‘The Art of Research’: Co-produced Street Art

The event is presented by The University of Manchester’s Research Platforms: Creative Manchester, Digital Futures, Healthier Futures and Sustainable Futures, and forms part of the Manchester ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024.

This event will showcase a unique art installation, created by four talented artists, who worked with communities of academics to communicate research through the means of street art.

You will have the opportunity to hear from the street artists, creative producer, and academics, who will share their experiences. Attendees will also gain insights into the rewards and challenges of participatory research.

Before and after the panel, attendees will be able to view the exhibition, and you can join us for a hands-on creative workshop where you can try your hand at street art. This event is ideal for anyone interested in artistic methods, urban art, and community-engaged research practices.

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the intersection of art and research in a vibrant, interactive setting!

Panel:

John McAuliffe, Chair

Professor of Poetry and Director of Creative Manchester

John McAuliffe is a professor of poetry and director of the Creative Manchester research platform, which develops and co-ordinates interdisciplinary research focused on creative industries; creativity, health and wellbeing; and creative and civic futures. At the University of Manchester, he previously co-founded and directed the Centre for New Writing (2007-2021), and he remains co-director. He has published six books with The Gallery Press, including Selected Poems (2021), named an Observer book of the year. He served on the Irish Arts Council from 2013-2018 as deputy director and chair of council strategy. He is associate publisher at the independent poetry press Carcanet, and a trustee of Manchester's UNESCO City of Literature.

Oskar with a K

Oskar with a K is a Manchester-based muralist with a background in graffiti and graphic design. His work blends both disciplines, resulting in large-scale typographic work. Over the years, his interest in public art has evolved into a full-time creative career, including delivering mural workshops and lecturing. Oskar is passionate about creating art in public spaces, engaging with the community, and enhancing cityscapes through thoughtful design.

LinkedIn: Oskar Withak

Instagram: @oskarwitha.k

Cookie Love - Folie Art and Design

Cookie Love is a multidisciplinary artist known for embracing creative expression across various mediums, including Face and Body Painting, Art and Design, Murals, Spoken Word, and fronting a punk band. Under the moniker FOLIE, Cookie embodies the mantra 'madness to the method,' reflecting a deep connection to flow state and mental health. Inspired by the contrast between positive and negative spaces, FOLIE predominantly works in black and white, utilising precise techniques with pens and paint. Drawing influence from medieval, art nouveau, blackwork, and woodcut styles, their art evokes a visual journey through time and tradition. With a portfolio that spans passion and a wide emotional range, FOLIE boldly explores the boundaries of artistic expression and creativity.

Instagram:

Facebook: Folieartanddesign

Sophie Macauley, Creative Producer, Grit Studios

Co-Founder of Art Battle Manchester and GRIT Studios, Sophie Macaulay has spent over a decade working closely with the cities creatives - organising Paint Jams, community murals and commercial projects.

Her interest in community-based art was kick started as a youngster, when she would visit family in Belfast and see the huge murals around the city.

Her work largely focuses on finding affordable studio space for creatives and supporting artists them to inject creativity into communities, to help restore pride in people and the places they live.

Birte Vogel

Senior Lecturer in Peace & Conflict Studies, Humanitarian Conflict Response Institute

I am the Deputy Director and Senior Lecturer in Humanitarianism, Peace, and Conflict Studies at HCRI. I joined HCRI in 2016 after completing my PhD there in 2014. I hold an MLitt in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of St Andrews and a Bachelor’s in Economics and Political Science from the University of Münster.

My research focuses on the economic dimensions of international interventions, ethics of knowledge production in conflict-affected societies, and the arts in peace and conflict. I have co-edited three books and led various research projects, including those funded by the British Academy and AHRC.

Peter Wade

Professor of Social Anthropology

Peter Wade is Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Manchester. His recent publications include Degrees of Mixture, Degrees of Freedom: Genomics, Multiculturalism and Race in Latin America (Duke University Press, 2017), and Against Racism: Organizing for Social Change in Latin America (edited with Mónica Moreno Figueroa, Pittsburgh University Press, 2022). He has co-directed a project on “Latin American Antiracism in a ‘Post-Racial’ Age” (2017-19), directed a project on “Cultures of Anti-Racism in Latin America” (2020-23), and is co-investigator on a project titled “Comics and Race in Latin America” (2021-24).

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Contact Theatre, Space 0, Oxford Road, Manchester, United Kingdom