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Everything we know about the upcoming NHS art trail in Manchester

The Gratitude in Art trail is currently on display in Birmingham and will arrive in Manchester on 3 September

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 23rd August 2021

A new art trail is coming to Manchester next month, bringing with it a total of 51 individual sculptures all designed by talented UK artists.

Designed to show thanks to the NHS and all the keyworkers who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, it’s been created in partnership with global public art producers Wild in Art – who were also behind Manchester’s popular 2018 Bee In The City art trail.

Aiming to capture the experiences that have connected us all through what has been one of the most challenging periods in modern peacetime, the free-to-visit exhibition has been curated in partnership with creative ambassador and fashion icon Dame Zandra Rhodes.

LeiMai’s “Lockdown” sculpture will go on display in Manchester next month as part of the Gratitude art trail / Image: Leimai Lemaow

Consisting of 51 sculptures, it features work by professional artists and designers from across the UK – including pieces by prominent Manchester-based artists Leimai Lemaow and Nomad Clan.

The trail will also bring to life real-life stories and poems about key workers, narrated by a host of famous voices, and at the end of its UK tour all of the artworks on display will be sold off at auction to raise funds for NHS Charities Together.

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Enclosed by mirrors on two sides,  Gratitude creates infinite reflections of the stunning artwork highlighting the endless dedication of all key workers / Image: Gratitude in Art

Sharing her Gratitude art trail design to her Instagram page over the weekend, Manchester-based artist LeiMai told of how Wild In Art asked her to create a sculpture to raise money for the NHS that summed up the pandemic:

“I created this tale of two halves and named it “lockdown”, she shared with her followers.

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“On the front of my sculpture I added the words “See you soon” from a charity print I’d released with @law_magazine during the first lockdown, it shows clapping and smiley faces, we were fine weren’t we?

“We had everything worked out, clapping helps right?… the back that you see reflected in the mirror has the words “sorry I’m having tech difficulties”, sad faces, and unsure clapping hands… was the pandemic ever going to end? Another f’ing zoom meeting when I hate video calls and my internet keeps dipping?

You can visit Gratitude at St Peter’s Square, Manchester from 03-12 September 2021 before it moves on to visit Edinburgh and London. / Image: Gratitude in Art

“Clapping like idiots but 1% pay rise for NHS… seriously? The spiral symbolises this never-ending whirlwind of feelings and asks the question; will things ever be the same again? it’s now on show in Birmingham and will be coming to Manny soon amongst other cities.”

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And Leimai isn’t the only Manchester artist to be asked to get involved in the project. When the art trail lands in the city next month, there’ll also be a piece on display from internationally-acclaimed, queer street art muralist duo Nomad Clan.

Their design, entitled ‘Digital Conscience’, seeks to explore themes of value systems, digital identity, virtual reality and overstimulation in connection to our shared lived experiences of the past year.

In autumn 2021, the sculptures will be auctioned with substantial proceeds donated to NHS Charities Together / Image: Gratitude in Art

Elsewhere, there’ll be further contributions from artists up and down the country – including Scottish fashion designer Pam Hogg with her sculpture ‘Courage’, British fashion and textile designer Kitty Joseph, Andrew Logan with his design ‘Spiral Stardust – Homage to the Alexander Technique’, and leading ceramic artist Kate Malone with her design ‘Life Force.’

Each artist has drawn their own inspirations from the past year, be that from the selfless, endless dedication of NHS workers or the opportunities we’ve been given to reconnect with nature during this forced period of slowing down.

‘Super Stars’, designed by Birmingham artist Edward Luke Thrush, nods to the keyworkers who braved the pandemic when the rest of us stayed at home, whilst Cardiff-based illustrator Matt Joyce’s design ‘The Joy of Pets’ celebrates the furry (and not so furry) companions that have kept us company throughout the trials and tribulations of Covid-19.

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Gratitude has been created by Wild in Art, who also produced the hugely successful Bee in the City trail in Manchester in 2018. / Image: Gratitude in Art trail

As well as showcasing sculptures from artists up and down the country, the trail will also bring to the fore real-life stories and poems about key workers.

These have been brought to life by working with a host of famous voices, including Adil Ray, Hugh Bonneville, Sarah Parish, Norman Cook, Christopher Eccleston, Julie Hesmondhalgh, John Thomson, Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, Shobna Gulati and KT Tunstall.

