Have you seen that an “immersive nature experience” has arrived on one of Manchester city centre’s busiest streets this week?
The #InOurNature pop-up shop in St Ann’s Arcade is a beautiful space that turns a typical shop front into one that’s been taken over by greenery, so visitors can take a well-earned break from a hard day at work or a busy shopping trip to relax among the plants, the smells of nature, and projections of some of the best-loved green spaces from around the city.
At the centre of the experience is a sound installation that features “the sound of Manchester’s nature” with tracks created in collaboration with sound artist and composer Jason Singh, and Manchester’s spoken word collective Young Identity.
The tracks have been created by transforming ‘biodata’ generated from plants around Moss Side and a mix of voices from local residents.
Those who stop by to visit the pop-up shop will be given the chance to vote on their favourite.
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We can’t wait to welcome you into the #InOurNature pop-up shop!🌿 Step into this immersive experience to tune out of your busy day and relax and enjoy the sounds, smells and views of nature, from right in the heart of the city💚 Head here to find out more https://t.co/td9ohoMhzcpic.twitter.com/co8NNzEb2L
So, why has this unique experience popped-up in Manchester then?
Well, as recent research from Natural England has shown a positive link between feeling connected to nature and behaving in a way that is better for the environment, the pop-up will not only help people connect with nature, but will also suggest things they can do to help the environment in their local area.
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The shop is part of the ‘In Our Nature’ programme – which is led by Hubbub, Manchester Climate Change Agency and Partnership, Manchester City Council, Amity CIC, the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, and Commonplace.
The programme works with communities in Manchester to find creative solutions to the climate crisis by using nature as a gateway to inspire positive climate action, with a big focus on removing barriers for those facing barriers to spending time in nature, and works alongside other current local projects including greening concrete alleyways, and working with community groups such as Mothers Against Violence to get nature projects off the ground.
The #InOurNature pop-up shop in St Ann’s Arcade is a beautiful space that turns a typical shop into one filled with greenery / Credit: In Our Nature
“We all feel better after spending time in nature, and this is exactly why we’re bringing this innovative experience into central Manchester,” said Gavin Ellis, co-founder of Hubbub.
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“We hope people will leave feeling boosted by the power of nature and be inspired to get involved in projects and take action across Manchester.”
Sound artist Jason Singh added: “People and nature are an endless source of inspiration for me [so] this project has been a wonderful exploration of poetry, technology, landscape and nature.
“Manchester is huge part of my life and I truly love both the wide range of people that inhabit all parts of the city, as well as the landscape that makes Manchester what it is, [and] this new installation celebrates peoples’ connection with nature as well as thinking about the surroundings in which we live, work and play.
“It has been an absolute pleasure working on In Our Nature.”
Visitors can relax among the plants, the smells of nature, and projections of the city’s green spaces / Credit: In Our Nature
In Our Nature
Address: St Ann’s Arcade, 10-12A St Ann’s Square, Manchester, M2 7HW
Times:Weekdays 11am-2pm and 4pm-7pm | Weekends 10am-8pm
Open until:17 October 2021
Featured Image – In Our Nature MCR
City Centre
Manchester streaming platform StreamGM unveils four-part creative industry careers podcast
Thomas Melia
A new four-partpodcast by StreamGM featuring some of Greater Manchester’s top creatives has launched with the aim of powering creative careers.
Produced by Rebecca Swarray, a.k.a. ‘RebeccaNeverBecky’ – the founder of the Manchester events and arts collective – this podcast is designed to “ignite and elevate creative careers in music.”
Swarray deep dives into the current Manc music scene and beyond with the help of fellow insiders who vary upon each episode.
There are four parts in this latest series and there’s lots to cover, especially in an industry that’s ever-changing and ever-challenging.
Some of the guests and speakers you can expect to listen to on ‘ICAM’ (In Conversations and Masterclasses)Credit: StreamGM/The Manc Group
Listeners can expect to learn all about ‘Women Behind The Music’ as part of the In Conversations and Masterclasses series with Sophie Bee, Sara Garvey and Kat Brown.
The next episode delves into another key music industry area, ‘Promoters, Venues And Events’, which is broken down by Baz Plug One, Strutty, Tashadean Wood and Liv McCafferty.
‘Artist Development And Management’ features Karen Boardman, Karen Gabay, Damian Morgan, and Via Culpan deep in discussion.
The final episode in this four-part series is ‘Videography And Photography In The Creative Industries’, which sees Johan Reitan, Alice Kanako and Ahmani Vidal talking all things visual.
These four features will be an incredible resource for any creative talents as it put together by professionals for upcoming professionals of any age from any background, race, gender and walk of life.
After all, that’s what is all about, right?
Abbreviated to ‘ICAM’, the podcast is certainly one to check out, with for aspiring artist managers, producers, photographers, promoters—anyone driven to make their mark in music and events.
These podcast sessions understand industry challenges, explore career journeys, creative influences, crisis management and lots more creative field concerns.
You can find the first episode in full down below:
The first episode of the new limited StreamGM podcast.
This run of shows is the second instalment by StreamGM: Greater Manchester’s phenomenal streaming platform dedicated to all things music, nightlife and culture.
Whether you’re a budding creative arts talent or just curious to find out insights into this wonderful innovative industry, you can listen to all the episodes from the series directly on StreamGM HERE.
Elsewhere in Greater Manchester music news, another very special event is kicking off very soon:
Featured Images — Publicity Picture (Supplied)/The Manc Group
City Centre
One of Manchester’s oldest surviving Victorian mills to be repurposed into ‘distinctive’ rental homes
Emily Sergeant
A multi-million funding deal has been agreed to repurpose one of Manchester’s oldest surviving Victorian mills.
After £55 million plans to reimagine Talbot Mill into a 10-storey apartment block began back in May of last year, social impact developers Capital&Centric have now agreed a £37 million deal with Paragon Bank to finance the restoration of the historic mill and repurpose it into 190 new distinctive properties for rent.
Built in 1855 overlooking the canal, the imposing red-brick mill on Ellesmere Street in the Castlefield neighbourhood was the product of Manchester’s textile boom.
One of the city’s last massive mills to be restored, it was Talbot that spearheaded the rapid transformation of the Cornbrook area from undeveloped land to a powerful industrial hub in the late 19th century, before going on to dominate the local cotton industry in the early 1900s.
It was even used as a mushroom farm in the 1980s, while more recently, it has been the set of a period drama and a massive art exhibition.
But when the restoration is complete, over half the development will be newly-built and will offer residents of the nearly 200 ‘distinctive’ apartments a lush hidden garden, with plenty of green spaces to meet and hang out, while still managing to celebrate the mill’s past and retain loads of original features.
Capital&Centric is developing Talbot Mill as an investment, which it will retain for rent once finished.
This is something the developers have already done successfully on a number of sites in recent years, especially in its lengthy run of restoring Manchester’s iconic listed buildings and mixing the old in with the new.
One of Manchester’s oldest surviving Victorian mills will be repurposed into ‘distinctive’ rental homes / Credit: Capital&Centric
“We love to restore and repurpose historic buildings,” explained Tom Wilmot, who is the joint managing director at Capital&Centric.
“But as one of Manchester’s oldest mills, Talbot Mill is something a bit different, so we’re buzzing to be bringing it back to its former glory, [as] it had a huge role to play in the industrial revolution in the city and now it gets to be part of the city’s future.
“We’re retaining as many features as we can, to keep the history of the mill alive and so that our residents can enjoy becoming custodians of the past whilst enjoying all the trappings of modern-day living.”
Emily Sergeant -
13th October 2021 
