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THIS IS THE PLACE: Works by acclaimed artists including Erik Kessels and Stanley Chow featured in print auction in aid of Design Degree Show

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Featured image: Bradley Sansom


A print auction featuring works by some of the biggest names in Manchester’s art scene is taking place on Wednesday to raise money for the Manchester Met BA Graphic Design Degree Show.

Manchester School of Art artists, designers and graduates have donated prints to the THIS IS THE PLACE print auction. Donors include some of the biggest names in Manchester’s art scene, including graphic artists Anthony Burrill, Craig Oldham, Stanley Chow, Studio Dotto and famous Dutch visual artist Erik Kessels.

Design students have also donated their prints to be auctioned, including aAh! Magazine illustrator and graphic designer Jack Dean who created the cover for aAh! Magazine’s latest The FRESHERS Issue 23/24.

Every year, Graphic Design undergraduate final year students run a fundraising initiative called ‘Art School Needs You’ to raise money to put on their part of the degree show. It celebrates the achievements and talent of the students at Manchester School of Art, SODA, and Manchester School of Architecture.

Third year Graphic Design student and aAh! designer Bradley Sansom said: “The graphic design students always like to make a big thing of their degree show.”

So far, the students have run club nights to raise funds this year, but the highlight of every year’s fundraising is the print auction.

This year’s Graphic Design degree show, titled THIS IS THE PLACE, has been designed by Bradley Sansom, Laura Sheridan and Sophia Cimelli.

The title of the show alludes to the poem ‘This is the Place’ by Tony Walsh which was read in the aftermath of the response to the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017 and commemorates Mancunians’ spirit against adversity.

Bradley said: “The show will celebrate our time at Manchester Met and the interdisciplinary nature of both our course and the art school in general, with a spectacular show making the most of our inspiring home in the Benzie building.”

THIS IS THE PLACE Print Auction is open to everyone, students and non-students can attend. It will take place both in-person and online, from 6pm til 10pm at Brickhouse Social, 11-13 New Wakefield Street (just off Oxford Road) and on Zoom.

Bidders can sign up and via the website, where they can also register for a free ticket to attend in person.

THIS IS THE PLACE Design Show will take place in mid-June in the Benzie building alongside the Manchester School of Art, SODA and Manchester School of Architecture degree shows.

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Makenna Ali

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