Manchester Art Fair is returning to our city centre once again next month, and there’s so much to look forward to.
Founded back in 2008, and going on to become one of the largest and most significant art fairs in the UK, Manchester Art Fair has cemented itself among the most celebrated cultural events inGreater Manchester‘s annual social calendar.
It’s known and loved for bringing together a wide range of artists, galleries and artist studios along with a full programme of talks and art classes.
This year’sfair will feature more new names than ever before – with over a third of all exhibitors making their inaugural appearance.
Here’s everything you need to know about Manchester Art Fair 2024.
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When and where is this year’s event?
Manchester Art Fair 2024 is taking over Manchester Central in the heart of the city centre.
Set to transform the large venue into a vibrant gallery space, the highly-anticipated event will first open on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 November.
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Manchester Art Fair is making a grand return to the city centre next month / Credit: Supplied
How many exhibitors will there be? And who are some of the big names set to appear?
Designed for the collector, the curator, and those who are just simply curious about art, Manchester Art Fair will be bringing together more than 500 individual artists and there’ll be 170 stalls to explore.
Lots of returning galleries and artists will be there too, and the majority of them will be displaying new works to the public.
Francis Iles Gallery and Linton 59 Gallery are among the newbies making their first appearance at the event in November, each showcasing works by an eclectic mix of UK and internationalartists, while Benjamin Thomas Taylor and Bob & Eve, are just a couple of the stand-out names on the long list of individual artists who’ll be exhibiting.
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There’s also an extended programme of high-profile talks andworkshops to get involved with too, all included in the ticket price.
New this year are book signings with authors including Gemma Rolls Bentley championing queer art, Andy Spinoza with Manchester Unspun, DJ Dave Haslam and his book on Picasso’s nightlife and Mark Demsteader with his first book entitled Moorlands.
More than 170 exhibitors will gather together under one roof / Credit: Supplied
How can you buy art?
Manchester Art Fair is for everyone – whether you’re a seasoned collector in the market for the next big thing, or it’s your first time at an art fair and you’re just looking for the right piece to fill that empty space on your wall.
Buying art at the fair is simple.
Firstly, you’ll want to do a bit of research ahead of the event into the exhibitors and make a shortlist of stands you want to visit. Then once you’re there, it’s wise to go around the stands you’re interested in and speak to the exhibitors and artists to find out about the stories behind the works on offer to help you make your decision.
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As tickets provide you access to the fair on both the Saturday and Sunday, you can come and go as you please and pop back in later to see if the same piece catches your eye a second time round.
Once you’ve made the decision to buy from the artist or gallerist, you can then get your piece wrapped free of charge to take home safely, and remember to submit your proof of purchase to get free entry to 2025’s edition of the fair.
Buying art at the fair is simple, and it’s for everyone / Credit: Supplied
What are the organisers saying?
Manchester Art Fair’s Director, Sophie Helm, said the anticipation for this year’s event is ‘building to unprecedented levels’.
“When we launched Manchester Art Fair 16 years ago, we never imagined that Manchester would take the event into their hearts as much as they have,” she said.
“It’s such fun to pull together all the art talks, workshops, demos and live events we have going on over the weekend and a real privilege to be able to see art lovers meeting artists and galleries in person and bringing home original art works with stories and meaning to hang at home.”
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Advanced tickets are now on sale / Credit: Supplied
How much are tickets? Where can I buy them? And what do they include?
Advance tickets for Saturday and Sunday, from 10am-6pm, are available for £12 before 14 November and £15 after that date, both plus a booking fee.
Under 16s do not need tickets to the event.
Manchester Art Fair 2024 will take over Manchester Central on Friday 15 November from 5pm until Sunday 17 November, and you can get yourself tickets online here.
Manchester’s new aesthetics clinic with a budget-friendly tiered pricing model
The Manc
There’s a new medically–led aesthetics clinic in the heart of Manchester, which offers a tiered pricing model that will get you the right treatment at a price that suits your budget.
The Academy Clinic has opened up on Quay Street, specialising in natural, balanced results with a massive range of injectable and cosmetic dermatology treatments
The clinic was founded by Dr Tristan Mehta, Dr Emily Mehta, and Dr Marcus Mehta, who want to raise the standards of injectable and cosmetic dermatology treatments across the UK.
