We partnered with 87 Gallery, Hull to curate the exhibition 'It’s a joy to be here’.

The exhibition brought together six working-class artists from around the UK. Collectively, the artists draw on the history and traditional processes of craft whilst conceptually exploring the nuance of personal narrative. Many of the artists do this through the use of materials that are immediately available, reused or altered, together challenging stereotypes around gender, class and DIY approaches. By celebrating methods often associated with the working class, such as textiles and metalwork, the work provokes questions around the hierarchies within artistic practice. When brought together these pieces open up a dialogue between artists from the North and the South of the UK and capture the power in the community, reinforcing the idea of there being strength in numbers. The exhibition considers how our experiences, working-class histories and identities can both set us apart and unite us. It also celebrates the collective joy of learning, loving, community and collaboration.

Exhibiting artists were Ben Brumpton (based in Manchester), Charlotte Cullen (based in Leeds), Daniel Fountain (based in Exeter), Grace Clifford (based in Sheffield) Sam Batley (based in Liverpool) and Stephanie Francis-Shanahan (based in London).

Alongside the Exhibition we worked with 87 gallery to programme workshops, talks and screenings.