Six Places in a Different Light

Greater Manchester
3 November 23  – 10 December 23
We Are Willow
Overview

Creative studio and multidisciplinary arts collective We are Willow collaborated with us to deliver ‘Six Places In A Different Light’. A series of six striking installations across Greater Manchester to promote mental health awareness and wellbeing.

The project was funded and supported by the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership, Salford City Council, The University of Salford, LandsecU+I and Arts Council England.

The series of decorated head sculptures were installed in Mayfield Park, Greengate Square, the University of Salford’s Peel Park Campus, Imperial War Museum North and MediaCity UK from 3 November – 10 December 2023.

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The aim was to engage with new audiences and connect with new communities through creativity, to encourage open conversation, embracing mental health in a different light.

‘A Different Light’ is a project that has been creatively evolving since its inception in 2016. The work originally featured four films, an album of music and spoken word and an edition of 300 bespoke mini head sculptures.

In this latest project, six large scale head sculptures were each be uniquely decorated by illustrator and community artist Kelly Ma, illustrator Tom J Newell and painter Ekun Richard.

They worked with mental health participants to generate inspiration for their work, all of which responded to We Are Willow’s specially written 12 track album of music and spoken word.

Find out more about We Are Willow

Where are they now?

Embrace by Kella Ma

Peel Park Campus, University of Salford

Questions by Ekun Richard

Waterside Arts Centre, Sale

Green Mind by Tom J Newell

The Turnpike Centre, Leigh

Journey by Kelly Ma

Mayfield Park, Manchester

Questions by Ekun Richard

Start Art Garden, Salford

Blue Mind by Tom J Newell

Hot House, Media City, Salford Quays

The Charities

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I’m honoured to be involved with this project. I love the way they’ve structured things with the concept of the workshops feeding into the final designs, and I had a really inspiring experience working with local Mind charities.

Tom Newell

Artist

This is such a wonderful project and collaboration to be a part of so I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to be working alongside We Are Willow, Wild In Art and incredible charity partner Jamie Horrocks Trust. I’m looking forward to it opening up more conversations around mental health awareness in Greater Manchester and hopefully beyond.

Kelly Ma

Artist

The importance of mental health has been really important to me, especially in more recent years, so working on this project with We Are Willow and Wild In Art made a lot of sense. It’s a great way to shine a light on this complex issue with different perspectives through art that can be enjoyed by the people of Greater Manchester.

Ekun Richard

Artist