The Icons of Doncaster Digital Exhibition

Over the last almost two years Sine FM, have been delivering a heritage project with our own creative twist…

Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Icons of Doncaster, is a project that democratises local heritage. It gives the people of Doncaster the opportunity to vote for what they are proudest of, or are strongly connected to, as part of their cultural heritage.

If you’re thinking that we’re not really a heritage-organisation, you’re right! However, the radio station, lends itself well as a platform for delivering projects like this. Our experience in working with large groups of volunteers alongside our past experience delivering Doncaster Sound Memories, a heritage project including a permanent public exhibition (in PrinceGate Alley), gave us the confidence that we could pull off another high-profile heritage project, and hopefully, we have.

Many Doncastrians have submitted nominations. The front runners have been celebrated as Icons of Doncaster.

Dozens of local people have received training in media and oral history, volunteered as researchers / producers, and created radio / audio features.

The nominated Icons have been turned into graphical icons (the double meaning was always intentional). They are now represented in the digital exhibition. (The next phase is the physical exhibition, but that’s for later…)

By involving local people of diverse ages and backgrounds, the project has pulled together a list of the Doncaster people, places, achievements, and stories that Doncastrians feel represent the City strongest, (plus a few bits of local folklore close to people’s hearts).

There’s the big and obvious stuff, such as coal mines and train building. However, the project digs deeper than that, embracing the opinions of younger people and including more recent, yet still strongly locally-linked Icons.

This has presented something which we term ‘emerging heritage’. Within this project, we define this as something that doesn’t need to be old, but has a widely recognised public identity, being culturally significant to the extent that it’s going to be associated with Doncaster for years to come.

A lot of ‘high achievers’ have come through in nominations, but relatively unsung heroes have been put forward as well, including artists, sporting legends, and brilliant minds.

For anybody who thinks they have Doncaster pegged, spend a few minutes browsing the digital exhibition on this website and prepare to be amazed or learn something new.

Browse the Icons, click on one, and enjoy the story…

Welcome to Doncaster, the industrially powerful, musically gifted, brilliant minded, sportingly victorious, historically pivotal, creatively talented, city in the North ❤️