As I write this welcome message, as a teacher, it is difficult to describe the continuing narrative of challenges that Arts education faces during a global pandemic. Fortunately, our students have found an eloquence of communication that articulates these days of shared history and experience in a distilled and profoundly moving exhibition. Together with our fellow UAL colleges across the breadth of the UK, The Manchester College have gathered the work of our 2020 students of all qualification levels into this collaborative space.

Problem solving, resilience, innovation and flexible thinking are useful in any emergency and our Art students have utilised the strengths of their creative humanity to navigate the interruption in their education. In lockdown homes across our city, students have used food trays as desks, bathrooms as darkrooms, paper as metal, built sheds as galleries, windows as protest and phones as computers to create the work presented here.

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At a time when the world has turned to art, culture and creativity for solace and nourishment, the value of our work shines and sustains. So, let us work together to ensure we protect art in society. Keep the focus, fight for art, build community, make things, share, invite people, include everyone, be proud.

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To all our students and students everywhere, thank you.

To all our teachers and teachers everywhere, thank you.

You are incredible. You are a collective work of art.

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Maria Foran

Head of Department Visual Arts

The Manchester College

Future Creatives 2020

Greater Mancunians

Postcards from the Edge 2020