Spice Girls SPICEWORLD: THE EXHIBTION coming to Derry, N. Ireland

After lots of talking, I can confirm that SPICEWORLD: THE EXHIBTION will be making its way to Londonderry's Harbour Museum from the the end of July to 31st October 2012.

This is very exciting news and I can't wait to share more information with you soon....

Watch this space

Liz x

Northampton museum tells you what it wants, what it really really wants

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Published Tuesday 4th October 11

Northampton Museum and Art Gallery is appealing for the loan of Spice Girls memorabilia to be part of a Spice Girls exhibition that is coming to Northampton next year.

Spiceworld: The Exhibition attracted over 50,000 wannabe fans when it opened in Leeds, Mel B's hometown, earlier this year. It tells the story of the 90s girl band's rise to super stardom and pays homage to all things 'spice', including genuine clothing worn by Sporty, Baby, Scary, Posh and Ginger.

Northampton museum is keen to give a local twist to the exhibition by including memorabilia from local fans.

Victoria Davies, Northampton Borough Council museum officer, said: "Spiceworld: The Exhibition proved a real hit in Leeds and I just know there will be some really huge Spice Girls fans closer to home. We would love to hear from them and maybe feature any memorabilia they may have in a special display that will be shown alongside the main exhibition."

Spice Girls fans who can help with the display or want to find out more about the main exhibition can call Victoria at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery on 838111.

Melanie C Memorabilia Display at Liverpool's Victoria Gallery & Museum

What:
Mixcase [Music: Memory: Traces]

Who:
Curated by Research Associates at University of Liverpool
(Collecting & Curating Popular Music Histories)

When:
22nd August - 17th December 2011

Where:
Victoria Gallery & Museum
Ashton Street
University of Liverpool
Liverpool
L69 3DR
Tel: 0151 794 2348
Email: vgm@liv.ac.uk

Chance to buy SIGNED copy of 'Spiceworld: The Exhibition' Book

Published to coincide with the touring exhibition Spiceworld: The Exhibition
SIGNED by the author, Liz West

£12.00
by Liz West
Foreword by Nicholas Oddy
Designed by Matt West & Designers Front
Paperback
102 Pages
Published by Kroma Press

Postage & Packing Options

Catalogue + UK Postage £14.95 Catalogue + EU Postage £16.50 Catalogue + Rest of the World Postage £20.50

Examples of inside pages:

HUDDERSFIELD EXAMINER Article (05/07/2011)

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Record news for Spice Girls fan Liz West

AN exhibition of the Spice Girls, made possible by a Huddersfield woman, is a record-breaker. Spiceworld: The Exhibition smashed visitor numbers at the Leeds City Museum, where it closed at the weekend. And that’s great news for Liz West, of Lindley, who loaned much of her amazing Spice Girls collection to the museum. Since it opened in January, nearly 50,000 people have visited the exhibit at Leeds City Museum.

Now she is planning to move the exhibition to Londonderry next summer and then on to Northampton. The items in Spiceworld: The Exhibition are owned by collector Liz and include a pair of Union Jack boots worn by Geri Halliwell.

The event had already created a world record for the largest number of Spice Girls items together in a collection. Liz said: “It feels surreal, but obviously I’m very proud that people have come along to see all the bits and pieces I have collected over the years. I’m still adding to it all the time and there will be more when it goes to Northern Ireland next year”.

The museum said the best-attended exhibition previously was Dr Rock’s Lost Gallery – involving minerals and crystals - which attracted 3,500 visitors in 2010. Curator of exhibitions Helen Langwick said: “The Spiceworld exhibition has proved really popular and we are especially proud to have played our part in making a little bit of history with the Guinness World Record for Liz, which is well deserved for her amazing collection”.

The exhibition was the first time Ms West’s full collection had been on public display. She was just 11-years-old when Girl Power spiced up the world. She heard Wannabe on the radio and said she became hooked on the Spice Girls. Now the 25-year-old, who lives in Lindley, has amassed a collection of 4,000 pieces of Spice Girl memorabilia. The Leeds exhibition was the first time all had gone on show in the same place.

Liz was a fan first and a collector second, but the artist is now able to make a career out of her collection. She said: “I was always extremely keen for this museum to play host to my collection, mainly because of the impressive nature of the venue but also because Leeds is Mel B’s hometown. "Sadly Mel B wasn’t able to get along to see it because she is heavily pregnant”.

Melanie Brown was born in Harehills and lived in Burley. She married dancer Jimmy Gulzar in 1998. The couple later divorced, and she went on to marry movie producer Stephen Belafonte in 2007. The other members of the pop group were Victoria Beckham, Melanie Chisolm, Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton.

