Set up by former art students Maddie and Natasha, Art For Our Sakes has cemented itself as a saving grace for budding artists and curators in the midst of Manchester’s unaffordable arts scene.
The pair met whilst working at Manchester’s barbecue and live music bar, The Blues Kitchen after graduating university. It’s true that student hospitality jobs are a breeding ground for creative collaborations, and as soon as Maddie and Natasha met, the idea for the exhibitions became a focal point of their friendship.
“We were both interested in art, I studied Art History at university and Natasha is an art grad, too, so we put our heads together when we saw an opportunity come up at Pot Kettle Black to host our own exhibition.
“It was an amazing opportunity for us, but also for the artists who we got on board. It gave them a totally free outlet to showcase their work without any barriers.”
Since then, Art For Our Sakes has hosted a further five exhibitions at various spaces across the city, all with the same ethos – a social celebration of art and creativity without the unaffordable price tag for those just starting out.
Their next event is taking place on 8th August at Seesaw Space on Princess Street from 6.30 – 9.30pm.
Featuring the work of a number of Manchester-based artists all with varying styles, the evening will also feature DJs, stalls, musicians and drinks to enjoy throughout the night.
The first release of artists who will showcase their work at at Art For Our Sake’s next event are Molly Goulding, Jasmine Gardner, Jas Sykes and Olivia K A.
Molly’s art style wavers between familiar and surreal natural forms, looking to disturb the structure of traditional landscape paintings. Her aim is to induce a feeling of being lost within a space and uses large strokes of intense natural colours to unsettle and intrigue onlookers.
Jasmine’s work offers a different approach to design, using in-your-face neon colours and a psychedelic look into the world of Chinese folklore, myths and craft. Her art form has been inspired by her experiences of being from China and growing up in the UK – exploring cultural diaspora has allowed her to perceive the ongoing xenophobic and racist arrogances towards the Asian community through both the Eastern and Western eye.
The third artist making up the line-up is Jas Sykes. Her style uses colour as its main protagonist addressing the uncomfortable dualities within the post-postmodern condition. Using predominantly oil pastel on paper, her art is bold and captivating, often incorporating the human form in dynamic, surreal ways.
Another artist showcasing their talents at the next Art For Our Sakes event is Olivia K A. Alongside Jas, she is part of Manchester-based art collective, In The Flesh Studios, and her art is heavily focused on the juxtaposition of everyday settings with striking colours and faceless silhouettes.
“Everyone is very welcome to sell their art at our events, too,” furthered Maddie. “A lot of people bring prints, jewellery or something similar and that’s often what sells the most. We have no intention of charging artists for anything – we don’t charge commission, we make all of our profit from ticket sales and even then, we keep that price very low.”
Art For Our Sakes’ next event on the 8th of August is already booked up with artists, but if you’re looking to get involved in the next event Maddie and Natasha are hosting drop Art For Our Sakes an email at afosmcr@gmail.com.
Tickets are on sale now for Art For Our Sakes at Seesaw Space for £3.
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Art For Our Sakes
Date: Monday 8th August
Time: 6.30pm – 9.30pm
Venue: Seesaw Space
Price: £3
