A series of incredible independent arts and culture events will span across Greater Manchester over the coming weeks, as Manchester Independents commissions 12 amazing new works.
They are an initiative launched out of the pandemic to support local artists across all 10 boroughs, and give them a platform to showcase their projects, supported by various cultural organisations around the region including Brighter Sound, HOME, Factory International, Contact and many more.
Following on from the success of the 2021 scheme, which saw 23 new commissions, Manchester Independents are ready to present 12 new projects, from walking tours to art exhibitions to theatre.
The vast range of new work includes everything from workshops with Muslim women in Rochdale to film screenings in Levenshulme to AI-generated theatre in the city centre.
Themes will range from celebrations, love and feminism to mental health, chronic illness and dystopian Manchester.
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You’ll find the new Manchester Independents commissions at venues from theatres (like Contact and 53Two) to parks to galleries to digital spaces.
Events are going to be popping up all over Greater Manchester over the coming weeks – here’s what you need to know.
This six-minute video artwork will blend spoken word, an original soundtrack, and a choral performance of the chorus from Eminem’s ‘Cleaning Out My Closet’ to speak about absence, loss, grief and childhood rebellion.
Dance, contemporary circus, poetry and improvisation will come together in this duet. The piece looks at mysticism, Afrofuturism and Black Feminist Hauntology through our connection with the life giving element, water.
Horticultural Centre at Wythenshawe Park, 30 September
The neglected Horticultural Centre at Wythenshawe Park is going to be brought to life by visual artist Michele Selway. She’ll use Victorian photographic equipment to document the place and the people that are keeping it going, and use the unique 1951 Wet Plate Collodion process to photograph onto large format glass plates, mirroring the materials of the glass house itself.
Four Dholis And A Divorce by Hafsah Aneela Bashir, @redwizz1
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Rochdale Ukrainian Club, 29 September
This performance explores intergenerational trauma and lived experiences of divorce through five female characters from a South Asian Muslim background.
Portraits of a Poet by Princess Arinola Adegbite (BITEZ), @pabitez
The Whitworth, 5 October
A surrealist work exploring perception and the ways we perform in society for safety, love and acceptance. It begins from the perspective of a black female artist to investigate agency, spectatorship and power.
A theatre piece exploring Sam’s 12 years of visiting Manchester Children’s hospital regularly. This performance plays with comedy, sadness, perceptions and toilet humour often found in discussions amongst young patients.
A fast-moving, comedy drama about life with chronic gynaecological disease.
Cerebral Palsy Graphic Novel by Julian Gray, @juliangrayart
Published online at the end of August – available at www.manchesterindependents.org
Interviews with people with Cerebral Palsy about its representation in media and performance, culminating in an online zine.
The Anxious Photographer’s Handbook by Simon Jones, @simonjones_2000
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Book launch in September, exhibition in October. Details to be updated on www.manchesterindependents.org
A visually engaging book containing a range of interesting photographic challenges which can be used as a way to connect with the local environment and society. The work is primarily aimed at individuals that have become isolated due to issues such as anxiety and other mental health/social issues.
See www.manchesterindependents.org for latest updates.
Jova and the wave rebranding as yeguachita – EP, graphic identity and video works. yeguachita will be creating a concept album in collaboration with other musicians.
Featured image: Supplied
Art & Culture
Thousands of FREE tickets to The Big Night of Musicals at AO Arena have been released
Thomas Melia
There are thousands of free tickets up for grabs to attend ‘The Big Night of Musicals’ in Manchester next year which features a variety of theatre classics.
The curtain has risen once again as returning favourite, The Big Night of Musicals, is coming to AO Arena for a fourth year.
Hosted once again by the one and only Jason Manford, this event contains segments from some of the world’s greatest theatre productions.
Fronted by The National Lottery, this showcase is a thank you to all players whose money has supported more than 20,000 theatre-related projects totalling £1.3 billion.
