FROM arranging gigs and writing fanzines to designing artwork for bands, Paul Evans has spent years marrying his creative flair with his love of music.

And now his talents are being showcased nationally thanks to a compilation album featuring the likes of Manchester legends such as Johnny Marr, Maxine Peake and Peter Hook.

Paul, who grew up in Northwich, has designed the artwork for MancMade///Acts of Hope, an 18-track album produced to raise funds for MancSpirit Charity in support of its Creative Change Homeless Project.

He’d wanted to use his talents to support a worthy cause for a while, so when he was approached to work with the people behind the album project, he ‘jumped at the chance’.

“Little would I know that I would be producing artwork for an album with some of Manchester’s greatest musicians. No pressure then,” he says.

“I considered my role in MancMade///Acts of Hope to be a small one, but I’ve been completely blown away by the responses to the artwork from some of my musical heroes – Peter Hook, Johnny Marr, Rowetta.

“It seems to somehow have captured the zeitgeist of these turbulent times and it’s raising money for a very worthwhile cause which was the whole intention. If just one person picks up the album because they like the artwork, sees the bands on it and then buys it I will have done my job and be very happy.”

Paul says the arts work used on the album cover, which has also been used in promo posters and t-shirts, was inspired by the spirit of the city.

“Famed for both its creativity and revolutionary attitudes, the original ‘Manc spirit’ image is a personal celebration of Manchester’s musical and social history inspired by my lifetime’s interest in all things Mancunian.

“Think Emmaline Pankhurst, John Bright, Oliver Heywood, Peterloo, Anthony H Wilson, Factory Records and even the electric Bob Dylan and The Sex Pistols at the Free Trade Hall.”

Paul will be known to many local music fans for setting up the Banned! Network in Northwich in 1993. Through the network – which was celebrated at last year’s Manchester Made Me exhibition at Northwich’s Obeid Gallery – Paul arranged gigs, wrote fanzines and design artwork for unsigned and up-and-coming bands.

A lifelong music fan, he credits his parents with inspiring this passion.

“Growing up, I would always listen to the radio thanks to my mum and I would try to reach up and look at the vinyl in the racks of record shops, such as Wrexham Records in Northwich Market that I was always taken to by my dad. I would spend hours looking at the artwork of records.

“My first creative passion was fashion design which developed into graphic design thanks to the Dead Dead Good label, the Development of the Arts in Northwich and The Banned! Network.”

For the past 20 years Paul’s combined lecturing work with freelance graphic design, specialising in design for the music industry, and in recent years has added photography to his repertoire, notably shooting The Charlatans at 2017’s North by Northwich event.

I’ve been receiving rave reviews about my work from very respected music photographers which is fantastic and very humbling, so I’ve begun to photograph bands more seriously,” he says.

“Unfortunately, the pandemic has postponed my first solo art, design and photography exhibition at the Obeid Gallery but watch this space for a rearranged date.”

For now, Paul is focussing on supporting the album and is keen to thank colleagues and friends who have supported his work.

Graphic design and photography within the music industry is as hard as being in a band,” he says. “I’ve thought about giving up on many, many occasions, but my inspiration for continuing my design, photography and art career has come from Zoe at the Obeid Gallery, my mum, and lots of new and old friends.”

And though working in the industry might be a challenge, for Paul it is certainly a worthwhile labour of love.

“On a personal level, being called the 19th artist on the MancMade compilation, being called an ‘honorary’ Mancunian, designing artwork for an album which features some of my musical heroes is an amazing reward for just using doing what I do and wanting to help others.”

To see more of Paul’s art and photography work search for his Facebook page Painted Papillon Smile or visit ppsdesign.co.uk

MancMade /// Acts of Hope, released by 42’s Records is available at 42srecords.tmstor.es/