An exhibition highlighting Kingston's rich music history is set to land in the borough next month and organisers are issuing a call out to residents for items that will help to tell the story.

The Community Brain, a Tolworth based not for profit, in partnership with Creative Youth's Kingston heritage project and Kingston Museum, will bring Bowie and Beyond: Ziggy Stardust & Kingston's Music Heritage to the borough from 31 March to 16 September 2023.

The exhibition will reveal how David Bowie first became Ziggy Stardust and his connections to Kingston's music scene, starting with the pivotal moment when the music icon launched his Ziggy persona at Tolworth's Toby Jug in February 1972.

It will highlight how he returned for a gig at Kingston's Polytechnic (now Kingston University) in May 1972 and how through his Ziggy persona, Bowie perfectly encapsulated the shifting trends of Kingston's art, music and pop fashion scene at the time.

To enhance the immersive and memorable experience of the exhibition, the three organisers are calling on residents to share a range of items as follows:

• Any memories, tickets, pictures taken, borrowed pint glasses, coasters, flyers, posters or clothing from Tolworth's Toby Jug in February 1972 or the Kingston Poly in May 1972 or any other secret stories or local connections to Bowie
• Any memories, stories and interesting connections around the wider music scene in Kingston and the surrounding areas from the 1960s to 1990s. This could be through tickets, mixtapes, albums, shoes, clothing or photos of people attending or outside live music venues.

As well as Bowie's renowned association with Kingston, the royal borough was also home to The (Jazz) Cellar Club between 1962-1966, an important music venue many which played host to many notable local bands in their formative years, most notably The Yardbirds and The Nashville Teens. The Animals also played there regularly in the early months of 1964 after moving down to London from the northeast.

Residents who wish to loan music-related items for the upcoming Bowie and Beyond: Ziggy Stardust & Kingston's Music Heritage exhibition, can get in touch at [email protected]

The call is open until 1 August 2023. Successful items will be included in Kingston museum's Spring exhibition and will be returned following its conclusion.