On the one hand, you’ll be amused by the multi-million-pound venues that draw world premiers from globally admired artists. On the other hand, you’ll find yourself fascinated by the more grassroots, DIY art scene fueled by up-and-coming artists (Rob Bailey! Mariel Osborn! Caroline Dowsett!) who operate out of renovated red-brick mills and hidden studios that occasionally open up treasure chests to the public, letting them peek inside the cutting edge work that makes the city a top-rated artist destination.
Manchester has never been short of exciting things to do but it's fair to say that the city's mental health took quite a knock during lockdown. For many of us, the sense of wellbeing that comes from spending time outdoors with family and friends in places familiar to us was an essential part of feeling good. When that was taken away from us, it took a toll.
So before we can head back into the city's art galleries, Manchester-based SICK! Festival, which specialises in creating art and events with a focus on health both mental and physical, has created MINDSCAPES, outdoor and online, encouraging us to reconnect with our surroundings and nurture our own wellbeing back to health.
Here's a breakdown of the 5 works of art created by local and Dutch artists working with Manchester communities.
'Streets Of Poetry'
Dutch poets Elten Kiene and Sjaan Flikweert and Manchester-based poets Saf Elsenossi and Ella Otomewo have worked with migrant communities to create a collection of new poems that reflect on identity, community, and place. Visual artist Jess Loveday has transformed them into beautiful designs which you can see on the streets and pavements of Moston & Harpurhey.
'Manchester Mood Drawings'
Artist Jan Rothuizen has worked with people from different neighbourhoods across Manchester who have all experienced mental health issues to create a set of mood drawings. These illustrated inner monologues can be seen across the Metrolink network, giving commuters the chance to reflect on the fact that. what we see on the surface of our fellow citizens isn't necessarily what's going on under the surface.
'Soundpaths'
Photograph: Mark McNulty
Take a walk through familiar streets whilst listening to Soundpaths and you might learn something unexpected about where you live. This clever piece of technological wizardry, a phone app created by Yonatan Collier, uses GPS to follow you as you go, changing the soundtrack to give your sense of wellbeing a boost.
'While Waiting, Wait Here'
If you've ever been on the wrong end of beaurocracy, you'll know how infuriating things can become. So artist Merel Smitt invites you into an online game of dead ends, going around in circles and general frustration as you try to navigate your way through a nightmare of rules, regulations and going nowhere fast.
'Outsideinsideout'
Theater DEGASTEN specialises in working with people aged between 12 - 25 and, for this piece, they've collaborated with young people in care from both Manchester and The Netherlands. The result is an online zine examining the spaces external and internal that have impacted these young lives during the pandemic.
As well as these artworks, MINDSCAPES has a full programme of talks, interviews, and much more.
MINDSCAPES is happening now. Free. www.sickfestival.com/mindscapes