Plans for a new two-storey creative hub, celebrating crafts like pottery, photography, and textiles, is set to open in Manchester.
The Makers Quarter will take shape at Kampus, and is designed to be the city’s first ‘all-in-one creative destination’.
It’s been created by couple Sophie Mason and Stephen Hobson, who previously ran the space from Salford and found that ‘impractical spaces and isolation’ are major problems for creatives.
This first-of-its-kind destination will have space for visitors to get hands-on with various crafts, while independent businesses can have a space of their own.
Parts of the building will run like a creative co-working space, with shared machinery and tech including 3D printers and laser cutters.
ADVERTISEMENT
There’ll be a deli and coffee shop, a concept store selling items made on site, and a whole schedule of classes people can join in with.
The Makers Quarter co-founders Sophie and Stephen met at the University of Manchester 18 years ago and soon started their first business, restoring vintage furniture.
ADVERTISEMENT
Sophie said: “Our intention for Makers Quarter Kampus is to give the creatives of Manchester a permanent city centre home.
“Space to design, create, make, teach, learn and sell – somewhere to settle in and be proud of. With the studios upstairs, shared facilities, classes, a concept store and deli downstairs, it will have a really creative buzz about the place, we can’t wait!
The first floor studio at Makers Quarter. Seating area at Makers QuarterArt studio at Makers QuarterCredit: Hobbs & Mason: www.hobbsandmason.co.uk / Photorealistic Visualisation by – HeJ Hey Studio @hej.hey.studio // www.hejhey.com
“People are becoming more mindful of the products they buy and we want our concept store ‘Kolab’ to support this. Visitors will have a destination where they know every product on the shelf supports a local or independent business, hand-made and carefully curated.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Stephen said: “We also want to encourage an interactive shopping experience so visitors can not only come to shop for homewares they can create them. Set alongside the other independent brands housed at Kampus we couldn’t be in better company.”
Makers Quarter at Kampus, planned to open later this year, is set to feature:
Design and Maker Studios: For monthly rental and perfect for hands-on crafts like Art, Photography, Pottery, Upholstery, product making or more digital and design-led businesses. The first floor member studios will bring together like-minded creatives and provide access to shared machinery and tech including 3D printers and laser cutters.
The studio members will also have access to all the equipment downstairs including kilns, potter’s wheels, screen printing facilities, a textiles room and much more.
Pay-As-You-Go Workbenches: A creative take on co-working space, with the option of ad-hoc use on a membership basis accessing various equipment and facilities. This will be booked via an online system.
MQ Classes: A full programme of classes for visitors, including ceramic workshops run by local experts at eight pottery wheels; upholstery classes; jewellery making; candle-making workshops and many more.
Coffee Shop, Deli and Concept Store: A bustling coffee shop at the Makers Quarter entrance with views into the makerspace and ever-evolving Gallery exhibiting local artists’ work. The coffee shop will neighbour the concept store, selling hand-made collections from a variety of independent makers including interior finishes, furniture, candles, textiles and art.
It joins local businesses like Nell’s, Pollen Bakery, and Yum Cha, in the £250m Kampus neighbourhood that’s home to more than 500 apartments across five buildings.
Adam Higgins, co-founder at Capital&Centric, said: “We promised an eclectic melting pot of indie businesses at Kampus and we’re proud of how it’s shaping up. Makers Quarter will be a sterling addition to the line-up and the first of a kind in Manchester – a haven for creatives who want to collaborate.
“It’ll brilliant to welcome artists, potters, furniture-makers and an army of creative talent to new, modern workspaces in the heart of the city, set right alongside the foodie offer from the much-loved neighbours.”
Featured image: Hobbs & Mason: www.hobbsandmason.co.uk / Photorealistic Visualisation by – HeJ Hey Studio @hej.hey.studio // www.hejhey.com
Art & Culture
The UK’s biggest fashion thrift market returns to Manchester this weekend
Emily Sergeant
A huge pop-up fashion fair full of vintage, pre-loved, and small business clothing is back in Manchester this weekend.
Clothes Cycle is the UK’s biggest curated second-hand clothing market.
