M3 Industries x SICK! Festival Case Study
During SICK! Festival 2024 – Where’s the media now..? we had the pleasure of working with M3 Industries and wanted to share our experience with our colleagues and peers across the sector.
M3 Industries are a Salford-based creative design company specialising in custom fabrication, 3D design and modelling, providing solutions to artists, designers and cultural organisation along with bespoke design and build services for large scale projects.
M3 Industries were approached due to their experience, sensibilities and likeminded attitude to support the design and build of the “SAFE Installation” as part of SICK! Festival 2024. SAFE was a headline public artwork for SICK! Festival 2024, installed in Harpurhey Shopping Centre throughout May 2024, that brought the hard work of a group of our Young Ambassadors to life. On SAFE Ambassadors said about the work created:
“Loved the installation. Warmest, nicest feeling that I was part of that”
Throughout 2023, the Young Ambassadors, a group of young people living in North Manchester, worked with artists Ria Righteous and Rachael Shore to explore themes of “safe” and “safety” and what makes young people living in Moston, Harpurhey and Charlestown feel safe and also not so safe. The group wanted to create a grotto-like creative “safe space”, a place for people to meet, talk and to be inspired.
M3 were brought onto the project to support the young people and artist with technical considerations, especially structural support, workshop space, health and safety and risk consultation.
M3 were outstanding problem solvers from the outset, identifying an appropriate pre-existing structure that could be repurposed and made of recycled materials (and environmentally friendly) that could be installed safely in the public space.
Due to M3’s strong experience of working with creatives, they were able to work closely and collaboratively with artist Rachael Shore to finalise her designs using CAD, ensuring that the final work fully realised the Young Ambassadors intentions.
“M3 provided a supportive work environment and were great to collaborate with. They were flexible, helped to work around my needs as an artist and their expertise was integral to the success of the project.”
M3 supporting the painting of illustrations and text on the structure and fully oversaw the installation of SAFE on 2 May smoothly and in good time for the 3 May launch. They also oversaw the de-installation at the end of the festival and dropped the materials ready for collection at Boggart Hole Clough for collection with sustainable disposal social enterprise EMERGE.
SAFE reached visitors of over 150,000 and proved very popular with children who fully embraced exploring the structure and intricate detail of its quotes, illustrations and portraits of local residents.
Rose Sergent, the Creative Producer, who led the project said:
“M3 were able to offer expert guidance on building the SAFE installation. Working brilliantly with our artist on bringing her design brief to life. They provided support with Health & Safety and ensuring it was made to suit the location.
M3 also designed Mind Games (Online & IRL), transforming Harpurhey Neighbourhood Project into a retro gaming space. The team worked with great care to ensure the design matched the brief and worked well for the venue.”
Follow M3 Industries and find out more at the links below:
M3 Industries Website // M3 Industries Instagram