Throughout the pandemic, Greater Manchester’s artists, creatives and cultural organisations have, and continue, to come together to create new work both live and online. Manchester Independents came about in late 2020 as an idea to support, celebrate and cast a spotlight on that work in a unique partnership - independent artists and cultural organisations working closely together.
A series of consultations with artists through Autumn 2020 led to the formation of a majority artist panel and an open call for projects seeking support - work by artists, selected by artists.
A growing list of partner organisations is contributing resources - cash, space, time, expertise - to be matched to the selected work.
The open call received 207 applications reflecting the quality and enormous diversity of our creative workforce across all artforms. The panel members have selected the work they think best reflects the ethos of Manchester Independents - work that is excellent, inclusive, has impact, reaches out beyond the City Centre.
The projects highlighted here are the result of that process.
Of course, the amount of creative work taking place and the demand far outstrips the resources available - so Manchester Independents is also inviting work happening independent of our support to showcase itself here.
As the world begins to reopen, Manchester Independents is a 4 month long growing roster of projects, events, performances, exhibitions - a snapshot of the creativity of the city region’s independent artists.
Read here about the new music collaboration between creative collaboration between Voices Beyond, Amani Creatives and Manchester International Roots Orchestra.
Events and projects listed in this section have been submitted by independent artists and companies in Greater Manchester. They are listed here in date order to highlight and raise the profile of a diverse range of artistic work happening across the City Region which broadly meet the Manchester Independents criteria: New work created since March 2020 and showcased between June and October 2021 by independent artists and companies working in Greater Manchester.
Manchester Independents has not had any involvement in the curation or creation of this work, however we have requested that all work supports the ethos of this initiative, in particular a commitment to equality, diversity, respect, support and collective creativity.
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