Castlefield Gallery is a contemporary art gallery and artist development organisation. Established in 1984, they’ve led the way in artist development for almost 40 years. They provide creative and career development, exhibition opportunities and commissions for artists and independents. Working from galleries in Manchester, off-site, online and in the public realm, they create long-lasting impacts in the Manchester city region, North West of England and beyond. Their national and international activities focus on artist exchange. Castlefield Gallery’s public and participation programmes provoke new ways of thinking, bringing together artists, creatives, communities and audiences to explore the art and issues of the time. They believe when artists and communities come together, they can help shape a better world.
They support more than 250 Castlefield Gallery Associates and a host of creatives through person-centred development programmes. Castlefield Gallery New Art Spaces provide affordable making and project space in the North West, including on the high street. They are a home for artists and creatives. They are advocates for what they believe in: the power of new art. They make new art happen.
Ryan Gander OBE is Castlefield Gallery’s Artist Patron. Castlefield are a registered charity, supported by Arts Council England and Manchester City Council.
Touchstones is Rochdale’s main arts & heritage venue, a Grade 2 listed building in central Rochdale housing a museum, galleries, local studies centre, café and education space.
The venue has a longstanding reputation for its approach to contemporary art in a social and political context: from its focus on feminism in the 1980s to programmes that develop a model for co-creation and collaboration (echoing Rochdale’s history with the Co-operative movement). It seeks to redress the gender imbalance in the art world by championing women artists and through collaboration with prestigious collectors, galleries and institutions, resulting in landmark projects such as Herstory (2018) with collector Patricia Sandretto, featuring major female artists of the last 50 years; and Rachel Kneebone: The Dance Project (2019), a collaboration with the artist, acclaimed choreographer TC Howard and women from Rochdale.
Recent community projects include co-commissions with Turner Prize-winner Helen Cammock (with Film and Video Umbrella, Contemporary Art Society and The Photographers’ Gallery) and Jasleen Kaur (with UP Projects) around community cohesion and race; and projects addressing the climate emergency, including Dippy-on-Tour (2019) and the Natural History Museum’s Explore: Urban Nature project.
In 2022 Touchstones became one of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations for the first time in its history.
Grundy Art Gallery is Blackpool’s art gallery and accredited museum. It offers a year round programme of contemporary visual art exhibitions and events including solo and group exhibitions together with talks, workshops and educational activities. The gallery, which is housed in a Grade II listed Carnegie building, was opened in 1911 following a bequest by brothers John and Cuthbert Grundy who also gifted a number of artworks to provide the foundation of Grundy Art Gallery’s collection. Today the collection includes over 2000 items including works by established artists such as Martin Creed, Tracey Emin, Laura Ford, Gilbert and George, Brian Griffiths, Augustus John, Haroon Mirza and Eric Ravilious alongside works by regionally based emerging talent such as Joe Fletcher Orr and Louise Giovanelli. Grundy Art Gallery is supported by Blackpool Council and also receives regular funding as one of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations.
The University of Salford Art Collection exists for the benefit of students, staff and public. Works are displayed across campus, at its New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery, with key partner venues, and made available for UK and international loan. The Collection was founded around 1968 and is the catalyst for all that they do. Containing 800 modern and contemporary artworks, it continues to grow through its ambitious ‘commission to collect’ model. Most of its work is in partnership with external organisations including Salford Museum and Art Gallery, Castlefield Gallery, Manchester, Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, and Grundy Art Gallery, Blackpool. Internally it works across the university, including its Artist in Residence Programme with Energy House 2.0 and supporting students in the School of Arts Media and Creative Technology.
They collect in three areas: Chinese Contemporary Art, About the Digital and From the North with their three priorities being artist development, diversity and sustainability.
In addition, they run the Graduate Scholarship Scheme, now in its ninth year, in partnership with Castlefield Gallery and in association with Hotbed Press, Islington Mill and Paradise Works.
Shezad Dawood Studio
Shezad Dawood Studio encompasses the work and collaborations of multidisciplinary artist Shezad Dawood including not-for-profit Leviathan – Human and Marine Ecology and UBIK Productions. Dawood interweaves stories, realities and symbolism to create richly layered artworks, spanning painting, textiles, sculpture, film and digital media. Fascinated by ecologies and architecture, his work takes a philosophical approach, asking questions and exploring alternative futures through what Dawood describes as ‘world-building’ and ‘imagineering’. His practice is animated by research, working with multiple audiences and communities to delve into narrative, history and embodiment.
Shezad Dawood Studio encompasses the work and collaborations of multidisciplinary artist Shezad Dawood including not-for-profit Leviathan – Human and Marine Ecology and UBIK Productions. Dawood interweaves stories, realities and symbolism to create richly layered artworks, spanning painting, textiles, sculpture, film and digital media. Fascinated by ecologies and architecture, his work takes a philosophical approach, asking questions and exploring alternative futures through what Dawood describes as ‘world-building’ and ‘imagineering’. His practice is animated by research, working with multiple audiences and communities to delve into narrative, history and embodiment.
