What’s On in the Arts

A new year and decade promises an exciting program for the arts in Manchester. Arts venues are both looking back into our history, while also looking at what an uncertain future in Brexit Britain means. Optimism, it seems, is a prevalent theme, with the continuation of Manchester’s institution’s dedication to diversifying and increasing the accessibility of the arts.

Utopias, The Whitworth Gallery, 31st January-27th September.

While 31st January, otherwise known as Brexit day, may represent the entrance into dystopia for most of us, the Whitworth is celebrating Utopia. The exhibition, which considers EUtopian thinking on both sides of the EU debate, intends to display different artist’s interpretations of ‘Utopia’ throughout the ages.

Expect some thought-provoking art from some big names, such as Jenny Holzer, JMW Turner, and Grayson Perry. Central to this exhibition is a first-edition copy of Thomas More’s Utopia, the very book where the term was invented.

Trading Station: How hot drinks shape our lives, Manchester Art Gallery, 14th December- 20th December.

Fancy a brew? Manchester Art Gallery’s latest exhibition focuses on our very British love for a cuppa, while unraveling the darker global history issues connected to the introduction of hot drinks to our country.

Through displaying a variety of different objects, from painting to porcelain, this exhibition demonstrates how everyday objects have hidden histories.

Thumbs Up,  Castlefield Gallery, 24th January-8th March.

Does the white cube of a gallery fill you with dread? Thumbs Up sees four artists- Michael Beard, Frances Disley, Harry Meadley, and Leslie Thompson- approach the way in which the contemporary gallery space affects the viewer’s interaction with the art displayed.

The result? A space designed to be warming and welcoming during these harsh, winter months.

HOME, Manchester Open Exhibition 2020, 18th January- 29th March.

Potentially one of the most exciting art projects in Manchester, if not Britain, HOME’s Open Exhibition is truly democratizing the arts. With the ethos of ‘Everyone is an Artist’, the exhibition shows works from over 500 residents of Greater Manchester, regardless of their background or training.

Pavement Gallery, Christian Marclay, 23rd January-25th February

After 5 years, the Pavement gallery is back! The 24/7 window space on Cavendish street is displaying Christian Marclay’s ‘Look’, a stop-motion animation that documents thousands of ‘Look’ signs painted across London, reminding us to indeed, ‘Look’, in a world full of distraction.