Memory in a Bottle: Holding Stories, Honouring Place.

Memory in a Bottle: Stories Celebrating The Lincolnshire Coast

At Creative Rebel, we’ve always believed in the power of storytelling — not just the kind told on stage or screen, but the quiet, everyday kind. The kind passed between generations. The kind held in voices. That belief sits at the heart of Memory in a Bottle, created by emerging author J. H. Birch, an Arts Council England & Create North East Lincolnshire funded project that we’re proud to have helped bring to life.

A Celebration of the Lincolnshire Coast

Memory in a Bottle began with a simple idea: to capture and celebrate the memories people hold about the Lincolnshire Coast. Working with residents aged 11 to 88, we’ve collected stories spanning lifetimes — from childhood adventures on the sand to reflections on how the coast has shaped communities, identities, and family histories.

The result is a touring photography and audio exhibition featuring 18 portrait and 8 landscape photographs taken across coastal towns and villages, from Grimsby to Skegness. Each portrait is paired with a QR code linking to a short audio memory — a voice, a moment, a feeling. Together, they build a living archive of local life and experience.

The exhibition launched at the North Sea Observatory, where it runs from the 3rd May to 1st June, before travelling through libraries across Lincolnshire, creating free and accessible spaces for people to connect with these stories — and perhaps reflect on their own.

Our Role in the Project

We've been focused on capturing the spirit of Memory in a Bottle and helping it reach as many people as possible. Alongside independent audio producer Chris Clarkson, we’ve produced the project’s podcast series — a thoughtful and moving collection of voices that adds depth and emotion to the exhibition. Through these episodes, listeners can hear directly from participants, project partners, and the team behind the scenes, creating a rich audio layer to the storytelling.

Memory in a Bottle recording in the CR Soundworks.

We also designed and developed the Memory in a Bottle website — a central hub where people can explore the exhibition, listen to stories, and find out how to engage with the project.

To support the exhibition as it tours libraries across Lincolnshire, we created a suite of printed materials, including posters, bookmarks, exhibition banners and signage — each carefully designed to reflect the care, pride and community focus at the heart of the project.

Memory in a Bottle website

We were also lucky enough to support two University of Lincoln students, Amy Li and Millie Morris, who joined the project on placement and led the way on social media content, especially TikTok, putting both Jess and Andy through their paces. Their creativity and fresh perspective brought a new energy to the project’s online presence, helping Memory in a Bottle connect with wider and younger audiences in meaningful ways.

A Living Archive, A Shared Experience

What we’ve learned — or perhaps been reminded of — is that memory isn’t something fixed or private. It’s communal. A single story can spark recognition, laughter and tears. It can connect strangers, families, and generations.

Through Memory in a Bottle, we’ve had the privilege of holding space for these connections — not just between individuals and their past, but between neighbours, generations, and places.

Some moments have been joyful. Others are deeply moving. But what they all share is an authenticity you can’t script or stage. That’s the magic of community storytelling: it lives and breathes in the people around us.

The Memory in a Bottle exhibition portraits.

Projects like Memory in a Bottle do more than preserve the past — they build pride in the present and shape how we see ourselves in the future. When people hear their voice in a gallery, or see a neighbour’s story shared with care, it changes something. It says: you matter. This place matters.

At Creative Rebel, we’re committed to using creativity as a tool for connection, confidence, and change. Memory in a Bottle is a powerful reminder of what happens when we listen — really listen — to the voices already in our communities.

And this is just the beginning. We hope the exhibition, podcast, and workshops spark more conversations, more shared memories, and more moments of belonging.

Because when we tell stories together, we don’t just remember who we are — we imagine who we can be.

Want to host the exhibition, hear the podcast or book a workshop?

Visit www.memoryinabottle.co.uk to find out more.