Venues

Bury Art Museum is the council's flagship for the arts and is home to the famous Wrigley Collection of Victorian paintings as well as a venue for exhibitions of contemporary art. The local history of Bury can be explored through displays in the museum and there are frequent events for visitors of all ages.

At Bury Art Gallery, Museum & Archives you'll find world-famous Victorian paintings, challenging contemporary art, mysterious objects and fascinating documents from Bury's past in a distinctive Edwardian building that is a work of art in itself.

The art gallery was specially built to house the Wrigley Collection, over two hundred oil paintings, watercolours, prints and ceramics collected by local paper manufacturer Thomas Wrigley. His three children gave them to the town in 1897 to be enjoyed by all.

The oil paintings include Turner's Calais Sands, Landseer's The Random Shot, Constable's Hampstead Heath and Clausen's Spring Morning: Haverstock Hill. Successive curators have added to Wrigley's legacy. There are 20th century paintings by artists such as Pasmore and Burra, and a growing selection of contemporary artists.

Situated behind Deansgate train station, Castlefield Gallery is a public contemporary art gallery and also provides professional development for artists. The gallery is nationally and internationally recognised for playing a strategic role in the development of visual art the UK. Set up in 1984, it is now one of the most established and successful artist-initiated galleries in the UK.
 
Castlefield Gallery has worked with international artists such as international award winner Cory Arcangel, the award winning graphic designer and artist Peter Saville, Turner Prize winner Mark Leckey, Ireland’s Venice Biennale representative Siobhan Hapaska, John Moores Painting Prize finalist Gordon Cheung, British Council award winners Karin Kihlberg & Reuben Henry, Tate Triennial exhibitors, Olivia Plender and Ruth Ewan among many others.

The gallery has a regular talks, events and screening programme for the general public. Please visit the Castlefield Gallery website for information on their forthcoming programme.

Chinese Arts Centre is based in Manchester, the city with the second largest Chinese community in the UK, and the organisation is part of the region's rich Chinese heritage. As a vibrant artistic city, Manchester is home to a busy population of artists and creators and Chinese Arts Centre is proud to be part of the area's thriving contemporary arts scene.

Working with the best creative talent we run a lively programme of exhibitions, residencies, engagement projects, festivals, international projects and events which support innovation and reflects the dynamism of contemporary Chinese art.

With three floors of contemporary art galleries, three screens showing the best of independent cinema, a bar, café and a bookshop, Cornerhouse is one of the UK’s leading arts venues. The galleries show a rolling programme of innovative exhibitions throughout the year. The visual arts programme presents works in all media with a particular focus on engagement and participation, including performative and social practice, and with an emphasis on artists’ film and video creating strong links with Cornerhouse’s film programme. After visiting the exhibitions, or before catching a film you can enjoy a drink in Cornerhouse’s Bar and Café which offer quality homemade food inspired by cuisines from all over the world.

"One of the coolest and classiest galleries around" The Guardian

CUBE Gallery is one of Europe's most exciting art, architecture and design centres, dedicated to broadcasting the ideas and issues that lie behind the buildings, spaces and cultural networks that make up our built environment.

With a distinguished history dating back over 100 years, the Faculty of Art and Design’s Holden Gallery at Manchester Metropolitan University, offers an ongoing programme of exhibitions that are open free to the public. The Gallery is also home to our yearly BA and MA Degree Shows and is a major exhibitor of staff and student work.

Located in Manchester UK, The International 3 is an exhibition and project space that has developed out of the city’s artist-led activity. With emerging and established artists, independent curators, galleries and organisations we produce a year round programme of new commissions, solo shows, group exhibitions and events. We also work with a core group of artists, exhibiting and selling their work and brokering exhibition and private commission opportunities. The International 3 is a not for profit company run by directors Paulette Terry Brien and Laurence Lane.

The John Rylands Library on Deansgate in the heart of Manchester houses one of the country’s greatest collections of printed books, manuscripts and archives. Built in the 1890s by Mrs Enriqueta Augustina Rylands, in memory of her husband, the John Rylands is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world.

Our exhibition galleries tell the story of the Library and its collections and themed displays help visitors to interpret the collections, including interactive exhibits to engage both children and adults. Displays from the permanent collections are complemented by a programme of changing exhibitions and a full public programme of events encourages visitors to explore the building and enjoy the collections in creative and exciting ways.

