By Janet Reeder
Art lovers are spoilt for choice in Manchester as there's everything from blockbuster shows to a thriving home-grown arts scene that is catered for by some fantastic independently-owned galleries. Here are some of the best to visit.
Manchester Art Gallery
When it comes to art galleries, for must-see exhibitions head to the Manchester Art Gallery in the centre of the city, which also has an excellent permanent collection including work by Stubbs, Francis Bacon and Anthony Gormley, while the award-winning Whitworth, part of Manchester University, welcomes everyone, from small children to art lovers or those who just adore the peace and quiet of its art garden.
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- The Whitworth is of the most remarkable galleries in the north
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- See international contemporary art at Manchester Art Gallery
Smaller galleries
Art is everywhere in the city, from graffiti on the walls of the Northern Quarter’s historic buildings to smaller galleries like Rogue Studios where during open studio you’ll get to see the artists at work as well as invest in some affordable art. Check out the Saul Hay Gallery in Castlefield, a passion project by husband and wife Ian and Catherine Hay, who curate regular contemporary art shows. You can buy vibrant contemporary art at Egoiste Gallery at Afflecks and the Richard Goodall Gallery in the Northern Quarter.
Art is everywhere in the city, from graffiti on the walls of the Northern Quarter’s historic buildings to smaller galleries like Rogue Studios where during open studio you’ll get to see the artists at work as well as invest in some affordable art
School of art
The Manchester School of Art’s Holden Gallery has a lovely contemporary exhibition space, showcasing new artworks and you can also get your fix of modern art at the Castlefield Gallery. At Manchester University’s grand neo-Gothic Alfred Waterhouse-designed campus on Oxford Road, you could catch a public lecture or a concert at the student union. Also on campus is the Sir Kenneth Green library which contains 175 years’ worth of art and design, from rare children’s books to Victorian ephemera.
