The exhibition brings to life complex ideas while also highlighting the many different journeys that lead people into research. By sharing these stories, it shows that research is shaped by people from many backgrounds and invites audiences to imagine that “someone like them” could be part of it too.

This student-led exhibition has been curated by Newcastle University PhD researchers Phoebe Lewis and Ainsley Hatt alongside Peter Moore Fuller from design consultancy, infohackit.

It grew out of a series of workshops designed to help researchers communicate their work to wider audiences beyond academia. Led by infohackit, the programme introduced participants to design and visual storytelling before supporting them to create their own research graphics using Affinity by Canva. The resulting artworks offer a snapshot of the wide range of research taking place across Newcastle University.

Making research more accessible

Professor Nigel Harkness, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Newcastle University, said: “At Newcastle University we are committed to undertaking world-leading research that benefits society, and believe in the importance of making our research accessible to wider audiences. This exhibition of artworks, created by our postgraduate researchers about their own research, showcases the remarkable talent of our postgraduate community and demonstrates the impact their work is having around the world.”

Phoebe Lewis said: “One of the highlights of the project has been seeing researchers from completely different disciplines, who may not normally cross paths, come together and learn how to communicate their work visually through their own artistic styles.”

Ainsley Hatt added: “Academic research is often shared through papers and presentations, which can make it difficult for wider audiences to engage with. With this exhibition, we wanted to showcase the amazing research happening at Newcastle University in a way that feels more accessible and invites people to connect with it.”

Expressing research through art and design

Peter Moore Fuller, infohackit said: “It’s been an absolute joy to train and mentor this amazing bunch of diverse researchers - all of them so motivated to explain their subjects and reach out to their local community. For me this exhibition demonstrates that anyone can be a researcher, and that anyone can express themselves and what’s important to them through art and design.”

The exhibition was officially launched at a special event at the Great North Museum: Hancock, bringing together researchers, funding partners and members of the public to celebrate the project. Representatives from Affinity by Canva joined the event and shared their support for the students involved. The launch created a welcoming and collaborative space where academia, design and the public could come together to explore research in a new way.

"In a world of fleeting attention, visual storytelling has the ability to move and connect us in ways words alone often can’t. We’re proud to support Picture This because exhibitions like this don’t just showcase talent, they spark ideas and remind people that design can be a tool for powerful expression, problem-solving and shaping the world around us. For Affinity by Canva, supporting the arts isn’t just sponsorship, it’s investing in imagination and the creative energy that drives communities”, said Liam Fisher, Global Marketing Director at Affinity by Canva.

Alongside the exhibition, a series of student-led outreach events will take place throughout the year. These activities will invite visitors to explore research through creativity and conversation, take part in interactive sessions, and meet the researchers behind the artworks. Picture This: Someone Like Me is on display at the Great North Museum: Hancock in Newcastle upon Tyne from 13^th March 2026 to 17^th January 2027. Entry to the exhibition is free and visitors can find more information at https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/greatnorthmuseum/whats-on/picture-this-someone-like-me

This project was made possible with support from Newcastle University, the Doctoral College at Newcastle University, Affinity by Canva, Great North Museum: Hancock and British Ecological Society.