The Creative Core, a leading interpretation design company for museums, heritage and culture, has been selected as the interpretation and exhibition designer for The Lancashire Cricket Heritage Experience, which will be located within the grounds of Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester, UK.
The Lancashire Cricket Foundation has announced the appointment of a heritage manager and the full consultant team for its ambitious project, which is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Celebrating cricketing heritage
Courtesy Lancashire Cricket Foundation
In addition to The Creative Core, the consultancy team includes DHA as evaluation consultants, Emma Parsons and Jane Davies as activity planners, and Kazky as digital collection consultants.
Alex Cropper has been appointed as Heritage Manager, and brings passion and knowledge to the Foundation’s expanding programme.
"I’m so excited about my new role here at Lancashire Cricket Foundation," says Cropper. "Every day I’m discovering fascinating new items in our collection, and I can’t wait to celebrate the heritage of the ground, club and county cricket through the Heritage Hub, trail and outreach programme."
A vibrant new venue, The Heritage Hub, will honour the team's past, share individual stories, and encourage supporters and local communities to learn more about the rich history of cricket throughout the county.
The Creative Core will collaborate with the Foundation to deliver the project's design concept, with a community-first approach that ensures the finished space reflects the people, pride, and passion that drive Lancashire Cricket.
Additionally, the company will develop an interactive trail celebrating the story of the iconic stadium.
Jim Parkin, lead consultant at The Creative Core, says: “We are thrilled to be working with Lancashire Cricket Foundation, their partners, and surrounding communities on this amazing project.
"Through conversation, consultation, and co-production we will progress ideas for a thrilling new Heritage Hub at Emirates Old Trafford. Steeped in Lancashire’s cricketing heritage, the project will find stories and engagements that appeal to cricket fans and non-cricket fans alike."
"The Lancashire Cricket Club Heritage Hub is more than history it's a living legacy, bringing the rich spirit of the game to life for future generations," says Harriet Whitehead, head of design at The Creative Core. "Being part of it means we get a chance to bring the club’s amazing history to life and share the stories that make it so special."
Connecting with community
Courtesy The Creative Core
Activity plan consultants Parsons and Davies will create a series of activities that make the history of Lancashire cricket come alive. These will take place both at the studium and across the UK.
"Sport is such a powerful way to connect people across all communities with each other, with the past and with the future," they say, "so we're thrilled to be working with the team on this project."
Digital heritage consultants, Kazky, will help the team to use the cricket club's collection, and explore new approaches to sharing this with audiences.
A spokesperson from the consultancy says: "We are excited to work with the team to explore how digital technology can help manage the heritage collections more effectively and make them more accessible."
DHA, which is charged with ensuring that the ambitious project reaches the club's audiences in the most impactful way, says: "We are looking forward to supporting the project team and Lancashire Cricket Foundation in consulting, testing, reflecting and ensuring a robust proposal for the next phase of heritage celebrating the special place of cricket in Lancashire."
In the coming months, the consultancy team will collaborate with Lancashire communities, match attendees, and Lancashire Cricket Members through seminars and engagement activities.
The Creative Core aims to co-produce a dynamic, diverse and inclusive exhibition design that is rooted in lived experience, shared memory, and deep local pride.
"As interpretation and design consultants, we craft meaningful visitor experiences. We put communities at the heart of everything we do," says Whitehead. "If you’ve got a Lancashire Cricket story or memory to share, we’d love to hear from you. We’ll be popping up at Lancashire Cricket Club throughout the rest of the season—so come and say hi!"
Expanding heritage programme
The Lancashire Cricket Heritage Experience possible is made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which uses money raised by National Lottery players to support projects that connect people and communities to the UK's history.
Thanks to the National Lottery's players, the Heritage Hub and stadium trail will be a key component of the Foundation's growing heritage programme and its continuing efforts to find and preserve untold stories from the region's cricketing history.
Helen Featherstone, director, England North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, says: "We are delighted to support Lancashire Cricket Foundation with the initial phase of this project. It’s fantastic news that Alex has joined the team, as heritage manager, to be the driving force in ensuring this project will connect people with their sporting heritage and improve access to the unique archive through a tangible visitor experience.
"We are excited to see how our funding, made possible by National Lottery players, will ensure that heritage is cared for and valued now and for the future."
Recently, The Creative Core was selected to deliver the design and build of Stori Brymbo, a new visitor attraction in North East Wales. This ambitious, community-led project will create a world-class visitor attraction at the former Brymbo iron and steel works site. Its showpiece is an internationally renowned fossilised forest, which dates from the pre-dinosaur, Carboniferous Period.