Manchester Art Gallery is one of the region’s most popular cultural destinations, attracting over 400,000 visits each year. Between 1998 and 2002, a £35million refurbishment and expansion programme transformed the venue into a world-class gallery for Manchester. Since then, Manchester Art Gallery has won many awards and has developed a national reputation for its high quality, audience focused services.

Manchester Art Gallery houses many of the city’s most important fine and decorative art works, which have been Designated as being of national importance. Our collection covers over six centuries up to the present day, but we are especially renowned for our 19th century British paintings. Particular visitor favourites include our collection of major Pre-Raphaelite works and the impressionistic paintings of Adolphe Valette.
Visitors can also enjoy a diverse programme of changing exhibitions, ranging from historic to cutting edge contemporary art, photography, design, decorative art and family friendly exhibitions.

Manchester Cathedral is a classic example of late medieval ‘perpendicular’ architecture: mostly built in the 15th century, although some parts are older. It was originally the large ‘collegiate church’ of a small market town; but, since 1847, has been the rather small cathedral of a great industrial city. Notable features include the modern glass windows (during a bombing raid at Christmas1940 the building was severely damaged, and all the old glass lost). Also: the magnificent early 16th century carvings in the quire; and the 15th century angels in the ceiling of the nave, playing musical instruments of the period.

Manchester Craft and Design Centre aims to be the place to make, see and buy contemporary craft and design in the North West. The Centre is home to over 30 craftspeople and designers, who make and sell from 19 studio boutiques. Our studios, exhibition area and cafe are open to the public 6 days per week. As well as offering support and space to thrive for contemporary makers, MCDC showcases innovative, boundary-pushing craft and design through its exhibitions and events programme. We also offer learning opportunities for adults - delivering skills and creative processes involved in craft.

The Manchester Museum, at The University of Manchester, hosts an array of treasures from the natural world and the many cultures it is home to. Highlights include a T.rex and fossils of other pre-historic creatures, ancient Egyptian artefacts, the new Living Worlds gallery and live amphibians and reptiles. The Museum’s events programme includes handling objects from the collection, hands-on activities or you can enjoy a glass of wine whilst exploring the latest ideas in science, culture and the arts. The Museum has a well stocked shop offering a wide range of books, gifts and souvenirs and the award-winning café offers meals and light refreshments. Entrance is free.

Visit the People’s History Museum, housed in an iconic new building and magnificently restored Edwardian Pump House in Spinningfields. There have always been ideas worth fighting for - join a march through time following Britain’s struggle for democracy over two centuries. Also visit our changing exhibition gallery (approx two exhibitions per year) and community gallery, browse our shop for unique gifts and make use of the sunniest riverside terrace in our Left Bank cafe bar.

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The Whitworth Art Gallery, part of The University of Manchester, is home to internationally renowned collections of modern art, textiles, watercolours, prints, drawings and sculpture. Created in 1908 as the first English gallery in a park, the Whitworth is today developing a new vision for the role of a university gallery, and is forging stronger connections between park, community and landscape through a Heritage Lottery Fund award for a park-facing second entrance and extension. Exhibition tours, lectures, practical workshops and music concerts can all be enjoyed at the gallery, and the Whitworth is a welcoming place for family visitors with free and fun activity workshops taking place most days.  A gallery shop and award-winning café are also well worth a visit. Entrance is free.

The world-famous Jodrell Bank Observatory has ushered in a new era with the opening of its spectacular live science Discovery Centre in 2011. Part of The University of Manchester, the Observatory has for many years been a much-loved visitor attraction, as well as a significant Astronomy research centre.

The site has recently been shortlisted for World Heritage Site status, and now can welcome thousands more visitors every year. The £3m project includes a new entrance building – the Planet Pavilion – and a new Space Pavilion for exhibitions and events.

It also includes a stylish glass-walled cafe with spectacular views of the iconic Lovell telescope, an education space and landscaping of the gardens. Its main aim is to inspire young scientists and connect them to cutting-edge research as it happens.

Islington Mill is a former cotton spinning mill in Salford, very close to Manchester’s city centre. Unlike much of Manchester's industrial heritage which has been converted into loft apartments, Islington Mill is now home to over 50 artists studios, two art galleries a recording studio and club space. It’s one of the few creative spaces in Salford, and has evolved over ten years to become the cultural haven that it is now.