After announcing that it would be expanding its Great Northerner’s exhibition to honour and celebrate the city’s black and ethnic minority communities last month, Great Northern has selected a shortlist from a great number of worthy nominations which can be voted for by the public.
Unveiled at the 19th Century railway warehouse turned entertainment powerhouse in 2017, the exhibition asked the public to vote for influential local figures that helped put the ‘great’ in Greater Manchester to be celebrated via a set of artwork. From Alan Turing to Emmeline Pankhurst, LS Lowry to Liam Gallagher, the current exhibition, created by Stanley Chow, pays homage to several examples of the region’s most iconic figures.
In October, coinciding with wider celebrations across the city for Black History Month, the Great Northern asked the public to nominate inspiring and iconic Mancunians from black and ethnic minority backgrounds, as part of its commitment to expanding its exhibition to better represent the history and diversity of Manchester and its residents.
After over 50 nominations, the public are now able to vote from a shortlist of six, with the top four being created by artist, Stanley Chow, and unveiled at the Great Northern later this year.
The shortlisted Great Northerners are:
- Erinma Bell, a peace activist recognised for her work tackling gun crime in Manchester
- Sir Arthur Lewis, University of Manchester lecturer and 1979 Nobel Prize winner
- Diane Modahl MBE, Olympic and Commonwealth athlete
- Lemn Sissay, poet and Chancellor of Manchester University
- Marcus Rashford, footballer and anti-poverty campaigner
- Phil Martin, boxer and founder of Champs Camp, Moss Side
The public have until 15th November 2020 to vote for their favourite Great Northerner and can do so here – https://form.jotform.com/203103230349340