This is a collective, group exhibition from Level 5 Fine Art students at Leeds Beckett University.

The exhibition consists of a variety of works from different group members all using different styles, medium and themes.

All creative pieces actively respond to the theme of pandemics and the current situation.

Artists have been working at home during lockdown, and this collaborative project is definitely a reflection of that. Spaces of leisure have been transformed into areas of work and creation, where personal and work life merge into one. Artists have been finding new ways to work in domestic spaces.

Due to Covid-19, time seems to have slowed down, and that fact that we are all creating work over time is quite interesting.

Technology has been used as a way to bring people together and communicate in a social environment. Virtual spaces have been created as a way to present work and stay connected.

The exhibition has been presented as a virtual, online exhibition space as that proved to be the most beneficial way to showcase work. The website includes different pages for each participant, as well as links to their individual pages and social media sites.

Our Instagram page has been included at the end as a way to keep up to date.

As a collective we opted for a text and image-based site, as visual content and links to various channels proves an engaging view for the audience.

The exhibition has been titled 'Non Essential Show', playing on the governments retrain scheme earlier this year. We thought this was a creative play on words due to them expressing the idea that art isn't important. Here we actively campaign against this statement by producing work about a global pandemic, showing that in and amongst the darkness of a lockdown, we can all find little pockets of light that make us happy. Art is a part of our culture and history, as well as a creative act that can evoke emotion and happiness.