YORK gallery According To McGee will straddle the worlds of analogue and digital with its Text: Technology, Disability, and Art exhibition from October 28 to November 2.

Curated via the Tower Street gallery's charitable arm, New Visuality, Text will showcase posters of tweets and slogans, written by the public and learners with disabilities at the Blueberry Academy, all created with innovative technology and printed on traditional letterpress techniques.

This creative fusion delights charity director Greg McGee, who says: "In many ways, this is New Visuality's raison d’être. Shipley's The Print Project have provided the posters, and they're world class.

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Blueberry Academy learners Jon Walker and Harry Dawson at work in their LetterPress sessions for the Text show

"The subject matter was initially designed on a multi-touch coffee table, Platform 46, which is like getting a classic Les Paul guitar and plugging it into a space age amplifier. Dovetailing the best of the old and the new, and encouraging a new way of looking, that's game-changing stuff."

The project is funded by Arts Council England's Grants for the Arts and has involved New Visuality working with young people with disabilities and young people with mental anxiety, collaborating with the Blueberry Academy, in the Melbourne Centre, in Escrick Street, and York Mind respectively. "The outreach element plays a big part, but what's crucial is the sense of integration. There are posters here that are based on tweets by members of the general public," says Greg.

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Blueberry Academy learner Dani Wilson with her Text print 

"We thought the mild 'twitterstorm' that erupted over York's UNESCO status as City of Media Arts was fascinating, give or take a troll or two. Let's source the best tweets and, with the tweets from disabled participants enabled by cutting-edge technology, let's integrate the two. The browser walks into our gallery and is confronted by beautiful letterpress posters, with thoughts and messages from a wide range of people. Such is the integration, you'll be hard pressed to spot who wrote what."

Greg acknowledges the UNESCO angle is sure to bring some controversy. "Opinions on what designation means and who benefits agitated twitter conversations for months and, while I'm keen to avoid the more aggressive conversations, I want to showcase both sides of the debate," he says.

"It's not really a debate, as far as I'm concerned personally. UNESCO status is, for me, a no brainer, but there are people out there who don't get it, or who have not yet seen the benefits.

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Harry Dawson's Text work

"I think the abstract nature of the status has perhaps puzzled a lot of people. Not everyone feels as included in the UNESCO 'trip' as they'd like, and this show gives an opportunity for them to voice their concerns."

Greg is upbeat, however, that the message will ripple throughout the city. "Hopefully, we hammer home it's not a clique, or a Marxist elite. This is the most accessible and inclusive exhibition we've ever had, with young people with the most profound difficulties getting stuck into social media conversations."

Both According To McGee and New Visuality were involved in York's successful bid for UNESCO status, and Greg is grateful for the opportunities that the designation allows.

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Rachael Robinson's Text message

"From our point of view, we've seen an incredible shot in the arm, whether it was Sir Ian Botham making an appearance supporting our gallery, or New Visuality having access to the most innovative digital media to benefit the most vulnerable people through our link with University of York's Interactive Media," he says.

Greg is often asked "But what is a City of Media Arts?". "Well, come and enjoy Text, with its posters and its interactive light installations, and you'll get a good idea," he answers Greg is referring here to New Visuality's partnership with the Illuminating York festival that will run from October 28 to 31. Installation artist Nick Walters will return to According To McGee to base his festival display on the same messages emblazoned on the letterpress posters. "If you think the text looks great on the inside of the gallery, wait till you see it written in light in the black October night," says Greg. "Every tweet, every slogan will become crackling, digital and neon confetti. That's a good taste of what a City of Media Arts is. It's to the Arts Council's credit that they're encouraging this kind of provocative celebration."

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Joseph Hadfield's print for Text

Although the Text show is focused on York, New Visuality Creative Manager Jessica Crichton foresees its integration of marginalised groups such as young people with disabilities, as well as the general public with cutting-edge creativity, encouraging other cities to follow suit.

"We'll be measuring the success of Text and, with the help of Make It York, we're looking to disseminate our success to other cities. Middlesbrough's The Tunnel gallery has already commissioned a series of posters from our participants. Great art travels well, and all the while Twitter could be seen as a kinder, more inclusive place to be."

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Ben Clayton's Dream of a Text work