Islington Mill – 200 Years in the Making

21 October 2023 to 25 February 2024

2023 saw the 200th anniversary of the construction of Islington Mill, the former cotton spinning mill on James Street in Salford. Since 1996 it has provided a home for artists seeking new ways to create, think and flourish in community and collaboration.

This exhibition seeks to shine a light on the people past, present and future who give this building and this community life.

Salford and Manchester By Night: Paintings by Andrew Alan Matthews

2 September 2023 to 11 February 2024 

Local artist Andrew Alan Matthews presents his collection of paintings of Salford and Manchester by night.

We are pleased to present Andrew Alan Matthews as the inaugural solo artist for our new community space, The Park Gallery, open weekends and school holidays only.

 

Salford Art Club 2023

23 September to 3 December 2023

We welcomed Salford Art Club back to exhibit their latest work in a variety of media, styles and subject matter.

The exhibition is a celebration of the group’s talents, which range from beginner to very accomplished.

People & Portraits of Salford – An exhibition to celebrate 30 years of START

25 March to 24 September 2023

START is a Salford based mental health charity that uses creativity, connection and recovery interventions to help improve people’s lives. 2023 will mark 30 years since the charity was founded.

This exhibition will aim to shine a spotlight on the charity and the hard work and dedication of the staff and volunteers and highlight the impact of START on the city and its people.

The portraits will be produced by current service users and volunteers, spanning across the range of creative mediums delivered at START, including painting and drawing, textiles, mosaic, ceramics, sculpture, print and photography.

For information about START visit their website.

Super-Duper Objects by Angela Tait

29 April to 10 September 2023

Angela Tait is a sculptor and ceramicist from the North of England. She is interested in the fundamental form of the vessel and the relationship between ceramics practice and the domestic.

Angela is a lecturer in Fine Art at the University of Salford and works out of Ebor Studios in Littleborough.

For more information about the artist visit their website.

Ten Obstructions: In the Making

Saturday 17 December 2022 to Sunday 16 April 2023

In the Making presents the work of ten artists who have created new work inspired by Salford’s geology and archaeology; its geography, waterways, industrial history and development; the people and their voices; as well as Salford Museum & Art Gallery’s collections.

Ten Obstructions came together in 2019 through bOlder, a Castlefield Gallery/GMCA visual artist talent programme for artists over fifty in Greater Manchester.

Exploring the Collection: Geoffrey Key, Harold Riley and LS Lowry

Saturday 28 May 2022 to Sunday 30 April 2023

Exploring the Collection showcases the work of three local artists – Geoffrey Key, Harold Riley and LS Lowry – alongside works by other 20th century British artists from our collection.

They have been selected to represent the artists’ connection to the collection, whilst also reflecting the small but strong collection of 20th century British artists held at Salford Museum & Art Gallery.

Find out more →

Rachel Goodyear: Stirrings

Friday 15 July 2022 to Sunday 26 February 2023

Stirrings is a major solo exhibition by internationally recognised, Salford-based artist Rachel Goodyear. Co-commissioned by University of Salford Art Collection and Grundy Art Gallery, Blackpool, this is the artist’s first major solo exhibition in Salford.

The exhibition includes new large-scale drawings and a new animation, alongside a selection of existing works. The animation shows Goodyear experimenting with structure and sound, while the new works on paper see the artist working at a scale larger than ever before.

The exhibition was on display at the Grundy Art Gallery in Blackpool from 26 March to 11 June 2022.

Visit Rachel Goodyear’s website →

Still I Rise

Saturday 1 October to Sunday 4 December 2022

Still I Rise celebrates Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff and communities through a series of portraits and stories from people working together to improve health and wellbeing in the city.

Leaves / Leaving by Lowri Evans

Saturday 2 April until Sunday 27 November 2022

Leaving was a participatory project by artist Lowri Evans which took place under three trees in Salford in November 2021. It was documented by photographer and MA Socially Engaged Photography graduate Joseph Lee.

