Grunwick 50: Visual Design and the Archive

Overview

This student design placement was developed in collaboration with Special Collections and tutors from the Illustration and Animation and Graphic Design course (DN6045 - Work Ready Level 6), to support our Grunwick 50 display on the Ground Floor of the Holloway Learning Centre.

Over a two-week period, during April 2026, five students were invited to produce original design work in response to archival material from the Grunwick dispute (1976-1978). The outcomes form part of the display and will also be shared on the Special Collections catalogue.

The placement combined research, design development, and professional practice within a structured, client-led framework.

The Project

Students worked with material from the TUC Library Collections, including press cuttings, flyers, and posters documenting the Grunwick strike.

The aim was to translate these archival sources into contemporary visual responses that:

• Engage current audiences
• Reflect the historical significance of the dispute
• Maintain accuracy and sensitivity to the original context

Designs were expected to integrate text and visual elements drawn directly from the archive, while remaining accessible and relevant to a student audience.

Approach

The placement followed a structured workflow designed to reflect professional practice:

• Brief and induction. Students were introduced to the exhibition, archive materials, and project expectations.
• Concept development. Initial ideas and rough designs were developed over several days of independent work.
• Review and feedback. Drafts were presented for feedback, with a focus on clarity, relevance, and visual communication.
• Refinement. Students revised their work in response to feedback, working within defined constraints to simulate real-world conditions.
• Final delivery. Completed designs were prepared for print and display, alongside mock-ups demonstrating their application within the exhibition space.

Focus and Values

The project emphasised:

• Engagement with primary sources as a starting point for creative work.
• Inclusive and respectful representation of historical narratives.
• Student-led interpretation, encouraging individual perspectives.
• Clear communication, balancing visual impact with factual accuracy.
• Care was taken to avoid stereotypes and ensure that the work remained grounded in the realities of the archive.

Outcomes

Each student produced a final design to be installed within the Grunwick 50 display in the Learning Centre, Holloway Road. These works included different types of media, including a leaflet and two posters. As the process was iterative, the students shared their sketches, mood boards and initial ideas which we hope will extend the visibility of the Grunwick strike by connecting archival material with their contemporary design practice.

The placement also contributes to ongoing efforts by Special Collections to broaden access to its holdings and encourage new forms of engagement with historical material.

Reflection

As part of the placement, students produced a short reflective piece considering their experience of working with archival sources.

Jodie, Illustration and Animation student (2026)

"Working with the special collections was an enlightening experience. I had never heard about the Grunwick strikes and the brave women who stood up for their rights. Learning about the strikers like Jayaben Desai felt so important and is too often forgotten, which is why the work the special collections do it is so crucial.

It was interesting to learn through my own research about the strike, mostly secondary, and then see such an amazing array of primary sources the special collections had. It really helped inspire me within my own piece I produced. Seeing the colours, print quality and paper used in leaflets in posters up-close was amazing hands-on experience that online research could not provide alone. Getting a good sense of the strikes from the special collection and seeing the exhibition they had on helped me work out what I could bring to the table to celebrate this 50-year anniversary.

The pamphlet I produced took a lot of inspiration from the original posters, Dan Jones’ work and newspaper clippings. I used my own style of paper cutting, which has a lot of association with homemade leaflets, to create patterns and bring the strikes to life. It was also important to me that people remembered the strikers and the people who supported them, so I thought a pamphlet that people could take away would help keep awareness.

Considering the ongoing strikes happening now, this history never felt more relevant and it is so important to know that the Grunwick strikers helped evolve workers rights for us today."