This summer, Manchester is celebrating its legendary music scene and People’s History Museum (PHM) is thrilled to be part of the line-up. Taking over streets, galleries, museums, window displays and more will be Music for the Senses (Monday 7 July to Sunday 31 August): an art trail that features more than 50 decorated guitars, including Music is Hope designed by artist Ella Masters, which will be on display at PHM. Music for the Senses is a collaboration between global art producer Wild in Art and Manchester City Council.
Taking its place in the welcome entrance of People’s History Museum, the Music is Hope guitar has been decorated in vibrant colours and exudes energy, with figures dancing, playing and listening to music amongst flowers, bees and nature. It offers a joyful welcome to PHM and a message of inclusivity that flows throughout the museum.
Ella Masters is an award winning freelance illustrator with a background in fine art. London born, she lives in Warrington where she works out of her studio whilst raising her three year old autistic daughter, Winnie. Ella is commissioned by global brands and in her own work is inspired by nature, tattoos and the everyday, with a love for bold patterns and intricate shapes. Music is Hope represents the power of music that Ella sees creating connections of love between Winnie and her grandfather, who ran Legends club in Warrington during the 1990s. Together the two listen and dance to tracks from this iconic time in Manchester’s musical history.
Ella Masters, artist and creator of Music is Hope, says, “I was overjoyed to discover my design had been picked by People’s History Museum. The design has a very personal story involving my autistic three year old daughter Winnie and how music gives her the ability to communicate her feelings when sometimes words are hard to come by. I knew People’s History Museum would embrace the inclusivity and joy that my artwork was trying to evoke – that music is for everyone.
“Music has played a big part in our family, Winnie appears on the guitar dancing with her paternal grandfather in his music room, a place of safety, a place where they can bond. He uses his love of music on a deeper level to connect with Winnie, who is non-verbal and loves the noises and vibrations she can feel.”
Jenny Mabbott, Head of Collections & Engagement at People’s History Museum, says, “Music is one of the threads that runs through Manchester’s past, present and future, so to see the city join in this cultural celebration during a summer of huge musical happenings is very exciting. People’s History Museum is delighted to be a part of Music for the Senses and to be displaying Ella’s incredible work, which unites people in positivity and inclusivity. There will be so much to see and engage with for visitors and, importantly, the project’s legacy will be to support grassroots music in Manchester.”
Music for the Senses is an art arrangement for the people, places, moments and instruments of Manchester’s music scene. It takes place across Manchester from Monday 7 July to Sunday 31 August, with the trail leaflets available throughout the city, including at People’s History Museum. You can also download the Music for the Senses app and tick off your discoveries, find out interesting facts and reveal rewards.
At the end of the trail the decorated guitars will be displayed together at People’s History Museum in a special Music for the Senses exhibition, which runs from Saturday 6 September to Sunday 7 September. This will be the last chance to see them before they are auctioned to raise money to support grassroots music projects and venues throughout Greater Manchester via a dedicated music fund managed by Forever Manchester, Music for the Senses’ charity partner, in collaboration with Manchester Music City.
People’s History Museum’s opening hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm, every day except Tuesdays. Museum entry is free, with most visitors donating £10. To find out about visiting PHM, its full exhibitions and events programme visit phm.org.uk and you can keep up to date with the latest news by signing up to receive PHM’s e-newsletter.
ENDS
For further information, to arrange a visit or interview please contact Fido PR:
laura.sullivan@fidopr.co.uk / clare.short@fidopr.co.uk
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About People’s History Museum
People’s History Museum (PHM) in Manchester is the UK’s national museum of democracy, telling the story of its development in Britain: past, present, and future. Through an eclectic and colourful mix of historic and contemporary collections, featuring banners, badges, posters, photography and more, the museum celebrates the radical stories of people coming together to champion ideas worth fighting for.
Offering an engaging programme of exhibitions and events, collaborating with communities to create authentic content, the museum is Family Friendly throughout – inspiring the next generation to be active citizens.
People’s History Museum encourages visitors to be empowered by the past to make a change for the future. We are all together in the fight for a fairer world.
About Arts Council England (ACE)
PHM is an Arts Council England (ACE) National Portfolio Organisation (NPO). The work of PHM is supported using public funding by ACE, the national development agency for creativity and culture. ACE have set out their strategic vision in Let’s Create that by 2030 they want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where every one of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences. From 2023 to 2026 they will invest over £467 million of public money from government and an estimated £250 million from The National Lottery each year to help support the sector and to deliver this vision.
About Wild in Art
Wild in Art is the leading producer of spectacular public art events that entertain, enrich, inform and leave a lasting legacy. It brings together businesses and creative sectors with schools and local communities through the creation of uniquely painted sculptures.
Since 2008 Wild in Art has animated cities across five continents and created trails for the London 2012 Olympics and the 2014 Commonwealth Games. In Manchester, Wild in Art has worked with partners to create the award-winning Bee in the City (2018), along with Read Manchester (2017), Walking with The Snowman (2018), 50 Windows of Creativity (2020), Our Year – We Made It (2022).
Wild in Art events have:
wildinart.co.uk | @wildinart | #wildinart
About Forever Manchester
Forever Manchester believe that connected communities make stronger, happier places. Since Forever Manchester was established in 1989 it has delivered over £65m into local communities, supporting over 1,300 community projects in Greater Manchester each year.
forevermanchester.com
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