A city-wide open-air gallery

Universally Manchester: City-Wide Open-Air Gallery with The University of Manchester

In June 2024, The University of Manchester celebrated its bicentenary summer with the Universally Manchester Festival, a 200th birthday celebration like no other, with 150 free events across four captivating days. To commemorate the occasion, we partnered with the University of Manchester and Sundae Communications to design and produce artworks for the festival’s open air gallery of celebratory art, entitled ‘Universally Manchester: Where Great Things Come Together’.

Spanning across 130 sites across the city centre, the gallery showcased collaborations with a host of renowned figures who all have ties to Manchester and the University. Reflecting on their love for the city and its long-lasting influence on their endeavours; contributors included award winning author and Professor of Creative Writing Jeanette Winterson, and poet and former Chancellor Lemn Sissay, alongside alumni including drag performer Cheddar Gorgeous, comedian Josh Widdicombe, actor Matthew Horne and barrister and broadcaster Rob Rinder.

Each artwork designed for the gallery featured a typographic interpretation of the following inspiring quotes:

“A show of grit and glass, a beautiful contradiction. Beyond everything else I admire Manchester’s self belief. it punches above its weight and more often than not comes out top of the bill. The city revels in being its own main character. A perfect production; protagonist, antagonist, stage and audience, all rolled into one.”

Cheddar Gorgeous: – Drag performer and alumnus.

“MAN-cunians or MAM-cunians? The Romans called this place Mamucium. MAM is Celtic for mother, breast, river goddess. The women of this city are its ancient and forever energy.”

Jeanette Winterson – Writer

“The ultimate place on Earth to become a grown up, go out until 3am and occasionally go to lectures.”

 Josh Widdicombe – Comedian and alumnus.

“If it were not imagined, 

It could not be made, 

Therefore imagination, 

Must not be afraid.” 

Lemn Sissay – Poet and former Chancellor.

“Manchester was the place to be and remains so. I look back fondly at my time living and studying there. It really was the beginning of everything for me. It’s the city of opportunity.”

Mathew Horne – Actor and alumnus.

“Manchester never compared itself to anywhere else. I loved the pride the city took in its unique identity. It was, in so many ways, my most important gift. It’s where I discovered that cultural and intellectual curiosity is limitless and where – like the city itself – I found the courage to be different.”

Rob Rinder – Barrister, broadcaster and alumnus.

The project offered a rare opportunity to really meditate on the influence that Manchester and the University has had on people who greatly inspire us, as well as the personal ties we each have to the city as Manchester-based designers. The creative challenge of breathing life into the brilliant words of beloved personalities who share our admiration for the city brought an added depth of meaning to the process and outcomes of the artworks.

While each of us at Instruct produced our own interpretations of the quotes supplied, the variety of creative styles and approaches to the brief fluidly interconnected to form a larger picture of an inclusive celebration of Manchester’s enduring influence.

The Josh Widdicombe artwork was created by Ellie Thomas, Lemn Sissay by John Owens, Rob Rinder and Matthew Horne by Beth Wilkinson and Cheddar Gorgeous by Louise Hardman.

Louise, Designer at Instruct, reflected on illustrating part of Cheddar Gorgeous’ quote, which was later painted as a mural by Open Minds, in Mayfield Park:

“Drag performer, producer, academic, and visual artist – Cheddar Gorgeous is a Manchester powerhouse and a sensational alumni for the University of Manchester. With biting wit and fearless creativity, Cheddar’s craft disrupts gender conventions and has expedited their status as a devoted advocate and educator of the more serious, multifaceted, and profound dimensions of queer culture. For this piece, I was deeply inspired by Cheddar’s playful and unapologetic approach to their art and activism; exhibited by the vivid colours, bold type, and whimsical patterns within the design. Through the incorporation of illustrated theatrical iconography, the artwork spotlights Cheddar’s impressive lifelong career in the performing arts, in addition to his conceptual approach to storytelling and self-expression. It’s been an utter honour to have had the opportunity to help visualise Cheddar’s beautiful words.”

Visit the project here

In the press:
University of Manchester
Manchester Evening News
Manchester’s Finest