What do a warehouseman, script writer, supermarket worker and waitress have in common? They are all members of the Ordsall Arts Collective.
When they are not earning their living in the workplace, they are creating artworks ranging from intricate cityscapes to surrealistic portraits; from conceptual fabric designs to handmade ceramics.
And their work is being showcased at the Lowry Outlet Mall shopping centre on Salford Quays over the next two weekends (Fri-Sun, August 14- 15; Fri-Sun, August 21-23).
The Collective was conceived by Ronnie Crowther, 44, who works night shifts at Sainsbury’s, and is part of the Ideas4Ordsall project, organised by the University of Salford.
“There is a lot of artistic talent in Ordsall that goes completely unnoticed and it was my idea to create a platform to get that talent recognised,” said Ronnie a 44-year-old father of two teenage children.
“The work of the Collective is of a very high standard and we wanted somewhere to say ‘we are here and look at what we can do’.
“These people should be making a proper living out of their work and hopefully this can help them take the next step.
“The majority of the Collective members are qualified artists but more than half of them work full time to pay the bills and the others are self employed but still work part-time to vastly supplement their incomes.”
So far the Collective has showcased its work at OnThe7th, an exclusive members club at Media City, and is preparing an exhibition for Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre.
But the “Pop Up Shop” at the Lowry Outlet Mall will give the artists the opportunity to sell their work.
“We had some fantastic feedback from OnThe7th and since then the Lowry have offered us a unit next to the cinema on the first floor.
“The Lowry Outlet has been very supportive and we hope this can be a stepping stone for our artists.”
You can view the work of the Ordsall Art Collective on their website
