2018 marks the centenary of the American sculptor Mitzi Cunliffe who was born in New York 100 years ago and moved to Manchester in 1949.  

In Britain her career has been defined by the  BAFTA theatrical mask trophy which she designed in 1955.  A recent exhibition in 2016 at The Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery, University of Leeds entitled Mitzi Cunliffe's 'Man-Made Fibres' shed light on the breadth of her achievements in 1950s and 60s Britain. 

In her centenary year, Ann Sumner who has been researching her work for the last two years will discuss the breadth of her activity especially in Manchester and give you a sense of the excitement her centenary is generating.  She was used on International Woman's Day for the tweet by BAFTA!

This year her work will be seen in a number of exhibitions, initially at the Henry Moore Institute where the original maquette for 'Root Bodied Forth' will be on display (22 March until 2 September) and then at BAFTA's Piccadilly headquarters a section is devoted to her career, in their upcoming exhibition 'Female Firsts' (weekend of 14/15 April). She will also be represented in the Great Exhibition of the North at  Newcastle Great North Museum: Hancock in June where her maquette for Man-Made Fibres and the original BAFTA mask will be on show until September.  Other pieces can be seen at The university of Leeds and University of Liverpool campuses. 

Over the summer a new sculpture trail of her work will be launched in Manchester and a civic plaque will be unveiled on the house where she lived. 

This is a fascinating opportunity to hear more about the life of this remarkable sculptor and her contribution to post war British sculpture, which is being highlighted this year.