Rarely-seen photos of Amy Winehouse are to go on display in Manchester to mark the late singer’s 40th birthday this month.
The exclusive images of the legendary vocalist – who was considered to be one of the voices of her generation, but sadly passed away back in 2011 at the age of 27 – will form part of an exhibition showcasing work by critically-acclaimed music photographer Richard Kelly that’s currently happening down at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in the city centre.
The exhibition, titled Richard Kelly: A Time and Place, features never-before-seen images of some of music’s most-talked-about talents – including local legend John Cooper Clarke, Arctic Monkeys, and Florence + The Machine.
Up-and-coming Manchester music talent like Anthony Szmierek and Akemi Fox also feature as part of the popular exhibition.
And now, following its unprecedented popularity, with dozens of eyes having been able to clock eyes on the photos over the last couple of weeks, the hotel has announced that the exhibition‘s stay in our city has been extended.
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It will now close at the end of October.
As well as the extension, two new rarely-seen framed photos of Amy Winehouse taken by Kelly are also being added to the one already on display in the exhibition as a special homage to what would have been the star’s 40th birthday – which is on 14 September.
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Rare Amy Winehouse photos to go on display in Manchester to mark the late singer’s 40th birthday / Credit: Richard Kelly
“When taking people’s pictures, I always try to distance myself from the celebrity and just see and capture the person,” Richard Kelly said of the two new additions to the exhibition.
“The images of Amy Winehouse I’ve added are from the time she supported the Arctic Monkeys at Old Trafford a few years back. I managed to catch her just before she went on stage, as it seemed to be a brief respite from the whirlwind that seemed around her at the time, [and] she then went on to lead the crowd in a singalong of ‘Valerie’ – it was magical.
“She was one of a kind, and is definitely missed.”
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As the long-standing official photographer of the Arctic Monkeys, and as a celebrated music photographer in general, Kelly has been highlighting the best in British musical talent for over 25 years now, and has captured some of the most-famous names in the industry.
He also prides himself on scouting local Mancunian talent, which makes this exhibition – and its now extension – all the more important.
The images are part of the Richard Kelly: A Time and Place exhibition at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel / Credit: Kimpton Clocktower Hotel
David Steel, who is the General Manager of Kimpton Clocktower, said the hotel is “proud” to be extending the exhibition to give people the chance to see never-before exhibited shots.
“We know Amy Winehouse made such an impact on so many people’s lives with her extraordinary talent,” he added, “So we’re hoping to help people feel connected with her art and memory, at a time that would have been a celebration for her.”
The two new Amy Winehouse photos as part of the free-to-view Richard Kelly: A Time and Place exhibition will be on the walls at The Refuge from 14 September.
The exhibition has been extended to end in October 2023.
Featured Image – Richard Kelly
Art & Culture
Manchester’s historic Portico Library secures £6.4m funding grant towards its transformation
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s Portico Library has secured a whopping £6.4 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
In case you missed it, ambitious plans to transform the historic Grade II-listed building on Mosely Street were already unveiled last October… but now, The National Lottery Heritage Fund has announced it is committing £6.4 million of funding towards the project, hoping that the building thrives as the UK’s most sustainable historic library for generations to come.
The grant is being described as a ‘major milestone’ in the approximately £12 million Portico Reunited project.
The Portico Reunited project will look to ‘reunite’ the historic building’s three floors for the first time in over a century, creating a fully-accessible and sustainable cultural library.
Founded all the way back in 1806, The Portico Library played a central role in Manchester’s rise as the world’s first modern city, and since then has been serving as a window into the past and a providing a place of inspiration for anyone who needs it.
The Portico Library has secured a £6.4m funding grant towards its transformation / Credit: Purcell Architecture (Supplied)
Crucially, plans will see a step-free entrance and lift installed to make the library accessible to all.
There’ll also be new exhibition and event spaces introduced as part of the scheme to explore the stories of Manchester’s communities and the city’s heritage. There will a Northern Bookshop, showcasing regional and emerging writers, and independent publishers, as well as a creative Portico Kitchen, which will celebrate the city’s food culture, writing, and history.
A place for school groups, families, and all people to explore Portico’s collection and experiment creatively also forms part of the plans.
Dr Thom Keep, Librarian and CEO of The Portico Library, called the funding grant a ‘landmark moment’ in the Portico’s ‘rich and complex history’, and a ‘huge achievement’ for its staff, trustees, volunteers, and partners.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, we can reunite this extraordinary building and make room for people to discover, learn and create together,” he added.
“We have listened to thousands of people about what the Portico could become, and their ideas and experiences have helped shape these plans.
“Our ambition is a library that belongs to the whole city – a place to discover remarkable collections, question the stories we have inherited, and create new possibilities together.”
Manchester City Council has granted planning permission and listed building consent for the project, and the building is expected to close for construction in late spring 2028 and reopen once again in early March 2030.
Following reopening, the transformed library is expected to welcome around 95,000 visitors each year.
Featured Image – Purcell Architecture (Supplied)
Art & Culture
Iconic Manc movie 24 Hour Party People is set to return to cinemas for its anniversary
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s most iconic movies is set to return to the big screen next month.
Remastered in 4K and returning to UK cinemas to mark 24 years since its original release, Michael Winterbottom’s 2002 biographical comedy drama film, 24 Hour Party People, tells the story of Manchester‘s popular music community from 1976 to 1992 – specifically about Factory Records‘ founder Tony Wilson.
The film begins with the punk rock era of the late 1970s, before moving through the 1980s into the rave and DJ culture, and of course, the ‘Madchester‘ scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The narrative largely follows the career of Tony Wilson, played by Middleton-born actor Steve Coogan, while also covering the careers of the major Factory Records artists – especially Joy Division and New Order, as well as A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, and Happy Mondays.
If you haven’t seen 24 Hour Party People before, it’s a dramatisation based on a combination of real events, rumours, and urban legends, as the film is sure to make clear.
Coogan is joined by a cast by a mixture of big names and, at the time, rising stars like Paddy Considine, Shirley Henderson, Lennie James, John Simm, Ralf Little, Andy Serkis, Sean Harris, John Thomson, and even Peter Kay, alongside cameos from other figures connected to the Manchester music scene.
Before it returns to cinemas, the film will first open music and media festival/conference, Beyond The Music, at MediaCity in Salford on 6 October.
The screening at the festival will also be followed by a Q&A with Coogan, Winterbottom, and producer Andrew Eaton.
24 Hour Party People will then be re-released in UK cinemas from 9 October, and you can check your local cinema for screening times and book tickets online now.
Emily Sergeant -
8th September 2023 
