A new free exhibition inspired by reading, stories and local voices will open at Stockroom this autumn.
Residents from across Stockport have helped create SUBTEXT, which opens at Stockroom on 15 October 2026 as part of the National Year of Reading.
The exhibition looks at the stories, memories and ideas behind the words we read, from favourite books and personal memories to the different ways people connect with reading in everyday life.
It follows a series of creative workshops with local residents, led by international artist and filmmaker Parham Ghalamdar. During the workshops, people shared quotes from books, memories and ideas, helping to shape a new film-based artwork: Subtitles for a Film That Does Not Yet Exist.
Parham Ghalamdar is an Iranian artist and filmmaker based in the UK whose work includes film, painting, ceramics and writing. His practice often brings words and images together to explore memory, storytelling and shared experiences, which are at the heart of SUBTEXT.
Cllr Dan Oliver, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Public Protection at Stockport Council, said: “Stockroom is all about opening up culture, creativity and learning for people across Stockport, so it is fantastic to see local people playing such an important part in shaping this new exhibition.
“SUBTEXT is a great example of how local voices, stories and experiences can help create something new. I hope it inspires people to come along, explore the exhibition and see how reading and creativity can bring people together in different ways.”
Parham Ghalamdar, SUBTEXT lead artist, said: “I’m grateful to Stockroom for making this kind of public work possible. I wanted to move the work out of the studio and into a shared space of reading, where the artwork is shaped with people and for the people who encounter it. The film begins before there is a film, when people write, edit and imagine together.”
A new cultural space for anybody and everybody
Stockroom is Stockport’s new cultural and creative space in Merseyway, with a town centre library, events, exhibitions, activities, learning spaces, archives and places to meet, read, learn and get involved. Since opening, it has quickly become one of the town centre’s busiest and most talked-about destinations, welcoming over a million visits in its first year. It has also hosted more than 600 events for local communities and nine exhibitions co-produced with residents, created with and for the people of Stockport. More than 1,350 people have helped shape these exhibitions, working alongside a range of local and national partners.
From family activities and workshops to exhibitions, performances and events, Stockroom is a place for anybody and everybody, whether you want to try something new or simply pop in for a brew.
Check out what’s coming up
Over the next few months, Stockroom will continue to bring people together through a changing programme of events and activities. Highlights include:
Poetry at Stockroom – launching on 1 October to coincide with National Poetry Day, Stockroom is introducing a programme of spoken-word poetry evenings.
Amplifying Youth Voices with North West Film Archive – 14 and 28 November. Young people aged 11–25 are invited to take part in sessions exploring archives and creating a collaborative zine.
Stockroom Book Club – meeting on the final Thursday of each month, Stockroom Book Club comes together in the Living Room to connect, share perspectives and discover new books.
Assemble! – are you interested in zines, who gets a seat at the publishing table and whose stories get collected for future generations? Join Stockroom quarterly for Assemble! to help shape Stockroom’s North West Zine Archive. Next meeting: 17 October.
Connections / Collections – alongside the SUBTEXT exhibition, Stockroom will work with groups throughout the autumn and winter to explore connections through collections, with a focus on underrepresented voices from Stockport.