newcontemporaries 99 is the annual exhibition of contemporary art by students and recent graduates from fine art colleges throughout the UK. Offering the first platform to the newly-emerging artist, the exhibition was chosen from 1100 entries and features 33 of the most promising artists working in a diverse range of media ranging from a specially scaled up etch-a-sketch painting to works based on misprinted fabric found in a football strip factory. Widely regarded as one of the most important platforms for younger artists, previous exhibitors have included Turner Prize winners such as Damien Hirst, Rachel Whiteread, Gillian Wearing and Chris Ofili. In 1999, the exhibition was housed in a specially-converted space in Exchange Flags, a majestic building in the shadow of Liverpool’s Liver Birds and Town Hall.