Cornerstone Design and Marketing has helped a landmark photography project featuring the likes of Noel Gallagher, John Cooper Clarke and Steve Coogan to settle into its permanent new home.
Following a successful three-month exhibition at Manchester Central Library, The Manchester College student-led Greater Mancunians project – which features portraits of 118 people from all walks of life – has now taken up residence in the college’s state-of-the-art City Campus Manchester on Great Ducie Street and can be viewed by the public during term time.
The Oldham-based agency’s print and signage team were asked to produce and install an honourary contour cut vinyl decal next to the portraits, now adorning the campus foyer, which celebrates each subject’s achievements alongside a roll call of all the students involved.
For Cornerstone’s senior sign maker and installer, Stephen Gill, there was an extra reason to be delighted to do the work as he is a Manchester College alumnus, who studied art at the former Northenden campus in the 1990s.
“We were thrilled to be asked to support the installation and proud to be part of such a momentous and historic achievement by the college’s photography department and its students,” he said. “This was a fantastic opportunity to get back to my artistic roots to help celebrate a must-see body of work in an environment buzzing with creativity. This project is a real legacy, not just for those involved but also for the people featured and the impact they’ve had on both the social and creative aspects of Greater Manchester.
“It really aligns with Cornerstone’s ethos of inspiring and nurturing the talent of young people and those starting out on their chosen careers.”
Seven years in the making, the ground-breaking photography project was unveiled at the Central Library in April in front of many of the 120 student photographers who took part, as well as a number of the influential subjects themselves.
Among the famous and influential Greater Mancunians captured in the exhibition are comedian and actor Steve Coogan, actor and writer Craig Cash, comedian and actor Paddy McGuinness, Arena bomb survivor Martin Hibbert, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and peace activist and Moss Side councillor Professor Erinma Bell MBE.
College photography tutor and project lead Harry Potts, from Stalybridge, said: “We are so proud that The Manchester College Principal Rachel Curry has offered the project a permanent home at the City Campus Manchester – the college’s new Centre of Excellence for the Creative Arts.
“Twenty of the project’s 118 images are now on permanent display on the foyer’s giant exhibition wall and the images will be rotated every term, so in time, the full body of work can be viewed by students, visitors and members of the public.
“More importantly, it is set to inspire current and future photography and creative arts students for generations to come. Aside from Steve’s expertise in creating and installing the project de-cal, it is a fundamental part of the exhibition’s new, permanent home. It explains and encapsulates the Mancunian spirit of the project. That the contributors are people born, bred, or who have made Greater Manchester their home and have, in whatever way, shaped the city and its surrounding boroughs for the greater good, as well the origins of the project and all the young people involved.”
Gill and print room manager Sam Casey’s other recent work includes rebrand signage for Bolton Arena, a full rebrand across Everybody Health & Leisyre Centres in Cheshire East and digital signage for Manchester City Council.
