Vulnerable adults collaborate with Sheffield artists on work for Pete McKee exhibition

Vulnerable adults are being given the opportunity to learn new skills through a screen print social enterprise that has recently collaborated with Sheffield artists on work commissioned by Pete McKee for his latest exhibition.
Pete McKee (centre) pictured with people involved in Printed by Us at the opening night of his This Class Works exhibitionPete McKee (centre) pictured with people involved in Printed by Us at the opening night of his This Class Works exhibition
Pete McKee (centre) pictured with people involved in Printed by Us at the opening night of his This Class Works exhibition

Printed by Us, set up by Just Works as part of a Cathedral Archer Project initiative, supports vulnerable Sheffield adults towards employment through their screen printing business, which works with some of the city's finest creatives on unique artwork.

'This Class Works is Pete McKee's first exhibition since undergoing a lifesaving liver transplant and is described as an 'exploration and celebration of the working class'.

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In addition to featuring his own work on the subject, Pete has also invited other artists to produce their own interpretation of the exhibition's themes.

Some of the work created for the exhibitionSome of the work created for the exhibition
Some of the work created for the exhibition

As part of that, Printed by Us has worked with nine Sheffield artists to produce prints as part of a fictional brief which seeks to satirise the methods used by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government to garner working-class support for their policies.

Artists were asked to use the following themes in their work: education; welfare; environment; work safety; healthcare; homelessness; food banks; off-shore investments, which are now on display at the exhibition at 92 Burton Road, Neepsend.

Programme Manager at Just Works, Terry Murphy, explained: "The title of the brief was 'The Department of Wealth and Privilege'. Nine local artists were commissioned to produce a design.

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"We were then commissioned to produce a limited run (10 copies of each). Our team hand screen printed the work in collaboration with Sheffield Print Club. A copy of each is now on display at "This Class Works" where copies are for sale at £150.

"All our employees are paid the real living wage for work they do and any surplus generated is reinvested back into their support."

The Sheffield artists involved in the collaboration were Kid Acne, Nick Deakin, Pete & Paul, Nick Bax, Patrick Murphy, Field Design, Dust, Jon Cannon and Caffeteria Studio.

Prints emblazoned with slogans of 'National distrust,' and 'common as *uck' along with an imagined Sun headline of 'good riddance to arty-farty teachers' featured on the unique art work produced for the exhibition.

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The exhibition started its 16-day run on July 14, and has proved popular with art lovers with many of its two-hour time slots selling out.

Printed by Us has also recently been commissioned to produce prints, t-shirts, mugs and totes for prominent Sheffield business including Our Cow Molly and Henderson's Relish.

Terry added: "We've also recently collaborated with Rich Wells, Creative Director at Yoomee, to create a fictional society, "The Peak District Appreciation Society". We've produced a range of t-shirts. The premise behind the idea is that going to open countryside spaces like the Peaks have a positive impact on mental health, which particular resonates with the vulnerable adults we work with."

This Class Works runs until July 29, and visitors need to buy a ticket and book a two-hour time slot. Opening hours will be 4pm to 9pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 8pm at weekends. Tickets, costing £5 each including an exhibition programme, go on sale on Friday at 10am. Under 12s go free and there is limited availability for school trips.

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Click here, call 0114 263 1000 or visit McKee's gallery A Month Of Sundays, on Sharrow Vale Road, in person to book.

The Cathedral Archer Project is a charity which supports homeless people in Sheffield.