Visitors to the trail will be able to access these stories through the Gratitude App and website, hearing the experience of doctors and nurses, teachers, railways workers, and more.

Speaking on the new art trail,Charlie Langhorne, Managing Director and Co-founder of Wild in Art said:  “Gratitude is set to be a beautiful and striking tribute which celebrates the incredible courage and dedication of the UK’s NHS staff and all key workers and supports the vital work of NHS Charities Together. 

“We are delighted to be launching our tour at Paradise Birmingham, after months of hard work from artists across the UK, who have dedicated their time and creativity to help us produce an installation which reflects our endless Gratitude for the care and kindness that all key workers have provided.”

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You can visit Gratitude at St Peter’s Square, Manchester from 3 – 12 September 2021 before it moves on to visit Edinburgh and London. To find out more and grab your tickets, click here.

Feature image – Gratitude in Art

 

News

Seven Manchester green spaces have been named some of the best in the UK

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Alexandra Park

A handful of green spaces in Manchester have once again been handed coveted awards and named among the best in the UK.

It may be on your radar that for several years running now, parks and cemeteries in Greater Manchester have deservingly been recipients of the prestigious Green Flag Award – which is an internationally-recognised honour given annually to the parks and cemeteries that have ‘attained a high standard of green space’.

And 2026 seems to be absolutely no different, with the region coming out on top once again.

Green Flag Awards are granted by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy each year to recognise accessible green spaces that set ‘an international benchmark for management’.

Alexandra Park
Seven Manchester green spaces have been named some of the best in the UK / Credit: Donald Judge (via Flickr) | Wikimedia Commons

Every site recognised through the scheme is assessed by experienced judges who judge the parks using eight criteria.

The criteria includes environmental management, biodiversity, landscape and heritage, community involvement, marketing and communication, and management to make sure it’s a safe and secure place for visitors of all ages.

2026 has been one of Manchester’s most successful years, as Manchester City Council has revealed this week that Blackley, Gorton, Philips Park, Manchester General, and the Southern cemeteries have all been given the Green Flag Award, as well as both Alexandra Park and Heaton Park retaining the important title too.

The awards shed light on the range of groups, volunteers, and staff who devote themselves year-round to the maintenance and upkeep of these areas. 

“Come rain or shine our colleagues are out in our parks and cemeteries every day of the year, putting their time and effort into making them the internationally recognised locations they are,” commented Councillor Basat Sheikh, who is the Executive Member for Neighbourhoods at Manchester City Council.

“I’m deeply proud of their efforts and I want to dedicate the seven Green Flags we have been awarded to them.

Read more:

“It’s no overstatement to say none of this would be possible without them.”

Featured Image – Stephen Taylor (via Geograph / Wikimedia Commons)

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Government announces social media curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds in the UK

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant People on mobile phones

Default overnight curfews are set to be switched on for 16 and 17-year-olds on social media apps.

As the Government looks to take further action to back parents and ‘protect the next generation’ online, following the confirmation of the social media ban for under 16s earlier this year, it has now been announced that curfews will be introduced for 16 and 17-year-olds, as well as a crackdown on so-called ‘addictive features’.

This includes features that can keep users scrolling for longer – such as videos that automatically play one after another, and feeds that continually serve up personalised content.

Late-night curfews are set to run from midnight to 6am.

The new protections are said to be aiming to ‘strike a balance’ between giving older teens greater safeguards online, while still allowing them to change their own settings if they wish.

“These measures will help ensure there is no cliff edge in protections as young people move into their later teenage years,” the Government said in its announcement.

Today’s measures follow a first-of-its-kind Government pilot involving more than 300 teenagers and parents across the UK, with families reporting that overnight curfews quickly became part of their routine and helped improve sleep and concentration.

The Government has announced social media curfews for 16 and 17-year-olds / Credit: Julian Christ (via Unsplash)

“These measures will be crucial in helping young people get the sleep they need, focus on school and college, and spend more quality time with family and friends, all of which are fundamental to building a happy, healthy and fulfilling adult life,” explained Technology Secretary, Liz Kendall.

“We want young people to enjoy the benefits of technology while having the tools to make the online world a place where they can thrive.”

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Alongside these protections, the Government says it will publish new guidance for children, parents, and guardians on how to use AI ‘safely and confidently’.

Media literacy skills will also be bolstered in schools to teach children how to navigate new types of technology.

Featured Image – Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)

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