New art exhibition celebrates 'everyday royalty' in Berwick
Last updated 30th Jun 2026
Visitors to Berwick will next month be able to crown themselves king or queen for the day as part of a new interactive art installation.
Our Wic - which takes its name from the Anglo Saxon word for ‘dwelling’ - invites people to perform their own coronation and lay claim to their territory by donning a specially-made crown.
Created by artist Lucy Wright and produced by contemporary arts agency Arts&Heritage, the event celebrates the long tradition of crowning kings and queens of industry across the North of England.
It also coincides with the 80th anniversary of the Tweed Salmon Queen celebrations in the town - an annual tradition first established to celebrate the town’s rich salmon fishing heritage and to herald good catches for the year ahead.
Our Wic takes place at The Straw Yard and Holy Trinity Church from Saturday, July 11th, to Thursday, July 16th.
Running alongside the installation is an exhibition of photography depicting six new ‘kings and queens’ of industry from the town; local residents who help make the town what it is today.
Lucy said: "I've always had an interest in the northern British tradition of crowning kings and queens of industry, like the Tweedmouth Salmon Queen, which has a long history in the town.
“For me, these ‘community crownings’ are examples of how we celebrate each other and claim our own heroes and heroines in the places where we live.
"Our Wic is about the people of Berwick paying tribute to their own kings and queens, from all sections of society; the people who make the town what it is today.”
The Straw Yard in Berwick will be transformed into an elaborate throne room where visitors can don a bronze Our Wic crown created by Lucy Wright, sculpted using textures and symbols from Berwick’s buildings and landscapes.
An official photograph will be taken to mark each coronation and the name of the newly created territory will be displayed on digital screens.
Next door in Holy Trinity Church, an exhibition of photography will showcase Berwickers who have been nominated by members of the community as everyday royalty of the town.
Each one is photographed wearing one of six bespoke crowns created by local artists.
Some of the everyday royalty of Berwick include: Brenda Collins, who has worked at The Free Trade Pub in the town since 1971. She is photographed in an ornate stained-glass crown created by David Purvis of Condotierri Glass.
And Roz Haddrill from The Green Shop - an independent eco-friendly store that has traded in Berwick for more than 30 years - wears a crown created by Jen How, from Jennie’s Wool Studio.
Andrea Oliver, Create Berwick Manager, said: “Our Wic is the second of three annual art commissions funded by Create Berwick that demonstrates why our small border town is one of the most distinctive cultural destinations in the country.
“As well as attracting visitors to Berwick-upon-Tweed and raising the town’s profile as a thriving hub for arts and culture, Our Wic has also created opportunities for local artists and creatives, further strengthening the cultural industries in the town.
“Our Wic has helped grow the skills of our creative economy, inspire more people to pursue careers in the arts, and galvanise our cultural and creative businesses to deliver more cultural experiences in the town that demonstrate why Berwick-upon-Tweed is a cultural and creative powerhouse.”
The exhibition and interactive installation are both open from 11am-6pm daily. The event is free but booking is required: createberwick.co.uk/our-wic
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