Manchester - Art Capital of the North
Just over thirteen years ago the Manchester art scene was practically inexistent, yet as of recently it is commonly referred to as the art capital of the North. Popular amongst the youth, it boasts more than 50 different art galleries and museums, scattered throughout the city centre and also in the suburbs. The temporary closure of said galleries and museums across the city has been an urgent reminder of just how important these spaces are and all that they offer. These places have been sorely missed by an exhaustive number of people, particularly the youth who have, in recent years, begun to look past phones for inspiration, and into these intriguing homes of art.
However, culture has far from ground to a halt. The explosion of agility and resourcefulness that has been shown by artists and organisations in response to the restrictions imposed by lockdown has been incredible. Exhibitions, programmes and even festivals have been reinvented for the online sphere; creative care packages delivered to local resident’s doors; historic collections brought to life digitally; and new artworks commissioned specifically for sofa-based experiences.
Peterloo Mural by Axel Void - a Tribute to victims of the Windrush Generation
Although it may not be quite the same experience as that of wandering around an art gallery, the current gossip of Manchester’s art sphere is that many galleries are on the cusp of reopening, and ready to be enjoyed by many just as BC (before COVID), with certain alterations, such as having to purchase tickets prior to visiting.
Fortunately, Manchester’s Northern Quarter can still be enjoyed by all. Sited between Piccadilly and the Ancoats, the Northern Quarter retains a unique character and charm, one set to continue through its ongoing development and regeneration. It offers street art on every corner, from large scale murals to smaller pieces hidden down backstreets. Artists from around the world are attracted to this Mancunian suburb including the likes of Pichiavo, Invader, Phlegm, and the Nomad Clan. This was all as a result of street artists descending on the city in order to participate in the Cities of Hope festival, designed to amplify the messages of nine leading street artists from across the globe. This festival sought to transform an area of the Northern Quarter by creating street art which would focus itself on some key global issues. Unlike art galleries, where you have to snap up the opportunity fairly quickly in order to be able to visit your favourite artist – these murals will stay for many years and can be visited at any time of the day.
Gay Icons Mural - Nomad Clan
The main hotspot for art within Manchester itself is most definitely, do not be surprised, the Manchester Art Gallery. Over the years it has featured subject matter such as, Tea, Christian Dior, Annie Louisa Swynnerton, Henry Tidmarsh, and the most recent exhibition being a ‘sofa based experience’ was focused on the springtime, and the changes that come with it.
Manchester Art Gallery
Do not hesitate to look around at what is on offer, the galleries may be yet to reopen but artists creation has flourished in this time, where we have been given the time to reflect and entertain other hobbies we thought we would seldom have time to be able too.