It’s part of Harley Academy, the UK’s leading provider of postgraduate training in aesthetic medicine.
And that’s what sets it apart from a lot of other clinics in the UK, and makes it a stand-out in an industry that is largely unregulated – at The Academy Clinic you won’t ever be treated by non-medics or anyone without formal medical training.
It means that you are always in the hands of a registered medical professional – whether it be practitioner or trainee, and doctor, nurse, dentist or clinical pharmacist – who would be able to manage complications, so you can feel confident you’re in the best hands.
The Academy Clinic in Manchester. Credit: Supplied
And the tiered treatment model really does suit every patient’s budget and preferences – you can take a more affordable treatment option, where qualified medical professionals are learning and being upskilled with expert supervision during your treatment; or you can opt for a fully private experience with a senior practitioner and no training elements involved.
There’s a wide range of treatments available, including popular injectable skin treatments such as Profhilo® and Profhilo Structura®, polynucleotides, dermal fillers, microneedling, HydraFacial and more, all designed to deliver natural-looking, confidence-boosting results.
Beyond patient care, The Academy Clinic’s clinical team also trains and mentors medical professionals through its GMC-registered aesthetics training academy, Harley Academy.
Dr Tristan Mehta, Founder & CEO of The Academy Clinic and Harley Academy, said: “Our mission has always been to raise standards in aesthetics. By combining education with patient care, we can ensure treatments are delivered safely, ethically, and with natural results.
Treatments include HydraFacials
“Bringing The Academy Clinic to Manchester means more people can access medically-led aesthetics with confidence.”
The Academy Clinic is now open at St John’s Court on Quay Street in Manchester, having acquired SkinViva last October.
To keep up to date with the latest news and promotions, you can follow The Academy Clinic on Instagram @theacademyclinic. For bookings or enquiries, call 0161 865 1141, visit theacademyclinic.co.uk or email [email protected].
Exclusive offer for The Manc readers: Use code MANC25 at the time of booking or when in clinic for 25% off any treatments excluding wrinkle reduction treatments.
Wigan favourites Stanleys release first single ahead of debut album next year
Danny Jones
Fast-rising Wigan band Stanleys have dropped the lead single from their debut album, which is finally on its way and will be coming sometime next year.
Entitled ‘Pass The Time’, the Stanleys’ latest outing arrived on Friday, 20 February, and while there’s still no specific release date for the first-ever full-length LP, we do know it’s coming at some point in 2027.
To simply label it as more catchy indie would be a disservice to the craft and graft these lads have put in: this is definitely a step forward and in a slightly different direction, with an even more guitar-driven feel and an extra bit of gruff about it compared to previous Stanleys material.
Our only minor complaint is that we wish it lasted a little longer – we want MORE.
An energetic two-and-a-half-minute track that we can already see becoming a fan favourite, it’s one we’re looking forward to hearing in the flesh.
We’ve caught the Stanleys boys live a few times now, both here in Manchester city centre and at their sold-out show in Wigan as part of The Monaco relaunch, as well as at the likes of Kendal Calling festival in recent years.
Safe to say, they never disappoint, and neither do their growing crowd of die-hards.
With lyrics touching on not just the passing of time but also that sense of youthful ambition and how it fluctuates with age, it feels like one of those defiant indie rallying cries we grew up listening to in our own adolescence, and it definitely has plenty of energy to it.
Both The Manc and our wider Audio North team had the pleasure of chatting with them back in November 2024, and you can tell they have big plans to take on not just the local music scene but the UK and beyond.
The release of ‘Pass The Time’ comes almost a year on from their last song, ‘Out the Door’: a similarly fast-run song, albeit with a different vibe.
Positioned as part of Wigan’s next generation of new bands and artists, Stanleys are clearly looking to keep developing as musicians, and if tunes like these are anything to go by, then we can’t wait for their first full record.
They’re also going to be playing a night here in Manchester city centre and beloved grassroots venue, Night and Day, this April; you can grab tickets HERE.
So get adding it to your Spotify playlists, watching the music video, and maybe we’ll see you at the gig.
Emily Sergeant -
29th October 2024 
