Vote for Pioneers Museum in Museums at Night competition!

Co-operators can now vote for Rochdale Pioneers Museum in the Museums at Night Connect10 competition.

The contest encourages cultural venues to devise an event idea for a chance to have a famous artist appearing at their event during Museums at Night Festival, 16-18 May 2013.

Themed “Zusammen”, the Pioneers Museum’s initiative aims to involve the whole community in a candlelit choir procession around Rochdale Town Centre. If Rochdale Pioneers Museum wins, the acclaimed sculptor Susan Forsyth will lead the choir procession.

“Zusammen” means “together” in German and the candlelit choir procession symbolizes the struggle of the Rochdale Pioneers to bring their project to life.

The 28 pioneers opened their store on 21 December 1844 and had to use candles because the gas company had refused to supply the Pioneers with gas. Through co-operation the pioneers managed to overcome these difficulties and secure better lives for themselves and their families.

The museum reopened at the end of October following a major development project.

The Pioneers Museum is competing against the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Sheffield's Kelham Island Museum, Liverpool’s Victoria Museum and Gallery, all wishing for Susan Forsyth to attend their event.

The museum which gets the most votes from the public wins a bursary covering the running costs of a Museums at Night event. Venues that do not win an artist will still get £100 to put on an event.

The Pioneers Museum’s bid has been developed in partnership with Link4Life, Rochdale Town Centre Management Company and the Rochdale Borough High Street Foundation. 

To vote for Rochdale visit the website www.museumsatnight.org.uk. Voting closes on Tuesday 5 March at 5pm and the winner will be announced on 7 March.