What

▪ A series of original events to reveal how the distinctive British jukebox was created on the seaside coast of Lytham, Blackpool and Morecambe and how this led to the boom in youth culture during the 1950s. 

▪ A multi-faceted exhibition revealing the history of the jukebox locally 

▪ Engaging with local communities to encourage the creative exploration of the  jukebox in its time and draw on artefacts and archives connected to its  development in Blackpool,  Lytham and Morecambe

▪ Art installations, subject to Arts Council funding, to mark the jukebox’s importance to the growth of youth culture  and the rise of the social phenomenon of coffee and milk bars in the 1950s 

▪ Capture and creatively present, the voices, views and memories of people, now in  their late seventies and early eighties, who lived through this key period of social  change. This will be a celebration of their life and times and we are seeking people who used juke boxes in the 50s and 60s to chat to them about their experiences.

Why 

The history of the rapid development of the ‘homegrown’ Jukebox is relatively  undiscovered yet in the 1950s a British jukebox industry, based in large part in  Blackpool and Lytham, flourished by creating a distinctive, original and quirky machine  that owed little in its design to its US equivalent. 

Along with the growth of milk and coffee bars, the jukebox gave teenagers an ‘escape’ from the parental gaze and a freedom to explore their own tastes in music, fashion  and styles. 

It is of interest not only to the local community but also on a regional and national  stage given that jukeboxes were central to the growth of youth culture in the 1950s.

There is rich documentation to explore via the Ditchburn history website and the Jack Hylton Archive at Lancaster University 

The distinctive machines themselves offer an intriguing canvas to inspire artists and  creative producers. 

Jukeboxes were an important catalyst in musical awareness because they  disseminated American music by bypassing the BBC’s near monopoly broadcasting  position. Jukeboxes in this instance played a remarkably similar role to those in pre war America where juke boxes circumvented racist restrictions imposed by  commercial radio stations. 

It offers a wonderful opportunity to promote the special nature of 1950s youth culture within the communities by the seaside who experienced jukeboxes, coffee bars and  changing lifestyles at the time. Culture plays a crucial role in reanimating high streets and bringing life back to our historic town centres. 

The context is historically significant. It is the trigger period of the ‘teenage consumer’  who spent money on commodities of ‘no lasting value’ like records, make-up and juke  box music. Young people’s post-war socialisation was influenced by several key  factors like educational opportunity, class structure and an increase in disposable  income. 

Where 

Community spaces in Blackpool, St Anne’s and Morecambe.

Who 

The project is directed by Mirador in association with Lancaster University Library.  Mirador blends expertise and know how to originate, research, develop and deliver  magical and inspiring projects which fuse arts and culture that connect people to their  location, heritage and history. 

Lancaster University Library provide expertise, guidance and knowledge around  archival material held at the university and elsewhere. 

Creative Project Brief 

The creative programme for Jukebox, subject to Arts Council funding, will be a series of subject/period/heritage responsive works that will take place in locations in Lytham St Annes, Blackpool &  Morecambe and at Lancaster University Library. 

As such, the creative programme will draw heavily on artefacts, recorded information,  fashion, photography, music, jukeboxes and social history of the 1950s.