We're open later every first Wednesday of the month with live events including music and poetry, talks and discussions, art performances and late opening in the cafe and shop.
Manchester Art Gallery
Wednesday 5 December 2018, 4pm–9pm
Free
Christmas Craft Market
Local makers selling their handcrafted wares for one night only.
4pm-9pm
Completely indoors and accompanied by hot festive drinks, snacks and seasonal music, browse and shop from over 30 independent makers with a wide variety of gifts, ideal for friends and family. From mineral inspired jewellery and contemporary solid pewter homewares to hand printed Christmas cards and knitted wreath’s, there’ll be an abundance of original, locally made crafts to help tick off your Christmas shopping list. The gallery shop will be offering a gift wrapping service as well as its usual inspiring ranges of curated art and design gifts, jewellery, stationary, homewares and books.
The Gallery Café will be open throughout the evening (until 9pm) offering light meals, cakes, snacks, craft beers, and fine wines as well as classic winter warmers; mulled wine, mince pies, mulled cider, spiced cakes and sharing boards.
Benjamin Myers & Adelle Stripe
7pm-8pm
Manchester Literature Festival and Manchester Art Gallery have co-commissioned Benjamin Myers and Adelle Stripe to respond to Return to Manchester, a career-spanning solo exhibition by iconic British photographer Martin Parr. Based in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, Benjamin and Adelle are known for writing original and deeply moving fiction that explores place, landscape, class, community and marginalised characters.
Booking
The event is free but booking is essential, book tickets here.
Annie Swynnerton and her contemporaries
5.30pm-6.30 pm
An opportunity to explore Manchester-born painter, Annie Swynnerton’s work in the context of the 19th century art world. Katie Herrington, co-curator of the gallery’s current exhibition Annie Swynnerton: Painting Light and Hope, will discuss the impact of art movements such as Pre-Raphaelitism, Impressionism and Symbolism on the development of Swynnerton’s style. She will also consider the challenges that faced female artists in training and establishing professional careers and how these shaped Swynnerton’s individual and distinctive approach to painting.
The talk will be followed by a 20 minute Q&A with exhibition co-curators Katie Herrington and Rebecca Milner chaired by Kate Day. This will be an opportunity to hear about the significance and legacy of the landmark exhibition Painting Light and Hope and ask questions about Swynnerton’s life and work.
Booking
The event is free but booking is advised, book tickets at Eventbrite.
Philosophy Cafe
The Philosophy cafe is the perfect opportunity to experience art and discuss a philosophical question, creating a space for people to talk and think together. This topic for this session, informed by Martin Parr’s Return to Manchester exhibition, will be: How far has individualism overtaken the notion of society?
Nordic Design tours
6pm–8pm
Join one of our ace volunteer guides for a 20 minute mini tour of our Nordic Design exhibition. 6.30, 7.30, and 8.30pm
Scandi Stars: Festive making session with designer Lotte Karlsen
Lotte Karlsen is a Norwegian designer and maker whose glass and ceramic work is featured in our current Nordic Craft and Design exhibition. Scandinavia has a long tradition with making paper decorations for Christmas and using only paper, scissors and glue Lotte will demonstrate how you can turn a single piece of paper into a beautiful 3-D structured decoration.
Join Lotte to make your own advent stars to take home.
This session is free, no need to book just drop in.
Scandi Stars is supported by GF Smith and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in London
Craft Market makers
That Boy Sews | Lauren Taylor | Lucy Freeman | Red Paper House | DevineDesign | Linzi Ramsden Ceramics | Nell Smith | This is Pewter | Wishbone Wreaths | The Magpies Daughter | Bear Print Design | PhineFibre | Harriet Quilty Art & Illustration | Clare Hillerby Jewellery | &Made | Cuckoo and You | Betul Salman | Ink Inc Ltd | Wren & Rye | Natalie Laura Ellen | Clair Templeton Designs | Lydia Meiying/YAY | Scleroarte | Vitreosi | Jan Scott Ceramic Artist | SL Photocards | Eve Redmond Jewellery | Krafts by Karen Duignan | Stacey Hill | The Lobe Wardrobe
