Prime Highlights:
- The Reframing Stopford Project uses art to showcase the diversity of human bodies and promote inclusion in medical education.
- Creative workshops for students and staff in Spring 2026 will explore ways to improve belonging and inclusivity through art.
Key Facts:
- The exhibition features 14 illustrations by 7 international artists, displayed in the Stopford Building at the University of Manchester.
- The project is supported by a grant from the University’s Institute of Teaching and Learning Innovation and Scholarship Fund.
Background:
Academics from the University of Manchester’s School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) and the School of Medical Sciences are working together on the Reframing Stopford Project, which uses art to showcase the diversity of human bodies and promote inclusion in medical education.
The project’s exhibition, launched in October, features fourteen striking illustrations by seven international artists. The artworks are on display in high-traffic areas of the Stopford Building, the home of the University’s Medical School, making them accessible to students, staff, and visitors alike.
Medical art has traditionally focused on depicting White, slim, young adult, non-disabled, cisgender men, often leaving many bodies underrepresented. Reframing Stopford aims to correct this by portraying people with intersectional and underrepresented characteristics, promoting inclusivity and broadening perceptions of health and medical care.
“The aim is to foster a stronger sense of belonging for both students and staff while normalising difference in medical visualisation,” said the project team.
Thanks to a grant from the University’s Institute of Teaching and Learning Innovation and Scholarship Fund, the project is entering its next phase. Heather Cockayne and Sadia Habib from the Manchester Institute of Education will run creative workshops for students and staff in Spring 2026. The workshops will use art to explore ways to improve inclusion and a sense of belonging in education and healthcare. Details for booking the workshops will be announced soon.
The Reframing Stopford exhibition is free to visit and open during regular University hours. Staff, students, and the public are welcome to view the artworks, and a gallery map is available to help find each piece in the Stopford Building.
The Reframing Stopford Project uses art to show medical illustrations in a new way and promote inclusion and belonging.
