

They bought our first champagne after holding up the first Asda's

The 80s also brought power dressing

A revamped Reno to regain its licence

Caneii replaced coke

Reno DJ Persian left wanting a wage increase. He took the atmosphere with him 

Himat and Junior

Himat and Simon Douglas

2016. I've always been a thinker

After collecting our Reno memoirs

Beginning the 9th of October 2017, we excavated The Reno [film by John Lloyd]

Persian came back

His soul and funk ignited our fountain of youth

We celebrated

We celebrated some more

We colonised the Whitworth, obliterating their art with our memoirs, excavation photos and film [photo by Karen Rangeley]

Became finalists in the Heritage National Lottery Awards

Are currently finalists in 1] Outstanding Contribution to Manchester Culture Award, 2] the Manchester People's Culture Award, 3] the Nothern Soul Award, and 4] This is Manchester Award 

And have been awarded a new Art's Council England grant to make all into an evolving exhibition in this wonderful Whitworth space. Where Gecko will join us to transform what we find into a Manchester International Festival musical 

Us in the know recognise the Reno's brown formica walls. Smiling. 

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