XR/DM Takeover: Creatives prove that change can happen

It was a day to remember last Thursday in the New Adelphi when over two hundred students came together to celebrate creativity and the impact it can have on global issues at our XR/DM Takeover.

The School of Arts and Media and Design Manchester 2019 joined forces with Extinction Rebellion’s Art Group for a day of debates and practical workshops, focusing on current environmental topics and how creative thinkers can make a difference.

The day started bright and early in the New Adelphi Theatre, with opening remarks from Extinction Rebellion’s Art Group’s Clive Russell and our Director of Art and Design and chair for the day, Rosie Miller. Students packed into the theatre to hear how creativity can influence social change, before being set forth to experience the range of inspired workshops and activities taking place throughout the day.

Joanne Greenhalgh, Lecturer in Graphic Design, told us how the idea for event came about after meeting up with Malcolm Garrett, Co-founder of Design Manchester, last summer:

“I’d known Malcolm for a while and we chatted about doing something really big and bold here on campus. He had links with Extinction Rebellion’s Art Group and the idea just kind of grew from there.

“It’s great the students are engaged – they’re looking at the impact of climate change and creating art that responds to that. The most exciting thing is that so many people wanted to get involved when we said we were doing this.”

Malcolm Garrett, Co-founder of Design Manchester, echoed Joanne’s views, commenting:“It’s fantastic that the event has organically grown and students from all around the UK have joined us today. It’s all about realigning the way students think about doing things – that’s the takeaway from the day.”

The building was a hive of activity, with School of Arts and Media and visiting students from across the UK getting a taste how creativity can facilitate imaginative reactions to climate change. There were plenty activities to get involved in - poster workshops, punk publishing sessions, creative writing lessons and sustainable fashion workshops to name a few.

The centrepiece for the day was a stunning structure in the atrium, carefully curated by Glastonbury Festival’s Shangri-La Creative Director and Build Manager working with our Film, TV and Stage Design students. They produced a large-scale installation using found objects and students’ work created on the day, on display until 5 December.

Creative Director, Kaye Dunnings said:“Our whole ethos at Shangri-La is about reusing and recycling, we generally try to use reclaimed materials in everything that we do. The physical act of creating something is an act of rebellion so it’s been our whole ethos forever.”

“We were asked to come along to the Takeover to build the centrepiece – today is a real celebration. The more people collaborate and create the more we will see happen and change.”

The Takeover was a huge success, with students leaving campus feeling inspired and empowered to use creativity for change.