Manchester Art Gallery has been at the centre of city life for 200 years. From its origins in the Royal Manchester Institution for the Promotion of Literature, Science and the Arts, founded in 1823, it’s been proudly part of Manchester City Council since 1882. The gallery is free and open to all as a place of civic thinking and public imagination, and promotes art as a means to achieve positive social change.
The gallery is for and of the people of Manchester. Through our collections, displays and public programmes, we work with Manchester residents to celebrate creative practice as an integral part of everyday life. This is an art school for everybody, and for life – a free and accessible institution for the city and its people.