Students deliver creative workshop for homelessness charity

Manchester School of Art post-graduate students Beverly Irving (MA Illustration) and Silvia Arranz (MA Graphic Design and Art Direction) have been working closely with homelessness support charity Mustard Tree to deliver creative workshops to individuals faced with poverty and homelessness. 

After volunteering with the charity, the Masters students collaborated with Creative Projects Coordinator Anoushka Gordon to implement an art workshop to take place alongside the 2018 MA show. The students chose to base the workshop around the theme of "Tea or coffee?", which explored the ideas of support, friendship and community which the charity delivers.

The art group participants had a fabulous time... thank you for giving the group a warm welcome and a positive experience

Beverly and Silvia said of the session: "We held clay workshops where we spoke about our ideas and through the clay, we worked together to create objects. Some created cups to continue the theme while others explored the material, but what was important was the coming together, and the conversation and exchanges."

The workshops were well received by the participants, as Anoushka explains: "The workshops have been a huge success and I am regularly asked by the participants when we will be having more clay workshops." She added that the students were "an absolute pleasure to work with" and that they had successfully "delivered high standard sessions with meaningful and engaging activities."

The partnership culminated in an exhibition at Mustard Tree's new headquarters, which included the objects created at the workshop, in addition to performances and additional works of art.

Speaking after the workshop, Anoushka stated: "I am looking forward to the exhibition in October and hopefully more future projects with the University"

Find out more about postgraduate study at Manchester School of Art: art.mmu.ac.uk/postgraduate