A new art trail by the Bee in the City team named ’50 Windows of Creativity’ is coming to Manchester this autumn and it’s set to shine a light on the work of local artists and makers.
The new art trail will showcase works through displays in a series of windows, venues, businesses and spaces across the city centre.
The displays will feature multiple art forms, from fine art and photography, to ceramics, crafts, mosaics and murals. They will be curated by both well-known and emerging artists and collectives – all of whom have a connection to Greater Manchester – and also by the city’s cultural venues and festivals which haven’t been able to take place this year.
Global public art producers Wild in Art – whose previous work includes the award-winning Bee in the City art trail, which took over the city in 2018 – will produce the event in partnership with Manchester City Council.
Building on Manchester’s reputation for innovation and the key strategic role that art and culture plays in the social and economic life of the city, the event will help residents to reconnect with places and spaces in the city centre again as part of the Council’s recovery programme.
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‘Cathedral Walk’ by Sarah Connell
Artists and makers taking part this year include Wellcome Trust prize winner Benji Reid, Manchester-born mixed media landscape artist Sarah Connell, and contemporary creative studio Lazerian, and all pieces on display will also be available to buy directly from the artist or maker, which will give a much needed boost to the city’s creative community.
Charlie Langhorne – Co-founder and Managing Director of Wild in Art – said: “The team is delighted to be back in Manchester working with the city, its businesses and the creative community to produce this event. It is a slight departure to our traditional sculpture trails and it will be our first ever ‘window’ trail – firmly putting the spotlight on the city’s artists and makers.
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“One of Manchester’s unique qualities is its ability to bring people together and we hope 50 Windows of Creativity will enable Mancunians to rediscover the city in a safe and socially distanced way, while enjoying a new type of outdoor event.”
Liam Hopkins
Ben Reed – Head of Creative Development at Wild in Art – added: “We are delighted to be working with some incredibly talented artists and makers and we are excited to see their work and displays develop. This project will transform the city’s windows and spaces into an innovative art gallery taking people on a creative journey around Manchester.”
Councillor Luthfur Rahman – Executive Member for Skills, Culture and Leisure – said: “Bee in the City was a captivating example of the power that the arts and culture can have for the people of Manchester. Culture is the beating heart and soul of this city and as a Council we are proud to champion this sector. This latest offering will allow people to engage with and enjoy culture after months of lockdown where our favourite venues, whether they are galleries, museums, parks or libraries, have been off limits for many.
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“A huge amount of work has gone into helping Manchester recover economically [and] what we need to see now is the same level of support to see the city recover culturally – a sector which is intrinsic to the city’s economic recovery.
“This is why it is crucial that we engage with projects like 50 Windows of Creativity.”
“Now more than ever it is so important that we show support for the arts community, and I hope that when this project is ready people will take the time to explore it and appreciate the incredible talent that Manchester has to offer.”
Liam Hopkins
The ’50 Windows of Creativity’ project is supported by Event Partner Autotrader, with other businesses including Hobs Repro, Ocean Outdoor, Jamieson Contracting and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).
Christos Tsaprounis – Head of People & Culture at Autotrader – said: “This is an inspiring event to be part of. As a business in the city, we wanted to do all we can to support the city we operate in, local artists and a worthwhile charity [and] we are delighted to be involved in this innovative initiative”.
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The project culminates with an auction, which will see a selection of pieces auctioned with proceeds going to their artists and makers, and to The Lord Mayor of Manchester Charity Appeal Trust – We Love MCR – which aims to help improve the lives and life chances of Manchester people.
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There are a number of opportunities for businesses to get involved with ’50 Windows of Creativity’.
Businesses wanting more information about supporting the event though sponsorship should contact Julie Gaskell – Head of Partnerships at Wild in Art – on [email protected], and businesses interested in providing a window space or having an installation in their premises should contact [email protected]
New and established Greater Manchester based artists who have an idea for an installation can also contact [email protected] by 5pm on 9th September 2020.
What's On
‘Hefty’ Foo Fighters ticket prices for surprise Manchester gig divide opinion
Danny Jones
Foo Fighters fans, gig-goers and all-round music lovers in general have been left up in arms after the legendary American rock band announced some surprise shows in the UK and Ireland – including here in Manchester – as ticket prices have labelled ‘shameful’ by some.
