Introducing…. The Makers of Morley

Makers of Morley in the spotlight this May

A maker is someone who creates. Someone who’s curious, who wants to learn more. Someone who’s good with their hands, and interested in combining mediums in new and inventive ways.

And there are many makers at Morley…

So we’ve decided to spend the month of May – which includes London Craft Week too – celebrating the Makers of Morley.

Read on to discover how…

A journey through creativity 

With the flagship MADE exhibition commanding attention at the Morley Gallery (with MADE2 to follow later in the month), the excitement extends far beyond, with exhibitions taking place across the college, including in the Waterloo Centre’s Barry Till, Cardew and Foyer galleries, and at our North Kensington and Chelsea Centres too.

Visit the Stained Glass exhibition in the foyer of the Waterloo Centre, view items of sculpture and hand-crafted design in the new Chelsea Centre ‘hub’ space, or visit North Kensington for the first in a series of collaborations with artists local to the community around Portobello and Golborne Roads.

Morley x Brown Baby 

Morley has joined forces with local art collective Brown Baby, setting the stage for a collaboration that promises to redefine artistic boundaries.

Together, they’ll unveil a showcase at the North Kensington Centre for Skills taking place on Fridays and Saturdays from 17 May until 1 June, emphasising the community spirit that is such a part of our North Kensington ethos.

The exhibition will be co-curated by Toby Laurent Belson and Ron Best, two local artists with decades of experience between them of exhibitions and teaching in the local area.

Inspiring individuals

The Makers of Morley will also shine a light on examples of creative excellence from amongst the student and tutor community.

An early example comes from the Chelsea Centre for Creative Industries in the shape of millinery students Kate McGinlay, Julia Lewis and Roberta Cucuzza, who have each been recognised in the recent Feltmakers Design Awards 2024.

The competition, open to millinery enthusiasts worldwide, emphasises innovation and craftsmanship, with entrants encouraged to explore diverse techniques and styles.

With Kate securing 2nd place, Julia claiming 3rd, and Roberta honoured for Innovative Use of Felt – not to mention commendations for two fellow students – there’s plenty of evidence that the college’s Millinery courses are in rude health.

“To be validated by leading people in the industry in this way has given me such a boost – I finally feel confident that my decision to follow this career path was the right one,” said Kate McGinlay.

Makers of Morley: a handy guide

Our new Makers of Morley brochure is now available – both online here and in print across all our centres.

It features exhibitions and activities that are being showcased this year including Surface Design HND Ceramics, Familiar; Unfamiliar, Stained Glass Morley, an explainer about Waterloo’s new Fifth Plinth sculpture, and a podcast by Morley Radio to name a few.

The X of Morley

What are the “X factors” that define life at Morley College London? The X of Morley is a campaign that’s on a mission to find out…it’ll shine a light on the uniqueness that is Morley College London.

From “Artists” to “Performers” and now “Makers” too, keep an eye out over the coming months as we shine the spotlight on all that’s great about Morley.

The Makers of Morley runs until the end of May 2024.