A series celebrating Greater Manchester's legends, from Oasis to an Oldham rugby star and even our Failsworth MP, is coming in an iconic exhibition in Manchester next month.
Photography students from The Manchester College have been busy snapping pictures of some of Manchester's most famous and influential people at several locations across the city.
The 150 college students took photographs of more than 100 contributors, including musicians Noel Gallagher, singer-songwriter and co-vocalist of Oasis, Johnny Marr, lead guitarist for The Smiths, and Clint Boon, who not only hails from Oldham but had a successful DJ career alongside playing keyboard for The Inspiral Carpets.
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Athletes also feature in the series, including Ricky Hatton, Diane Modahl and Oldham's hero, Kevin Sinfield.
Noel Gallagher can be seen posing outside India House on Whitworth Street where he used to live and where, crucially, two Oasis albums were born.
Speaking about the significance of the building, Noel said: "India House is literally ground zero in the story of my musical life.
"I moved into a flat there with my then girlfriend around 1989 - broke and bored!
"By the time I left in 1993, I’d joined my little brother’s band and had written Live Forever and Rock ‘n’ Roll Star.
Another of the featured guests is writer, actor and the voice of Gogglebox, Craig Cash.
Craig added: "We’re all shaped by this inspirational place in which we’ve lived, and by the people who inhabit it.
"Hopefully we’ll have made our own mark on it. Dare I say, even changed it a little?
"So, the next generation of Greater Mancunians can pick up the baton, run with it and change in some more.
"I’m sure these excellent photography students will do just that.
"The cultural evolution of Greater Manchester is in safe hands.”
The 'Greater Mancunians' project was launched in 2017 when student, Harry Yeates, captured an image of John Cooper Clarke as part of his final year project.
His photography tutor, Harry Potts, encouraged other students to think of more people who were born and bred in Greater Manchester, or people who have made it their home and, in some way, have had an impact on the region's culture.
From this initial idea, the College started inviting a selection of musicians, actors, comedians, sportspeople, entertainers, politicians, artists, poets and community heroes to be photographed in a location of their choosing.
Local politicians are also snapped in the series, including the Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, and the Failsworth and Ashton MP, Angela Rayner.
Students have also managed to capture actresses, Maxine Peake and Julie Hesmondhalgh, who have been vocal in their fight to 'save' Oldham Coliseum from permanent closure.
In an exclusive interview with The Oldham Times, Maxine Peake called the former 136-year-old building on Fairbottom Street a 'beacon'.
Meanwhile, Julie donned panto gear and took to the streets in a fresh effort to shed light on the campaign.
The series also pages homage to some famous Manchester artists, including the late Tony Husband, who held an exhibition of his life's work at Gallery Oldham before his sudden passing in October last year, alongside Stan Chow and AKSE P19.
There is also a plethora of local figures, including Jonathan Warburton, Simon Martin and Professor Erinma Bell MBE, who feature in the exhibition.
Before long, it became obvious that an important body of work was being created.
Manchester College photography tutor, Harry Potts, said: “Greater Mancunians has been seven years in the making and we are delighted that it has culminated in the amazing work of our student photographers being showcased in one of the city’s most iconic exhibition spaces.
"What started out as a mission to enable a student to achieve their aspirations and photograph one of their inspirations has grown into a social history photography project that truly highlights the unique place Manchester is, shining a light on the exceptional people who have both put the city on the map internationally and helped to shape it into the world-leading city it is today."
Rachel Curry, Principal at The Manchester College, added: “At The Manchester College we pride ourselves on ensuring that our students are able to reach their aspirational goals, develop the skills they will need for a rewarding career and provide them with the opportunities to work on industry-standard briefs and projects.
“Greater Mancunians perfectly encapsulates this and is a fantastic example of not only the enriching opportunities that our amazing staff provide for students who study with us but also the amazing talent that our students possess.
“The photographs in the exhibition are truly stunning and I am delighted that our students’ work will be on show for people from across the city and beyond to come and see for themselves.
"Everyone involved in the project can be incredibly proud of what they have achieved, and I would like to thank all of those people, from Harry Potts - who planted the seed of an idea for a project in 2017 and has nurtured and curated the ambition with care throughout the years it has run - to our wider talented photography teachers and technicians who made it possible.
"They have all given our students the skills and belief that they can achieve incredible things.
"And of course, the contributors who wanted to help us deliver the vision and it goes without saying the students, for making Greater Mancunians such a success.”
Now, members of the public are invited to see the exhibition for themselves at the iconic Central Library in Manchester from Friday, April 19 until Sunday, June 20.
If you have a story, I cover all things Oldham from food reviews and local business news to music and events, pubs, education, crime, property, health, community concerns and much more. Please email me at Olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk or send me a message on Twitter @Livbridge with your news.
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