In case you missed the news that sent us here in Manchester and all over the nation into bedlam, Foo Fighters recently revealed they would be playing just a handful of shows up and down the country, all at smaller venues than their usual arena tour dates.
Sharing the news fairly last-minute over the weekend, with tickets going on sale this past Sunday and (shock) selling out almost immediately, many have taken issue with the band’s and/or promoters’ approach to the event.
While lots have revelled in the excitement of a show scheduled for this week being dropped on our laps in the eleventh hour, lots of others feel the price point for the tickets is ‘ridiculous’.
Although they’re not quite on the level of the controversial Oasis/Harry Styles sagas, at £99 including all fees, they’re still up there with the most expensive gig tickets venues like these will ever charge.
Most poignantly, the tickets were sold strictly in person via the box office, with fans queuing up outside a trio of venues.
Taking place at the O2 Ritz, which has a capacity of roughly 1,500, the Foo Fighters’ Manchester date is not only one of the most in-demand gigs, but also promises to be one of their sweatiest – and, apparently, most divisive.
For some, this is a very cool bit of marketing and at least an attempt to curb online ticket touts, plus helping support live music spaces directly; on the other hand, the significant fee remains a sticking point they refuse to move past.
Responding in the comments underneath the post by the Ritz, one person wrote: “That ticket price is f****** disgusting. It’s not costing them f*** all to play there, if Harry Styles can play the Co-op Live for £20 then they should”; another simply added, “99 quid is wild, do better.”
Safe to say it has split opinions across the board.
i really want to know who is paying £100 to see foo fighters at o2 academy ritz and what they do for work to justify that
Big fan of the foo fighters but having only in person tickets and then still charging £100 is a joke. Then to move other bands earlier to slot them in isn’t fair
As you can see, it’s also affected other acts set to play these same rooms this month, too.
Others have also doubted whether the ‘face value exchange’ tactic really works all that much, as a few people on social media reported having already found a number of tickets being listed on resale on certain platforms.
What do you make of artists charging these kinds of prices for exclusive one-off shows like this, or the cost of gig tickets in general these days?
Better yet, did any of you succeed in grabbing tickets to see Foo Fighters at the Ritz here in Manchester this Friday, 27 February?
Featured Images — Audio North/Publicity picture (via Foo Fighters/O2 Ritz)
What's On
The K’s kick off Manchester’s BRITs Week celebrations early with jam-packed intimate gig
The Manc
If you were ‘Hoping Maybe’ to see The K’s at some point this year, this is your sign do it, as the rising indie band did not let the occasion of playing an intimate BRITs-backed gig get to them – they were buoyed by it.
Beloved city centre venue Gorilla was overflowing for The K’s last night, hosting an unreal small-cap set as part of Brits Week ‘26 for a very important cause: War Child.
Perfectly teed up by fellow nearby band, Florentenes from Bolton, The K’s took to a familiar stage many years on from their debut, and instantly had the crowd ready and raring for an hour of pure tunes and some very, very sweaty brows.
Earlestown’s finest certainly carried that Northern charm and energy throughout the whole night; their indie and almost nostalgic lyrical storytelling has you moshing one minute, whilst grasping your mate and ascending into live music heaven the next. There really aren’t many feelings like it.
Sobbing and swaying in the vast ocean of shoulders whilst screaming the lyrics to ‘Helen. Oh I’, I questioned how any compliment will ever compare to launching “thousand ships every time” from a kiss.
The K’s were yearning before Wuthering Heights made it vogue (again).
Musically, the band were seamless and a well-oiled machine, and so were the audience as they wholeheartedly echoed every lyric back at the lads and bounced it off the walls.
The K’s have come a long way since their first visit to Gorilla (Credit: Lucy Wagstaffe)
Every primary school assembly proudly led us to this moment, and it did not disappoint, displaying their increasingly seasoned and successful career, which I can only imagine is going to go from strength to strength this year.
I don’t think we even one more fan could have squeezed one more passionate fan into Gorilla on the night; it was heaving with people and pride; the sweat dripping down the walls indicated things are big for these local lads, and we couldn’t be prouder.
They are another prime example of shining a deserving light on Northern artists! And having the 2026 BRIT Awards up here with us is a testament to that.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd September 2020 
