It was a huge joy to work as one of the lead artists for the Burnage Parade 2026.
My role in the parade included facilitating a series of intergenerational community workshops, bringing local residents of all ages together to create 40 co-created textile banners to decorate the parade route.
Each textile piece was dedicated to a local person nominated by the community. Through the workshops, I created space for conversations around pride, celebration, belonging and what makes Burnage special. I hand-illustrated portraits of each nominated community member, alongside mixed-media portraits created by young people from local schools.
The 40 co-created banners were then digitally edited and printed, and are now being exhibited on 40 lampposts across Burnage for a full year, allowing the stories and contributions of local people to remain visible within the community long after the parade itself.
Alongside the community banner project, I also contributed to the festival branding and visual identity, creating illustrations that helped bring the overall celebration to life.
It was a particularly meaningful project to be part of — combining illustration, community participation and storytelling to celebrate the people and identity of Burnage.
