Green Gown Shortlist!
We are proud to announce that the University of Salford Art Collection has been shortlisted for the Green Gown Award – the team has been shortlisted in the Staff Sustainability Champion category. Gaining recognition for progressive approaches to adapting and embedding sustainability into our exhibitions, residencies and programming.
Through projects including Hybrid Futures, our Energy House Residencies and OFFSHOOT, we have brought together artists, researchers, students and community partners to explore sustainability through our programming.
The most recent of our projects OFFSHOOT, has focused particularly on bringing engagement in sustainability and arts to local communities in Salford. Encouraging groups such as the young people of Salford Youth Service and local socially prescribed groups at the RHS Bridgewater to learn skills in photography while spending time socialising in and exploring their local greenspaces.
OFFSHOOT’s programming has also brought the climate conversation to the public, through events such as Planting For the Future and Sowing Kinship, where speakers across arts and horticultural organisations have shared their expertise on how the two areas can converge to benefit sustainability and wellbeing in the era of the climate crisis.
The OFFSHOOT programme is still running, with plenty more events to be announced. We also have an upcoming exhibition at Salford Museum and Art Gallery launching 22nd October 2026. To get an invite to the launch ask to join our mailing list by emailing artcollection@salford.ac.uk .
Community Growing Space: What’s New?
In other sustainability news we have added a new public realm bench to the Community Growing Space on campus. Designed by a University of Salford MA student whose designs were featured at Open Eye Gallery’s LOOK Climate Lab exhibition alongside projects from OFFSHOOT. The bench will add a unique new place to relax while escaping to the quiet sanctuary of the Community Growing space.
In collaboration with the Sustainability team there have also been new pollinator posts added, encouraging native biodiversity on campus, with one in the Community Growing Space and one outside Maxwell Hall.
You can see more about the sustainability team and what they do in our Carry the Clouds Away exhibition at the New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery, weekdays 10am-4pm (excluding bank holidays).
New bench in the Community Growing Space
Solitary bee in a bee post