These funds have been used on many performing arts resources including restoring theatres and enabling hundreds of musical-related projects to commence.
This isn’t something to be missed out on as the bill is shaping up to be one of the event’s biggest to date featuring stars from the West End and some of the most notorious shows.
Attendees can expect to hear some familiar favourites in the likes of Bat Out of Hell, Here & Now: The Steps Musical, Mean Girls and more.
There’s even an exclusive preview of the upcoming theatre adaptation of a Disney superhero as snippets from ‘Hercules’ will be performed live.
Guests even have a chance to be in the same room as musical theatre legend Carrie Hope Fletcher as she takes on the role of Calamity Jane in the theatre show of the same name.
Dear Evan Hansen is also on the bill and if you aren’t free for the musical ensemble, it’s running at Palace Theatre Manchester from 18-22 February next year and tickets are available right now.
This event has a super varied lineup too, from throwback pop bangers to Wild West heroines, this night really caters to everyone.
In true musical style, there will be big, bold performances and, of course, lots of excellent surprises all set to make a fantastic night of live music at the AO Arena.
All National Lottery players have the chance to reserve up to four tickets, the only cost is proof they’ve purchased a product from the National Lottery and a £2 booking fee per ticket.
Tickets for the ‘Big Night of Musicals’ on 25 January are already on sale you can try your luck at grabbing some free seats HERE.
National Portrait Gallery to debut ground-breaking digital exhibition in Salford
Daisy Jackson
The National Portrait Gallery has announced a ground-breaking new experience that’s set to make its debut at MediaCity in Salford.
Some of the world’s most famous paintings will be brought to life in an immersive digital exhibition, called Stories – Brought to Life, that will tell the stories behind iconic portraits.
FRAMELESS Creative has partnered with the National Portrait Gallery on the project, which will be the first major touring art experience by any UK art institution and makes up a long-term partnership called National Portrait Gallery Unframed.
Those who attended the hugely popular and acclaimed Van Gogh Alive experience will already know a little of what to expect – famous paintings reimagined with digital projections, visual effects, and audio technology.
FRAMELESS has been granted access to the National Portrait Gallery’s collection to create Stories – Brought to Life, which will tell the tales of people who have shaped history, from the Tudors to the present day, in an innovative new way.
While the exhibition will premiere here in Greater Manchester next year, there’s a planned national and international tour to follow.
The National Portrait Gallery will be debuting a ground-breaking digital exhibition in Salford / Credit: MediaCity
Rich Storton, general manager at FRAMELESS Creative said: “We are delighted to announce this new long-term partnership with the National Portrait Gallery. We hope that by unleashing the power of digital storytelling we can help the Gallery to bring art to a whole new audience.
“We’re living in a changing world and there is a real need for new experiences that help open up art and culture to new audiences and crucially help ensure that national institutions such as the National Portrait Gallery and their incredible collections continue to be accessible and have cultural significance for the next generation.
“MediaCity is a vibrant cultural hub attracting a hugely diverse audience. This combined with its proximity to major transport links and focus on technology made it an obvious choice for premiering our first experience.”
Rosie Wilson, Director of Programmes, Partnerships and Collections at the National Portrait Gallery said: “The National Portrait Gallery aims to share our unique collection of portraits with as wide an audience as possible and explore the human stories that shape our history and culture.
“This exciting new partnership with FRAMELESS, inspired by our Collection, will enable us to take these stories outside of the Gallery walls and bring them to life in new, innovative ways.”
Caroline Aikman, Director of Marketing, Brand and Place at MediaCity said: “We are honoured that the National Portrait Gallery and FRAMELESS have chosen MediaCity as the first stop on the tour of this unique immersive experience.
“We’ve hosted many arts and culture events, experiences, festivals and exhibitions over the last few years and we can’t wait to welcome visitors to Salford when the experience opens its doors in May next year.”
Daisy Jackson -
31st August 2023 
