THE first in a series of exhibitions shining a light on Wirral's cultural heritage has been unveiled.

Sea, Air and Wrecks is the first in a series of new Wirral-inspired paintings now on view at The Dark Side, launched at Pacific Road business hub in Woodside on Thursday night.

It is a cross-communities and inclusive collaborative arts project launched by Wirral-based company FINSA in collaboration with Liverpool-born artist John Hyatt, Professor/Head of The Institute of Art and Technology at Liverpool John Moores University who now lives in Wallasey.

The Sea, Air and Wrecks exhibit features carcasses of boats poking out of the shifting sands of time and hint at a darker past of beached ships salvaged by Wreckers.

It is open for public viewing between 11am–5pm on Thursdays and Fridays.

In the coming months more and more projects, exhibitions and events will be unveiled by The Dark Side.

The Cube, a wooden pavilion, has also been erected at the Pacific Road Business Hub by students of Wirral Met College and will become an exhibiting and project venue in the months to come, a unique collaboration between arts, manufacturing and education, supported by Wirral Chamber of Commerce as a part of Wirral Borough of Culture 2019.

It will be open for viewing Monday to Friday from 11am-4pm.

Dark Side's creator John Hyatt said: "If people don't know what something is they use the word 'dark', like 'Dark Energy' and 'Dark Matter' – veiled, hidden, powerful and important.

"When I moved to Wallasey everyone in Liverpool said: "Oh, yer movin' to The Dark Side, are yuh?

"When I wanted to contribute a series of arts projects to Wirral Borough of Culture in collaboration with FINSA, the umbrella title of 'The Dark Side' was hard to avoid.

"Over the coming year, the aim of The Dark Side initiative is to help enervate, reveal and profile Wirral's living treasures: her energetic people, artists, projects, products and cultures.

"The Dark Side shines a light on itself."

Paula Basnett, Wirral Chamber of Commerce's chief executive, said: "We were very positive that we should support and add to the recognition Wirral has received as Borough of Culture 2019, therefore, we offered the use of the Pacific Road Business Hub as the base for both The Cube and The Dark Side exhibition."

Lucy Barrow, assistant director for culture and visitor economy at Wirral Council said: "I am absolutely delighted that the Borough of Culture is being celebrated and supported by so many of our local organisations and businesses and this wonderful collaboration between Wirral Chamber of Commerce, Wirral Met College, FINSA and John Hyatt is an outstanding example of what can happen when partners come together.

"The creative space provided by The Cube and the opportunity to showcase incredible work such as John Hyatt's are fantastic additions to what is on offer as part of our Borough of Culture year."

In building The Cube at the Pacific Road Business Hub, Wirral Met College students played a key role in its construction, with Sue Higginson, Principal at Wirral Met College, adding: "I am so proud of our construction students who have built this fantastic structure, The Cube, and of their tutors and staff team who nurture their talent."