What it's like to be from the North

‘These Northern Types’ was an exhibition held in June but has returned due to popular demand for another run until September 15 and the works now also feature in a book.

The images are added to by written contributions from the likes of Daniel Chapman editor of The Square Ball football fanzine, and currently working on a new official history of Leeds United and Dr Katy Wright, academic and lecturer at Leeds University’s School of Sociology amd Social Policy, who all offer further insight and discussion around northern identity.

The exhibition, and subsequently the book, celebrates Northern identity and asks questions about social division, class, racism and perceptions of others to the region’s culture.

Some of the pieces have very familiar sounding titles such as ‘Worse Things Have Happened at Sea’, Make Do an’ Mend and ‘Chips with Gravy’.

These Northern Types was originally commissioned as part of the city’s 2023 European Capital of Culture bid and is two years worth of work by Oli Bentley, creative director of the Leeds design studio, Split.

He said: “I’ve been overwhelmed with the feedback on These Northern Types and delighted to be launching the book. It will allow a wider audience to see the work and hopefully spark more conversation around issues and themes we have highlighted.

“I hope it asks interesting and timely questions about not only what it means to be from the north, but from anywhere in today’s globalised world.”