With a focus on championing sustainable clothing and helping fashion fans find a gem they’ll treasure forever, each pop-up market organised by the student-led initiative sees dozens of carefully-curated sellers offering a wide range of styles and items – including plus-sized, gender-neutral, male and female – come together all under one roof.
Taking over the unique space inside the historic Victoria Baths this Sunday (12 May), Clothes Cycle will welcome more than 100 different sellers showcasing everything from bargain vintage finds and designer pieces, to pre-loved wardrobes and picks from local small businesses.
Organisers say the Manchester event will be a combination of in-person thrift shopping, a filtered car boot sale, and the best of sustainable high street stores.
Sellers on the day will be offering up something for everyone on every budget.
With plenty of bargains under £5 up for grabs, you can expect to find vintage clothing of all kinds, alongside the best of streetwear, y2k, retro, archive pieces, luxury brands, current trends, and handmade clothing if you head down on the day, as well as bags, shoes, jewellery, and lots of other accessories.
The UK’s biggest fashion thrift market returns to Manchester this weekend / Credit: Clothes Cycle Markets
If that wasn’t enough, there’ll also be vendors selling home decor, art and prints, greeting cards, plants, ceramics, and so much more, as well as tooth gem and nail art stalls to get involved with.
There’ll even be three DJs blasting out tunes in various rooms throughout the day.
And if all that shopping gets you a bit peckish, there’ll even be some of the city’s best-loved independent street food vendors pitching up to serve a wide range of mouthwatering grub – including pizza, burgers, dumplings, gyros, streak sandwiches, and ice cream, alongside freshly-brewed coffee, and other alcoholic drinks and cocktails.
Clothes Cycle is coming to Victoria Baths in Manchester on Sunday 12 May from 11am-5pm, and tickets are now on sale from £5 online or on the door – with several concessions and VIP ticket options also available.
Science and Industry Museum reveals ‘gloriously gross’ half term events lineup
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s most-visited museums has unveiled its exciting events lineup ahead of half term in a couple of weeks time.
Fancy diving into the “gloriously gross” world of our brilliant bodies?
It’s certainly not an invite you get every day, but as schools across Greater Manchester break up for half term at the end of this month, and parents and carers gear up to entertain the little ones, the Science and Industry Museum has, thankfully, just announced a wide range of events and activities especially for the holidays.
Anyone who considers themselves to be “curious about the incredible inner workings of the human body” are invited to join in with the series of anatomy-themed special events, star-studded appearances, and half term transformations.
And the best bit is that a good chunk of the events planned are actually open for you to get involved with for completely free of charge.
As the curtains on Operation Ouch! are due to close for good on Sunday 9 June, the museum has chosen to dedicate the entire month of May to celebrating the record-breaking exhibition and making sure it goes out in “a blaze of glorious grossness” by having it inspire all the upcoming ‘brilliant bodies’ events – and this half term is no different.
The Science and Industry Museum has revealed its ‘gloriously gross’ half term events lineup / Credit: Science Museum Group
As well as exploring the exhibition before it closes, mini Mancs can also bring a bear (or any soft squishy friend) to the museum and take them round the departments of the ‘Teddy Hospital’, as well as learn all about looking after their brains, bones, and bottoms with fun and fascinating activities, and find out how their skeleton works, what their poo is made of, and why we have blood.
The museum‘s team of Explainers will also be back in action this half term.
They’ll be putting on interactive science shows packed with “fun facts and wow moments” that explore how and why our bodies are all the same, but different too.
There’s so much to discover and explore about our ‘brilliant bodies’ at the museum this month / Credit: Science Museum Group
Away from the ‘brilliant bodies’ events, if you haven’t had the chance the make the most of the museum’s smash-hit gaming exhibition, Power UP, then this upcoming half term is the ideal time to do so.
Revolution Manchester, the museum’s interactive Experiment gallery, and the Textiles Gallery are also open for exploring for free all throughout the half term week.
Both free entry tickets to the museum, and charged-for tickets for Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You and Power UP, can be booked now on the Science and Industry Museum website.