Doodlebug, founded by the Manchester-based graphic artist, Michael Barnes-Wynters aka Barney Doodlebug!
For two years, LiveWire was right in the middle of all the action on Doodlebug Day. Whilst rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest international names of the street art world, the young people on the 2005 workshop produced a fantastic mural and also found the time to interview some of the IDD artists to find out what makes them tick.
International Doodlebug day consists of a curated doodling exhibition of leading professional visual artists and illustrators from the UK and overseas. On this day, artists doodle directly onto the walls and windows of Cornerhouse. The event is supplemented with workshops for young people, and aims to make public art accessible to all.
Doodlebug was conceived in 1991 as an international creative platform which nurtures and develops a culturally diverse Northwest-based community of artists, musicians, performers and DJs with its first ‘detonation’ on Wednesday 01 November 1995 unleashing the high-octane spoken word and live music from New York’s Vibe Khameleons onto an unsuspecting club audience. Since then Doodlebug has been at the forefront of ‘happening’ live-art events known as ‘detonations’ accompanied by doodling sessions throughout the UK, with collaborations in Europe, New York and Japan.
International Doodlebug Day with its unique celebration of visual street mix arts, is held annually on the first Saturday in September. The first two detonations were simultaneous in three cities (Manchester, London and Tokyo) at Cyberia Internet cafes at the same time where the three were linked via live web-cam alongside on-line interactive doodling to produce unique collaborative pieces, printed out as give-aways in each city.
Doodlebug is for the underdog and is committed to source out and give opportunity to those who, due to social circumstances, would not be encouraged to develop their creative bedroom talents on a world platform. Artists such as Mr Scruff, Twisted Nerve’s Andy Votel and Alison David to name but a few, have all benefited from the Doodlebug platform.
Each IDD has been launched with the unique day event followed by a month series of exhibitions and relative activities.
Artists included…
Pete Fowler, Mr Scruff, Andy Votel , Temper, Paris Hair, Amoure Hirosuke, BAKU, Mark Wigan, Chris Drury, Scrawl Collective, Miss Van, Alexone, Kid Acne, Freaklub, The London Police, Microbo, BO130,Galo, Upper Playground, Matt Sewell, Boris Hoppek plus Japanese art collective Go Back2D.