An open call for people across Greater Manchester to contribute to a new national touring art installation has been issued.
Wild in Art – the global art producer behind the much-loved Bee In The City trail – is inviting people from right across the UK to submit real-life stories and poems about key workers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic for a chance to be included in the ‘Gratitude Stories’ installation, which is arriving in Manchester later this year.
The Gratitude art installation – which is a collection of 49 uniquely-painted human form sculptures, all designed by individual artists, and curated in partnership with creative ambassador Dame Zandra Rhodes – will be free for all the public to visit and accompanied by a selection of stories recorded by a host of well-known local voices, designed to thank NHS staff and all key workers for their ongoing courage and dedication.
Gratitude is hoping to connect people, communities, artists and businesses to reflect and show their appreciation.
The chosen stories will become part of the spectacular public art installation that thanks all key workers for their courage and dedication during the pandemic. Key figures voicing the stories so far include @KTTunstall, @adilray & @juliehes further names to be revealed soon.
Visitors to the installation will be able to listen to stories and poems that pay tribute to all key workers, from doctors on the front-line to shopkeepers, carers and teachers, via the Gratitude app and the website.
ADVERTISEMENT
Key figures lined up to voice the stories so far include singer-songwriter KT Tunstall and actors Julie Hesmondhalgh, Christopher Eccleston, John Thomson and Shobna Gulati – with further names to be revealed soon.
Time for quiet reflection will also be built into the installation’s daily opening schedule when the exhibition comes to Manchester in September.
ADVERTISEMENT
One of the first audio stories to be announced as part of the installation is from Matt Kelly, a Wigan Council service manager who last year penned a poem named ‘Our Heroes’, which was initially for his partner – a district nurse – but then shared on social media and brought to life on BBC Radio 5 live by one of the UK’s most prominent actors, Christopher Eccleston.
Daniel Graves Photography
“I am delighted that ‘Our Heroes’ will be part of this fantastic project.” Matt Kelly said.
“During this last year, our doctors, nurses, carers and support staff have quite literally saved us from this awful pandemic [and] the war-like effort of the NHS and the scenes I was seeing on the news helped inspire me to write the poem at the start of the pandemic.
ADVERTISEMENT
“At the time, it was a poem of hope, but one year on, it is becoming a poem of nostalgia and gratitude.
“This project is a fitting tribute to our wonderful heroes”.
Charlie Langhorne – Managing Director and co-founder of Wild in Art – added: “We’re delighted to have the support of so many well-known figures to help us to bring words and art together to tell the story of this unprecedented time [and] we hope people will be inspired to submit their stories and poems and we look forward to listening to them as part of Gratitude this summer”.
Daniel Graves Photography
Keen to take part?
Wild in Art is now accepting submissions from all over the UK, which should be no longer than 500 words in length, must tell a personal story about a key worker, and showcase the amazing work they have done during the pandemic.
ADVERTISEMENT
It can also be a story about yourself, for example, if you work as a key worker or if there is something a key worker has done for you personally that has made a difference to you life.
You have until 5pm on 20th May 2021.
All details and guidelines for submissions can be found on the Gratitude website here.
Featured Image – Scott Kershaw Photographer
What's On
The K’s kick off Manchester’s BRITs Week celebrations early with jam-packed intimate gig
The Manc
If you were ‘Hoping Maybe’ to see The K’s at some point this year, this is your sign do it, as the rising indie band did not let the occasion of playing an intimate BRITs-backed gig get to them – they were buoyed by it.
Beloved city centre venue Gorilla was overflowing for The K’s last night, hosting an unreal small-cap set as part of Brits Week ‘26 for a very important cause: War Child.
Perfectly teed up by fellow nearby band, Florentenes from Bolton, The K’s took to a familiar stage many years on from their debut, and instantly had the crowd ready and raring for an hour of pure tunes and some very, very sweaty brows.
Earlestown’s finest certainly carried that Northern charm and energy throughout the whole night; their indie and almost nostalgic lyrical storytelling has you moshing one minute, whilst grasping your mate and ascending into live music heaven the next. There really aren’t many feelings like it.
Sobbing and swaying in the vast ocean of shoulders whilst screaming the lyrics to ‘Helen. Oh I’, I questioned how any compliment will ever compare to launching “thousand ships every time” from a kiss.
The K’s were yearning before Wuthering Heights made it vogue (again).
Musically, the band were seamless and a well-oiled machine, and so were the audience as they wholeheartedly echoed every lyric back at the lads and bounced it off the walls.
The K’s have come a long way since their first visit to Gorilla (Credit: Lucy Wagstaffe)
Every primary school assembly proudly led us to this moment, and it did not disappoint, displaying their increasingly seasoned and successful career, which I can only imagine is going to go from strength to strength this year.
I don’t think we even one more fan could have squeezed one more passionate fan into Gorilla on the night; it was heaving with people and pride; the sweat dripping down the walls indicated things are big for these local lads, and we couldn’t be prouder.
They are another prime example of shining a deserving light on Northern artists! And having the 2026 BRIT Awards up here with us is a testament to that.
Featured Images — Lucy Wagstaffe (supplied via War Child UK)
What's On
Microdot exhibit for BRITs 2026: the artwork of Oasis, Verve and more up in Manchester Piccadilly
Danny Jones
If you’ve passed through Manchester Piccadilly of late, you might have noticed two things: one, it’s really quiet, and two, there’s loads of cool Britpop merch and memorabilia on display, including original Oasis, The Verve, Inspiral Carpets art and more – all courtesy of Microdot.
Set up as part of the city’s own BRITs celebrations, along with a raft of other nationwide festivities, as the annual music award ceremony prepares to make its Manc debut at the Co-op Live this month, the showcase features special edition frames and more, all pride of place in the middle of the train station.
This collection, simply entitled ‘A Microdot Design’, is all done by the legendary Brian Cannon, the graphic designer and art director behind so much recognisable visual material within the genre.
We recently had the honour of speaking to the man himself in person ahead of Piccadilly’s temporary closure; you can see our interview with him right here:
The Wigan-born artist and visionary didn’t just make promotional materials for some of the biggest bands in the 1990s; he’s responsible for what has gone on to become some of the most familiar iconography in British music history.
With this pop-up exhibit available for a limited time only, we strongly urge you to go along and, for once, take your time rather than rushing around the station as you peruse the boards placed right near the main entrance.
Charting his work from circa 1990 up until now, it’s crazy to see just how many of Brian and Microdot’s fingerprints are all over so many different bands and artists.
From native names like Oasis, The Verve and the Inspirals, as mentioned, as well as the likes of Cast, Super Furry Animals, Suede and Ash, plus so many more, this guy has been nothing short of prolific over the past few decades.
Audio North took a little tour of the King Street South unit last year in the lead-up to Oasis Live ’25 reunion world tour, and we felt like kids in a Britpop sweetshop.
While this site has sadly since closed, shutting up shop back in July, Brian’s mini, modest, but nevertheless magic Microdot Boutique up in the Lake District is still standing.
Located in the popular North West town and tourist attraction, Kendal, it’s worth a trip there to see more of his portfolio alone.
Currently on display at Manchester Piccadilly ahead of the full 2026 BRITs Week and shindig at Co-op Live, it’s one of the best completely free things you can do in town at the moment – but the exhibition finishes on Sunday, 1 March, so make sure you don’t miss it.
Speaking of the BRIT Awards, if you’re wondering what else is on as 0161 gets ready welcome them for their two-year stint (at least), look no further…
Emily Sergeant -
6th May 2021 