Read More http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2011/07/05/record-news-for-spice-girls-fan-liz-west-86081-28992920/#ixzz1RsyRjzpO

BBC NEWS WEBSITE Article (03/07/2011)

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Spice Girls exhibition: doors close on record-breaking display

An exhibit of a record-breaking collection of Spice Girls memorabilia in Leeds has closed. Since it opened in January, nearly 50,000 people have visited the exhibit at Leeds City Museum. The items in Spiceworld: The Exhibition are owned by collector Liz West and include a pair of Union Jack boots worn by Geri Halliwell.

The event held a world record for the largest number of Spice Girls items together in a collection. The museum said the best-attended exhibition previously was Dr Rock's Lost Gallery - involving minerals and crystals - with 3,500 visitors in 2010.

Curator of exhibitions Helen Langwick said: "The Spiceworld exhibition has proved really popular and we are especially proud to have played our part in a making a little bit of history with the Guinness World Record for Liz, which is well deserved for her amazing collection."

The exhibition was the first time Ms West's full collection had been on public display. She said: "I was always extremely keen for this museum to play host to my collection, mainly because of the impressive nature of the venue but also because Leeds is Mel B's hometown." Melanie Brown was born in Harehills and lived in Burley. She married dancer Jimmy Gulzar in 1998. The couple later divorced, and she went on to marry movie producer Stephen Belafonte in 2007.

The other members of the pop group were Victoria Beckham, Melanie Chisolm, Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton.

YORKSHIRE EVENING POST Newspaper Article: (01/07/2011)

Leeds: Spice Girls exhibition sizzles to its finish
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By Jonathan Brown
Published on Friday 1 July 2011 10:32

A record-breaking exhibition to spice up your life will come to a close on Sunday.

The world’s biggest collection of Spice Girls memorabilia was recognised by Guinness World Records during Spiceworld: The Exhibition’s run at Leeds City Museum, in Millennium Square, Leeds.

Collector Liz West, 26, who lives in Huddersfield, has amassed 2,066 items related to the band, which have been on show at the free-to-enter display since January.

She said: “There are still a few days left to see it if anyone has been meaning to but has not come along yet.

“The great reaction from everyone who has seen it has made me really proud and the icing on the cake was securing the Guinness World Record.”

The exhibition is the first time Ms West’s collection has ever been on display in its entirety in public.

Among the items on show are the iconic Union Jack boots worn by Geri Halliwell in the group’s first-ever live concert in Istanbul, Emma Bunton’s blue sequin dress from the band’s memorable performance at the 1997 Brit Awards and Leeds-born Mel B’s trademark giraffe print catsuit complete with a crystal-studded belt.

The museum’s curator of exhibitions, Helen Langwick, said: “The Spiceworld exhibition has proved really popular.

“We are especially proud to have played our part in a making a little bit of history with the Guinness World Record for Liz which is well deserved for her amazing collection.”

Spiceworld: The Exhibition also examines what it takes to be a modern celebrity.

Other items on display include outfits worn by Emma, Geri and Mel B on their Spiceworld tour as well as a gold and diamond-studded Chopard watch worn by Posh Spice, Victoria Beckham.

The director’s script of Spiceworld: The Movie and the multi-platinum CD awarded to the girls for selling over four million copies of their album, Spice, in America in 1997 are also on show.

The Spice Girls sold 80 million records worldwide following the impact of debut single, Wannabe, which topped the charts in 31 countries in 1996.

Contact: www.leeds.gov.uk/citymuseum for information.

FINAL PRESS RELEASE - SPICEWORLD: THE EXHIBITION (29/06/2011)

Record-breaking Spiceworld exhibition coming to a close
The world record-breaking exhibition devoted to the Spice Girls on display at Leeds City Museum comes to a close this weekend. The collection of memorabilia and merchandise from collector Liz West devoted to the most successful girl band of all time finishes this Sunday (3 July) having been seen by almost 50,000 people since it opened in January.

The exhibition also played its part in setting a new Guinness World Record as the collection of 2,066 items related to the band on display has been officially recognised as the biggest number of Spice Girls items in a collection together anywhere in the world. The special free exhibition at the Leeds City Council-managed museum off Millennium Square shows off a range of outfits worn by the group as well as accessories, platinum discs, books, magazines and dolls sourced from all over the world.
Spice Girls memorabilia collector Liz West said:
“It has been absolutely fantastic to have my collection on display in Leeds City Museum and there are still a few days left to see it if anyone has been meaning to but has not come along yet. The great reaction from everyone who has seen it has made me really proud and the icing on the cake was securing the Guinness World Record.”

The exhibition is the first time Liz’s collection has ever been on display in its entirety in public. Among the items on show are the iconic Union Jack boots worn by Geri Halliwell in the group’s first-ever live concert in Istanbul, Emma Bunton’s blue sequin dress from the band’s memorable performance at the 1997 Brit Awards (where Geri made her show-stealing appearance in the Union Jack dress) and Leeds’-own Mel B’s trademark giraffe print catsuit complete with ‘Mel B’ crystal-studded belt. Other items include outfits worn by Emma, Geri and Mel B on their ‘Spiceworld’ tour, a gold and diamond-studded Chopard watch worn by Victoria, the director’s script from ‘Spiceworld: The Movie’ and the multi-platinum CD the band were awarded for selling over four million copies of the album ‘Spice’ in America in 1997.

