Artist-Led Retail, Installation and Workshops, 2015
SWAG Christmas Shop
In 2015 I was part of a collective that opened SWAG, an artist-led Christmas shop in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter. It ran for two months in the run-up to Christmas, combining retail, installation and creative workshops within a single space.
The Shop
SWAG operated as a temporary platform for artist-made work, testing how installation, design and making could coexist within a retail setting while staying accessible, social and materially driven. Alongside selling work, the space hosted a programme of creative workshops, keeping it an active, participatory environment rather than a purely commercial one.
The Window
I was responsible for the full window installation, designing and installing custom wallpaper and building a festive scene that included a custom-made rocking horse. The window worked as both a visual anchor and an invitation into the space, built to stand out within a busy retail strip.
The Pattern
A single custom pattern ran across the wallpaper and the curtains, tying the window to the interior. Repeating and overlapping at different scales, it gave the shop a consistent visual language that held together very different corners of the space.
The Dressing Room
Inside the shop, custom curtains marked the entrance to the dressing room area, extending the visual language of the window installation through the rest of the interior rather than leaving it at the front of the shop.
Inside the Shop
The shop floor carried work from across the collective, from screen-printed textiles and tote bags to clothing rails and small objects, alongside the programme of workshops. The photographs show the space filled with visitors on a busy evening, browsing between the shelving and lighting as much as shopping.
Commission a Similar Project
If you are planning a retail space, pop-up or window that needs installation, pattern design or a bit of theatre, get in touch. This kind of project works best when the space is treated as one connected piece rather than a shopfront and an interior handled separately.
Get in touch about a project →Questions
What was SWAG?
An artist-led Christmas shop in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, run by a collective over a two-month period in the lead-up to Christmas 2015, combining retail, installation and workshops.
What did Mark work on?
The full window installation, including custom wallpaper and a custom-made rocking horse, plus custom curtains for the dressing room area inside the shop.
Where was the shop?
In the Northern Quarter, Manchester.
Was there more to SWAG than retail?
Yes. Alongside selling work, the shop hosted a programme of creative workshops, keeping it an active, participatory space rather than a purely commercial one.
How long did SWAG run for?
Around two months, over the run-up to Christmas 2015.
Can a similar installation be commissioned?
Get in touch to discuss a window, pop-up or retail installation project.
From the Journal
Making a Shop from Scratch
Dated entries from the SWAG Christmas shop in the Northern Quarter, from printing the wallpaper to the window, the curtains and everything made to fill the shelves.
Selected Work