Earlier this month, we had the pleasure of welcoming back the trustees of the Haworth Charitable Trust, Rebecca and Sarah, to witness the Life Drawing exhibition. The exhibition is a culmination of the Life Drawing classes managed by the BA (Hons) Fine Art programme, and it is now in its tenth year. Thanks to the Haworth Trust, the school hosts a Life Class for 20 weeks each academic year on Wednesday afternoons, along with 10 specialists ‘Masterclasses’ held on alternate Wednesday mornings.
This year, the classes saw approximately 110 students from 10 programmes from the School of Arts, Media and Creative Technologies. Once again, the classes were taught by Manchester artist, Greg Fenwick. Greg is a terrific teacher, with lots of experience as an artist. His work is collected worldwide, and he regularly works with the BBC, Netflix and Amazon. The students always respond positively to Greg’s teaching and guidance.
Established by Jeremy Haworth in 1990, the Haworth Trust has been a vital source of financial support for young, talented individuals aspiring to careers in the arts, especially in painting and music. Jeremy Haworth’s vision was to create opportunities for emerging artists to develop their skills and gain exposure, and his legacy continues to inspire and support students today. Jeremy, was a close friend of the celebrated Salford-born artist, Harold Riley, and indeed he was called in to deliver a masterclass to our students in the early years. The exhibition was held once again in the New Adelphi building, the creative heart of the School of Art, Media, and Creative Technology and was a celebration of student talent and achievement, with prizes awarded to outstanding participants. This year’s exhibition was particularly significant as we celebrated a major milestone: the Haworth Charitable Trust’s very generous support has allowed us to support more than 1,500 students over the past decade, providing them with opportunities to advance their artistic careers.
‘The funding from Haworth Charitable Trust has improved my Fine Art practice tremendously! I have thoroughly enjoyed the Life Drawing classes and have really appreciated the paper and drawing tools provided; my favourite being the oil pastels. I also loved the life sculpture class and hope there will be more opportunities to participate in this class in the future. Thank you for making my degree experience amazing!’ said Gracie, a participant in the programme.
The exhibition featured a variety of impressive works, showcasing the diverse talents of the students. Highlights included, Hoi Yan Pang, Greg says they were a standout student, consistently attending the session throughout the year, sometimes attending both morning and afternoon sessions. They demonstrated a high level of engagement and dedication to the classes the supportive environment created. Additionally, Robert McLeod – who won a Highly Commended prize both last year and this year, has just been filmed for Sky Art Portrait Artist of the Year. The episode has been filmed and will be out later in 2025.
Dr. Angela Tait, Academic Fellow for Fine Art, says, ‘My favourite addition to the programme is the life sculpture classes. To offer that to students is quite an undertaking. It’s expensive and messy and needs extra preparation, materials and planning. It was hard work, but totally worth it to give the students that additional experience.’
Overall, the event was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the students and the unwavering support of the Haworth Charitable Trust. We look forward to many more years of collaboration and artistic excellence.
