Corn Exchange and Mancsy create mural of Mancunian heroes for charity

It’s Valentine’s Day this weekend, and to celebrate, The Corn Exchange is set to reveal a brand new mural by local artist Mancsy.

Called Messages from Manchester, the mural of recognisable Mancunian faces will help to send messages of love from the city as well as to celebrate a number of local famous faces we’ve fallen in love with throughout history.

The mural will be unveiled next door to Salvi’s Italian restaurant, and features a variety of inspiring messages including ‘be honest and kind’, ‘be true to who you are’, and ‘keep buzzing’ – all guaranteed to bring a smile to residents’ faces.

The faces featured on the mural were carefully chosen following a social media poll which asked followers to suggest their Manchester heroes. 

A vast list of inspiring people was proffered, and Mancsy selected a group of well-known faces – some who have featured in his work before.

Those selected span time but reveal something special about the character of the industrious and creative hive that is Manchester, from codebreakers and campaigners to comics and creatives.

Emmeline Pankhurst, James Joules, Les Dawson, Tony Wilson, Alan Turing, Rowetta, Caroline Aherne and Foo Foo Lamar all make an appearance.

“I was thrilled to be asked by The Corn Exchange to be involved with this Valentine’s Day project and I’m very excited to be helping the residents of Manchester beat the lockdown blues and bring some positivity to the city,” says Mancsy, who is known for his finder’s keeper’s art giveaways, social activism for homelessness awareness and charity work.

“I really wanted to convey in my art the history of Manchester, showcasing the people that made it great, as well as give people hope that the city will soon be buzzing again soon with little motivational quotes.”

As well as a digital landing page on the Corn Exchange website where people can donate to the We Love MCR charity, the mural will also feature a QR code that passers-by or those using the mural for an Instagram-moment can scan to donate.

The Corn Exchange chose to support We Love MCR due to the support it offers local causes throughout Manchester’s communities, as well as its sheer determination to keep our city thriving.

“In previous years, the Corn Exchange has been filled with couples enjoying romantic meals on Valentine’s Day,” says general manager Liam Mooney.

“With lockdown making things very different this year, we wanted to celebrate by showing our love for Manchester with our very own love letter to the city and its amazing residents throughout history.

“That’s why we partnered with an iconic local based artist to create a mural that can inspire and delight city residents during their daily walks or while they run essential errands. 

“We can’t wait to see the reaction on social media and hope to raise some funds to support the amazing work of We Love MCR in the process too.”

You can find out more and donate here.