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Fair's Fayre: a collaboration between Post-Grad Community and UAL's Climate Emergency Network

Public in the market area
  • Written byFred Kavanagh
  • Published date 09 May 2023
Public in the market area
Image: Fred Kavanagh

Post-Grad Community and UAL’s Climate Emergency Network joined forces to co-curate FAIR’S FAYRE, a hand-picked selection of the artists, makers, thinkers, and creators working in the field of climate action and community building.

During Earth Day weekend (21-23 April 2023), Canopy Market played host to aselection of stallholders, celebrating the eco-centric creations and ideas of UAL’s postgraduate community.

Stallholder showcasing artworks
Image: UAL Central Communications

A Just Workshop

In the buildup to the weekend, Post-Grad Community collaborated with Not Just a Shop to present, A Just Workshop. Devised and delivered by Zoë Tynan-Campbell (Careers and Employability), this hour-long session invited each applicant to address and articulate their decision-making processes that make an ethically and economically viable business. Together, the workshop delved into the principles of sustainability, and how it is applied in the critical tensions of creativity, business, and industry.

What does sustainable and responsible business mean to you?

It’s about exploring and showing leadership. Applying circular economy principles and being regenerative where possible. I.e., business not as usual. People and planet over profit, and creating social and environmental good.

— Shana Tufail, MBA student, Post-Grad Community Ambassador, and and founder of Model My City
Theres a lot of pressure to be doing and fixing everything, while upending the way we operate in every aspect of our lives, and that can be really prohibitive and stop people doing anything, but actually if lots of people are cumulatively making change, then that’s as valid and as important. You need to think about the limitations of what we’re doing and what world we’re operating in

— Zoë Tynan-Campbell, Enterprise in the Curriculum Specialist, UAL
There has to be a sense of future proofing in what we’re doing. Whether it’s through your practice or your social enterprise, if you have ambitions to make change in the next year, 2 years, or 10 years, then you must sustain yourself through that period in order to recognise and accomplish those changes

— Fred Kavanagh, Post-Grad Community and Events Coordinator and Events Producer for Climate Emergency Network

As well as being an opportunity to network and share ideas with likeminded postgraduates, workshop findings informed the selection process, and 4 artists/social enterprises were chosen to showcase and sell their works.

FAIR'S FAYRE

Shana Tufail

Model My City: showcases localised urban models to inspire a new wave of sustainable living and working, and bring the UN Sustainable Development Goals to life. Through this nominated pilot, Shana tells stories about regenerative and circular business practices while collaboratively exploring and challenging our consumption habits.

Stallholder showcasing artworks
Image: Fred Kavanagh
Public engagement piece on the stalls
Image: Fred Kavanagh

Kate Shorey and Sophie Anna Gibbings

Regenerative Offerings: Kate and Sophie's handmade offerings include flower petal and mushoom paper journals and cards, limited edition prints, cyanotype bandanas and tote bags, small print book editions, and one of a kind artworks. All offerings are made in collaboration with Earth's materials.

Stallholder showcasing artworks
Image: UAL Central Communications
Stallholder showcasing artworks
Image: Fred Kavanagh

Lilis Liu

Lilis'sly: Lilis’ works with ceramics made from clay/mud, procured in a natural and organic manner and made into things for people’s daily lives. The illustration or shapes Lilis transfers onto her ceramics are about the relationship between nature and human. It is through this material and conceptual relationship that people can learn or feel the artistic and practical value of using clay.

Stallholder showcasing artworks
Image: UAL Central Communications
Stallholder showcasing artworks
Image: UAL Central Communications

Liu Wenjie (Dao)

Daoarts: a brand in the making with a diverse range of formats that incorporates illustration, 3D art, sculpture and ceramics.

Stallholder showcasing artworks
Image: UAL Central Communications
Stallholder showcasing artworks
Image: Fred Kavanagh

FAIR’S FAYRE was part of Climate Emergency Network’s Earth Day programming, taking place across University of the Arts London and Kings Cross. It was a collective exploration on how creativity and community can inspire action and help us identify socially just responses to the impacts of climate and ecological change.

With special thanks to all of the postgraduate applicants, Climate Emergency Network, Canopy Market, Not Just a Shop, UAL Careers and Employability, and UAL's Central Communications team.

Related links

Post-Grad Stories

A thriving online magazine of our postgraduate student voices sharing thought-provoking experiences, practices, thoughts and articles about what matters to them.

Download the PDF Guide to writing articles for Post-Grad Stories

Want to write an article? Get in touch with the Post-Grad Community team PGCommunity@arts.ac.uk

About UAL Post-Grad Community

UAL is home to more than 2,400 postgraduate students working across the fields of art, design, screen, communication, fashion, media and performance.  Within our six world-renowned colleges, we aim to form a creative network of artists, designers and innovators.

Post-Grad Community is an inclusive platform for UAL postgraduate students to share work, find opportunities and connect with other creatives within the University and beyond.

UAL Post-Grad Community

Established in 2013, Post-Grad Community is an inclusive platform for all UAL postgraduate students to share work, find opportunities and connect with other creatives within the UAL and beyond. Find out more