Selling Manchester: the city’s finest festival + event art at Bench Self Made Gallery

Ahead of Selling Manchester, an exhibition opening this week, we ask local designer and participant Dave Sedgwick what this group show is all about…

Following on from the Sketch City showcase last month, this new show at Bench Self Made Gallery traces the evolution of poster, flyer and digital art for Manchester’s major events and festivals. Work from the likes of Pin’s Paul Hemmingfield (who has produced campaigns for Parklife and The Warehouse Project, including these iconic doves, pictured, as well as Now Wave’s circle posters) and freelance illustrator David Bailey (displaying work from Sounds From The Other City, including this year’s cat poster), as well as promotional material designed for BCNMCR by myself, will be on display. I find that working on festival and exhibition branding can often be a rewarding and interesting experience. This was particularly true of BCNMCR; the first time I had been in full creative control of the process. There’s another aspect to this event too, as throughout April and May, Manchester School of Art is taking over the gallery with their Unit X Festival. The students’ brief is to plan the ultimate festival of Manchester, from design process right through to the event itself. Hopefully they will be inspired at least in part by the work on the walls around them.

Fri 26 Apr – Sun 12 May, private view Thu 25 Apr, Bench Self Made Gallery, beneath the Bench store, 59 Church Street, M4 1PD, private view only 6pm-8pm, then Mon to Sat 10am – 7pm, Sun 11am – 5pm, FREE, www.facebook.com/groups/selfmadegallery, @bench_clothing, www.benchselfmade.com