MADE in Manchester: Disability Art Exhibition

Author: Venture Arts
Published: 2015/07/20 - Updated: 2021/08/08

Contents: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Related Publications

Synopsis: MADE, a multimedia arts exhibition featuring the work of over 60 learning disabled visual artists, explored the theme of 'the natural versus the manufactured', at the People's History Museum.

In an ever changing world the views and perspectives of artists with a learning disability are essential to helping us all understand how we look at and live in a modern Manchester. As well as what our role is within the modern Manchester of today.

Introduction

Over the last 12 months artists with learning disabilities have worked together with the Venture Artsteam to produce the work for the MADE exhibition from their studio in Hulme, Manchester. Over 100 pieces of new and vibrant work were created in preparation for the exhibition using a range of artistic media including drawing, painting, animation, printmaking, art as environment, 3D sculpture, illustration, photography, ceramics and textiles.

Main Content

The artists involved in the project chose themes of the natural versus the manufactured in order to explore, through their art, the changing environments around them.

Katherine Long, Venture Arts studio manager, said:

"Manchester is a location which has a strong industrial legacy and is a city of constant change. With the developments of the Northern Power House, the opening of HOME and the new Library the city and our local environment are evolving constantly. But at the same time we still have a huge amount of the natural environment surviving in and around these new developments. Our MADE work sets out to explore how those two worlds connect and clash."

Amanda Sutton, Venture Arts manager added:

"In an ever changing world the views and perspectives of artists with a learning disability are essential to helping us all understand how we look at and live in a modern Manchester. As well as what our role is within the modern Manchester of today. "

Josh Butt, Curatorial Assistant, People's History Museum:

"Since the industrial revolution there has always been conflict between the rise industry and the protection of nature. MADE will bring both a contemporary and local perspective to this clash, well suited to museum as the home of 'ideas worth fighting for'."

Beth, one of the featured artists said:

"Working towards the MADE exhibition has been amazing for me. I've been working with other artists and participants at Venture Arts and it has helped me improve my own skills as an artist but more importantly it has helped me grow in confidence and essentially it has made me very happy."

The 'MADE' exhibition was hosted at The Engine Hall, People's History Museum, Left Bank, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3ER.

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Venture Arts and published on 2015/07/20, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.