It was an easy decision to choose a charity for this project. I wanted to work with a small charity that I could actually speak to, someone who could really benefit from the fund raising and it had to be an animal charity. Specifically a dog charity. I love dogs and frequently look at adoption sites, have a good cry at their stories, wish I could adopt all of them and then plan ahead to the nearest time in the future when I can actually get a dog. There's one specific charity I like most of all whitehall dog rescue who rescue dogs due to be 'destroyed' and have many long term residents due to their strict requirements for re-adoption (which I prefer because it means they can have a happier safe home than just passing them off to anyone).
My idea for this project is to create an exhibition, but an exhibition whose works can be repurposed after the event is over. Initially I thought I could print onto fabric and make dog t-shirts however the reality of that idea falls short with all the issues of sizing the shirts, making them would be time consuming and also tricky for someone like me with basic sewing skills. So instead I decided I could create dog beds, easy to make, cheap to make and something that can be sold for profits to go to the charity or given away to be used by the charity.
So the basic idea for the exhibition is to ask for submissions, either pattern, design or art based to be printed onto fabric on the subject of dogs. I'll be asking students from all across the college for submissions as well as reaching out to various studios and designers. I will then take these designs and print them onto fabric (I'll most likely screen print them) and then set up an exhibition where the price for entry is some form of dog food.
After the event has been hosted I will then take the printed fabric and recycle them into dog beds cutting up the fabric into simple ovals, sewing them together and filled them with bean bag beans. From this point I will then go on to sell the beds either online or in a stall event (or both) and donate the proceeds to charity. I may also choose to employ a 'buy one donate one' scheme where for every bed purchased another will be given away for the charity to use.
The items sold will be advertised as unique and one of a kind, with the fabric prints being quite large (A2 or A1 whichever is most feasible) hopefully we can make more than one bed out of each design.
I've started by producing a list of everything I'll need to do (and hell yes it's a lot for one person) and I've given myself the first basic list of tasks to complete before the submission date opens. I'd like to host the final exhibition in March giving myself enough time to get things organised and will need to start off by researching into screen printing capabilities in order to attain what size fabric prints the exhibition will display and what will be required for submission. I'll also start looking into spaces around Leeds and see where I can host the event.
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