Guests attending a social event in York on Thursday evening may find themselves featuring in a series of very revealing artist’s impressions. Many will be captured off-guard before their "mug shots" are displayed on a large wall for all to see.

This is no elaborate police sting, however. The “victims” will be there at the invitation of Make York, the networking association that attracts young professionals to the city, and the organisers hope the “rogues’ gallery” at According To McGee, in Tower Street, will raise money aplenty for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Capturing the images on his sketchpad will be artist and illustrator Nick Ellwood, who runs the York company Breakfast, a design and creative collective at present working alongside Yorkshire’s flagship project for the Cultural Olympiad.

Originally based in London, Nick has worked for the BBC and Thames Television, with much of his illustrating done on location. He has exhibited his work across Europe and has won acclaim for the way he evokes the character of his subjects, capturing a special moment as if it were in a freeze-frame.

From July 8, his work can be seen in a National Media Museum touring exhibition, The Architecture Of Faith, at the National Centre for Early Music, in Walmgate, throughout the 2011 York Early Music Festival.

In a separate project, he is busy recording the work being done by the stonemasons and carvers on York Minster with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund. For Thursday’s unusual art event, which will run from 6pm to 8pm, Nick will be mingling unobtrusively with the guests and producing instant drawings of them.

“While we showcase Nick’s work, he plans to sketch people as they quaff wine, swap business cards etc,” says gallery co-owner Greg McGee. “These will be pinned to a wall and will be auctioned off for the Macmillan charity at the end.”

All are welcome. “Come along for a glass of wine and as well as helping to raise money for a truly worthy cause, you may end up being part of the show,” says Greg.