Illustration conference and alumni exhibition

03-03-2010

The Leeds School of Contemporary Art and Graphic Design held an illustration conference 'Survive; Fight or Flight', in conjunction with the Association of Illustrators, at the Carriageworks on Thursday 11 March 2010. During the evening there was a preview of the linked exhibition of alumni illustration work.

Graduates from universities in Manchester, Birmingham and Sheffield attended the day-long pow-wow that saw constructive, practical and inspiring advice for potential artists.

Illustration has come to the fore in recent times through editorial work such as Clifford Harper and Benoit Jacques, children's book illustration like Quentin Blake and Sara Fanelli, fashion illustration like Jasper Goodall, music covers by artists such as Lizzie Finn and David Foldvari.

By nature illustrators often lead quite remote creative lives, furiously drawing, painting and collaging behind studio walls. The opportunities for illustrators and image-makers are seemingly expanding all the time, from newspapers and magazines to advertising, exhibition, window display and street art forms.
This can be a bewilderingly exciting but also potentially lonely and frustrating experience for prospective illustrators and graphic designers. If you then factor in a recession and a general sense of malaise where advertising budgets have been slashed, as well as software that promises to make anyone an artist - illustrators are often seen as the most expendable in this creative chain of command.

It was in response to this climate that the Leeds School of Contemporary Art and Graphic Design organised the Survive Illustration Conference; Fight or Flight. The conference bought together prominent illustrators and artists as well as clients, commissioners and agents to discuss and identify ways in which young art and design graduates can both gain a foothold and maintain a living in the industry.

Alumni Exhibition
Broadcasting Place Exhibition Space

The launch of the linked exhibition of illustration work by BA (Hons) Graphic Arts and Design alumni, at Broadcasting Place took place during the evening of Thursday 11 March and the exhibition was open for public viewing from 12 to 31 March, Monday - Friday, 9am - 6pm.

For more information contact Alice Morgan on 0113 81 23329 or email A.H.Morgan@leedsmet.ac.uk.