The Johnny Marrvellous Artists Collective is a new subset of the Johnny Marrvellous network, aimed at giving a platform to artists within the fan community while also helping support causes and organisations that are important to both Johnny and ourselves.
Our inaugural project was a set of three charity mugs, designed by ourselves along with fellow fans and professional artists Riley Langston and Catherine Smith.
All proceeds from The Artists Collective's first endeavour will be donated to Johnny's personal choice of charity: the Brentwood School, a special education school in Trafford.
For Johnny's 54th birthday in 2017, we decided to try something a little different: a video birthday card, featuring video messages from fans all over the world.
Working once again with Johnny's marketing team at Penguin Random House UK, we were thrilled to host the "Marr Shelfie" social media competition, with prize packages generously provided by the aforementioned. Fans were instructed to post photos of their bookshelves, prominently featuring Set The Boy Free, and tagged with the hashtag #MarrShelfie, to be in the running. The five winners were then chosen by Johnny Marr himself.
Congratulations to:
Elisabetta Bonuccelli
Marija Karacic
Fatima Kubota
Nick Lonsdale
Melody Redhead
Special edition enamel badges produced for a charity fundraiser, to coincide with Johnny joining the Pet Shop Boys for the Teenage Cancer Trust concert series.
Initially produced in a limited run of 100 numbered badges, as a result of overwhelming demand, several further batches of our very first enamel badge, produced as a fundraiser for the Teenage Cancer Trust, were subsequently produced. All proceeds from the sale of the badges were donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust - over £1,000 total.
The third edition of our annual digital Christmas card for Johnny, 2016.
In the lead-up to the release of Johnny's highly acclaimed autobiography, Set The Boy Free, we worked with Johnny's marketing team at Penguin Random House UK to produce two special print editions of Dynamic, featuring a selection of key pieces from the first six issues. A full-colour edition was released exclusively through Rough Trade, free with the purchase of the book, while a second smaller, fold-out edition was made freely available from other independent retailers.
Heartfelt thanks to Rebecca Ikin and Sarah Ridley from Penguin Random House UK, and to our contributing writers Helen Angell, Jonny Hughes, Dave Medley, Paul Plimmer, Elsa Sherman and MJ Zander.
BookMarrk design competition, to celebrate the then-upcoming release of Set The Boy Free. The winning design, by Anne-Marie White, was chosen by Johnny himself.
Prize: one of a kind "Peace, Love & Johnny Marr" t-shirt
The 4th edition of our tour book series, covering the California Jam tour in March 2016.
6th issue of DYNAMIC, released in April 2016. Afterwards, DYNAMIC was released in print through Penguin Random House UK, then took a small hiatus between tours.
Over the 25 hours (...get it?) counting down to midnight on 31 December 2015, we hosted a Johnny-themed New Year's Eve trivia game on our social media accounts, with fans winning badges and other goodies.
The second Johnny Marrvellous digital Christmas card for Johnny, 2015.
During the Adrenalin Baby tour in October 2015, we collected handwritten messages in cards for Johnny's birthday. The front of the cards feature a list of adjectives chosen by fans to describe Johnny.
Another "freelance public decorating" project, on the 2015 Adrenalin Baby tour. We also distributed matching Marrfia badges to fellow fans at gigs.
What we like to call "freelance public decorating". Several dozen of these postcards were stuck up around London and other towns where Johnny was playing his Teenage Cancer Trust warm-up gigs. Fans who found one could contact us via social media and receive a free badge.
In the lead-up to Johnny performing for the Teenage Cancer Trust concert series in March 2015, we sold sets of our own original charity postcards, with all proceeds donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Competition held to design a Johnny-themed t-shirt. Emma Palor's winning design, inspired by 'Dynamo', was chosen by Johnny himself.
Prize: one-of-a-kind Johnny Marr tote + Playland LP, Dynamo & Easy Money 7" singles, Easy Money promo CD & plectrum necklace.
To celebrate the 2nd anniversary of The Messenger's release, we invited our fellow fans to post a photo of themselves with the album on Instagram, hashtagged #messengerselfie.
A commemorative scrapbook covering the first Playland tour in the UK, Netherlands, Germany and France.
During the October 2014 Playland tour, we collected handwritten birthday messages from fellow fans before and after gigs, and collated them in a hand-bound book for Johnny.
Debut issue of DYNAMIC, the Johnny Marr fanzine. Although originally intended as a one-off publication to celebrate Playland's release, it soon became an ongoing endeavour.
Another competition, this time to cater to non-artist fans. To enter, fans could either send us a few words about their experiences meeting Johnny, or compile a playlist of their favourite Johnny songs. The prize was a set of seven 7" singles from across Johnny's career.
Competition held to design a cover for the cancelled single, 'European Me'. Angela Marie's winning design was chosen by Johnny himself.
Prize: set of four rare promo CDs of Johnny's The Messenger era singles.
Over the past four years we've given away hundreds of 'I ♥ Johnny Marr' button badges, to fans in over 30 countries. We distribute them at gigs as well as via giveaways and competitions - and they're always free. So if you see us at a show and don't already have one, just say hi and ask!
Our very first community project.
When Johnny broke his hand in early 2014, dozens of fans came together to sign a virtual cast, to lift his spirits.
Initially produced in a limited run of 100 numbered badges, as a result of overwhelming demand, several further batches of our very first enamel badge, produced as a fundraiser for the Teenage Cancer Trust, were subsequently produced. All proceeds from the sale of the badges were donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust - over £1,000 total.
