Peep Box. SO Festival Skegness
Peep Box - John Byford
SO Festival, Skegness / Passage Festival, Sweden and Denmark
SO Festival, Skegness / Passage Festival, Sweden and Denmark
🇬🇧 PEEP BOX - Skegness (UK)
Peep Box is award-winning photographer John Byford’s immersive, six-sided photographic installation created especially for SO Festival 2010. Inspired by the iconic Skegness bandstand, the piece invited visitors to peer through small openings and discover the town from a fresh and playful perspective.
The Installation:
The hexagonal structure was designed by John to echo the bandstand itself and was installed inside the original Skegness bandstand. Suitable for all ages, Peep Box featured:
• 42 vibrant images captured around the Skegness district
• Night-time illumination to draw visitors in
• Carefully crafted peepholes that revealed surprising viewpoints
• A celebratory, characterful portrait of Skegness life
7000 people over three days visited the Peep Box
Artistic Approach
John Byford has worked professionally in photography since leaving school and has received a visual arts award for his ongoing service to the community. His work is driven by a desire to share stories, places and people in ways that encourage curiosity and reflection.
He describes his greatest reward as the joy of sharing his passion with the public.
SO Festival 2010
Peep Box formed part of a rich and diverse programme that included performances from Jools Holland, Lee Mead and BBC Lincolnshire Introducing
Supported by Arts Council England and delivered by East Lindsey District Council, SO Festival 2010 brought four days of dynamic creative energy to the East Coast. Festival Director Robin Morley said: “John’s installation is lively, vibrant and offers an exciting insight into Skegness.”
Where It Went Next
🇪🇺 PEEP BOX - Sweden & Denmark (EU)
The success of Peep Box in Skegness led to its European tour in 2011, including exhibitions in: Dunkers Kulturhus, Helsingborg, Sweden and Culture Yard, Helsingør, Denmark as part of Passage Festival 2011
Peep Box at Dunkers Kulturhus, Helsingborg, Sweden
Overview
In 2011, John Byford’s Peep Box was selected for the prestigious Passage Festival, making appearances at both Dunkers Kulturhus in Helsingborg, Sweden, and the Culture Yard in Helsingør, Denmark. Presented between the two cities, the installation explored shared coastal identity, community spirit and human connection.
The Installation
The EU edition of Peep Box featured 42 images captured in a single weekend during John’s visit to the twin cities. Through a series of tiny peepholes, viewers discovered a visual dialogue between Helsingborg and Helsingør. The hexagonal structure invited viewers to engage intimately with the work, rewarding curiosity with unexpected insight, showcasing scenes of breathtaking beauty along with moments of humour, humanity and glimpses of tragedy, celebration, and everyday life.
Artistic Vision
Byford’s hallmark is the combination of technical precision with creative intuition. Peep Box reflects a deep respect for the people and places he photographs with a desire to capture both the grand and the fleeting. His goal remains consistent: to share his passion for photography and tell stories that resonate across cultures.
Passage Festival 2011
The Passage Festival brings together artists from across Europe, celebrating boundary-crossing creativity between Sweden and Denmark. Peep Box added a fresh dimension to the programme, drawing in audiences of all ages.
Its presence highlighted the cultural bridge between the two coastal cities — a theme perfectly suited to Byford’s dual-city imagery.
Origins
Peep Box first debuted in 2010 at the SO Festival in Skegness, England, before travelling to Scandinavia the following year.
Text and images ©John Byford ~ All rights reserved