Manchester City of Literature, in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University, Nanjing City of Literature and 42nd Street are delighted to announce the launch of a new project, Connectedness Through Comics. The partnership were keen to explore the impact of Covid-19 on young people’s mental health.

The young people at 42nd Street, an innovative young people’s mental health charity in Manchester, wanted to express some of the thoughts, feelings and fears they had encountered during the pandemic. They also wanted to give other young people the chance to be creative.

We commissioned a local visual artist, Ian Bobb, to address the young people’s provocations. We touched on topics including ‘the new normal’, ‘how can we adjust to the new world?’ and ‘information overload and its impact on mental health’.

Ian has produced an interactive 3-page comic strip to inspire new stories of young people’s creativity and resilience in Manchester and Nanjing. Some of their work will be shared during International Mother Language Day celebrations as a digital exhibition including an interview with the artist Ian Bobb in February.

Below you can download the comic strips and some practical exercises for young people to respond to in your own words and in your own way. We encourage you to be creative and to tell us your story of lockdown. Enjoy!