Leeds City Museum curator of exhibitions Helen Langwick said:
“The Spiceworld exhibition has proved really popular and we are especially proud to have played our part in a making a little bit of history with the Guinness World Record for Liz which is well deserved for her amazing collection.”

Running until Sunday 3 July, ‘Spiceworld: The exhibition’ is free to enter and celebrates the success of the Spice Girls as well as examining what it takes to be a modern celebrity.

For further information on Leeds City Museum, visit the website at http://www.leeds.gov.uk/citymuseum/
Notes to editors:
The Spice Girls are Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm, Geri Halliwell and Victoria Beckham (née Adams) who quickly became known by the nicknames Scary, Baby, Sporty, Ginger and Posh.
Following the impact of debut single ‘Wannabe’ which topped the charts in 31 countries in 1996, the Spice Girls enjoyed phenomenal success selling over 80 million records worldwide, having nine UK number one singles, starring in their own feature film and creating the ‘girl power’ mantra which is credited with inspiring a generation of girls and women to achieve.
ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:
Roger Boyde,
Leisure media relations officer,
Tel 0113 247 5472
Email: roger.boyde@leeds.gov.uk

METRO Article (May 2011)

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Cast your mind back to the days of girl power with Spiceworld The Exhibition at Leeds City Museum until Sunday 3 July.
Plan your journey so you have time to take in everything on offer in this exhibition.

Whether you loved them or hated them, the Spice Girls were undoubtedly the most famous girl group in the world in the 1990s.

The girls may now have all gone their separate ways, but Spiceworld will bring them back together in an interactive exhibition celebrating the impact they had on the world.

Much of it has been put together with the help of local super-fan Liz West and her extensive collection of memorabilia.

The exhibition explores the group and how it was marketed, as well as looking into the BritPop culture of the time, from manufactured bands to the media furore surrounding the groups.

Items on show in the exhibition include the iconic Union Jack boots worn by Geri Halliwell in Spiceworld: The Movie and Mel B's trademark giraffe print catsuit.

If you ever sang along to Wannabe, or sang Two Become One, then this exhibition will be unmissable.

For tickets and more information visit Dig Yorkshire.

You can use Metro's Journey Planner to find out how to get to Leeds by public transport.

THE QUEER SPHERE Review (12/06/2011)

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Spiceworld The Exhibition at Leeds City Museum & Interview With The Creator, Liz West

A pop culture phenomenon and worldwide sensation, The Spice Girls now even have their own exhibition at the Leeds City Museum. Brought to us by Spice Girls super-fan and graduate of Glasgow School of Art Elizabeth West, the exhibition charts the rise and success of the fantastic fivesome through an impressive collection of memorabilia amassed over the years.

Ranging from Geri’s iconic union jack boots (right) to magazine covers from our friends over at Attitude Magazine the collection is truly impressive – though tragically missing Geri’s famous Union Jack dress (which sold for over £40,000 at a charity auction).

However, what really makes Spiceworld worth a visit are the interactive features such as speakers you pull a cord to make play your favourite track and a stage with a karaoke machine and costumes to dress up in if listening just isn’t enough for you.

Running 28th January – 3rd July there’s a only a few weeks left to go and visit Spiceworld The Exhibition, we heartily recommend a trip to this alternative collection for a slice of pop culture nostalgia and an insight into the still biggest selling female group of all time.

At TQS we were lucky enough to catch up with exhibition creator Liz West to ask her a few questions about her collection:

When did you first start collecting Spice Girls memorabilia?
I didn’t start collecting their merchandise immediately. It wasn’t until the release of their second album in 1997 that I started buying all the different versions of the singles.

Do you have the world’s largest collection?
Yes, I have the official Guinness World Record for the Largest Spice Girls Collection in the world.

How many pieces are in the collection?
Just over 4,000 individual items (spice girls and solo spice memorabilia).

What’s the most you paid for any one item?
Around £2,500 for a Geri worn dress.

Do you have a favourite piece?
Any of the 65 items of clothing or stage wear owned by the girls that i have are pretty special to me. I couldn’t decide between them.

How did the exhibition come about?
After graduating from the Glasgow School of Art in 2007 I had no money and couldn’t get a job, so decided to write to museums all around the UK proposing an exhibition of my collection which I would curate. Leeds City Museum took up my offer in 2009 after delivering the idea to the exhibitions panel. I had had two exhibitions previous to the Leeds show. One at Cusworth Hall, Doncaster and one at Clifton Park Museum both in 2008.