Reflecting on cycles of life, death and the act of letting go, Lowri’s current exhibition Leaves / Leaving asks what we can learn from nature, and what wisdom we might share with each other.

Find out more →

Open [3]

Saturday 18 June to Sunday 18 September 2022

The Open is back at Salford Museum & Art Gallery this summer.

This exhibition showcases the work of artists of any age who live, work, study, or were born in Salford.

You Belong Here:
Artists Rediscovering Salford’s Green Spaces

Thursday 15 July to Sunday 19 June 2022

You Belong Here is at the heart of a city-wide creative programme Rediscovering Salford, which highlights and celebrates Salford’s parks and green spaces.

Salford based artists Jack Brown, Cheddar Gorgeous, Hilary Jack and Lizzie King each explored the city and present exciting new work in a range of media, displayed alongside original archive material, photographs and historic artworks of Salford. In Peel Park, augmented reality artwork The Storm Cone by Laura Daly, produced in collaboration with University students and staff, is also available to explore on your phone or tablet. Together, they aim to share some of the city’s unique history, and offer new narratives about our local natural environments.

Please note: The Storm Cone is still available in Peel Park. For more information visit The Storm Cone

Salford Art Club

Saturday 27 November 2021 to Sunday 22 May 2022

We welcome Salford Art Club back to exhibit their latest work in a variety of media, styles and subject matter.

The exhibition is a celebration of the group’s talents, which range from beginner to very accomplished.

View the press release for the exhibition →

A-Z of Salford’s Collections

Langworthy Gallery
Saturday 16 March 2019 to Sunday 1 May 2022

Follow the alphabet through Salford’s collections as we take you on a journey from an aeroplane to a zither.

Each section of the collection has been explored to share some intriguing items; from paintings and decorative art, to costume and social history.

We updated the display in March 2020 and the exhibition will continue throughout 2021. Some favourites such as the Buddha and the doll’s house have returned alongside new objects and artworks to showcase the collection.

A Trip down Memory Lane: Photographs by George Shepherd

Thursday 15 July to Sunday 14 November 2021

Forgotten photographs of Salford’s past have been rediscovered and shown together for the first time in this exhibition.

Taken in the 1960s by local lad George Shepherd, they capture a vibrant northern town showing parts of Eccles, Salford and Manchester. Saved by the photographer’s daughter over 50 years later, they reveal people at work, rest and play, including Silcock’s Travelling Fair, house parties and Eccles Carnival. Will you recognise anyone in these photos?

The Open [2]

Tuesday 3 August to Sunday 31 October 2021 (online exhibition)

Artists of any age who live, work, study, or were born in Salford come together to exhibit in the Open [2] exhibition.

We were disappointed not to be able to host the exhibition as planned, but we are excited that The Open [2] is online, our first fully digital exhibition. We hope to resume the physical Open [3] in 2022.

Collier Street Baths – Ian McKay

Saturday 14 December 2019 to Sunday 15 November 2020

Artist Ian McKay has found the abandoned gem of Collier Street Baths a constant source of interest. The Italianate brick building is Grade II listed and was designed by Thomas Worthington who is considered one of Manchester’s greatest 19th century architects.

McKay’s artwork focuses on elements of the building’s exterior architecture reflecting its palette, beauty and splendour. His collection of drawings and colour studies completed on location provided him with the resource material to complete this series of paintings. The work offers a visual celebration of Salford’s social history and heritage for all.

The Superlative Artistry of Japan

Saturday 18 January to Sunday 19 April 2020

This exhibition presents a collection of works from a range of different genres that each place great emphasis on highly skilled techniques, ingenious concepts and a high level of perfection that takes viewers by surprise.

Introducing elaborate Meiji era (1868 – 1912) kogei (craft) works as a starting point, the exhibition showcases numerous contemporary works of superlative artistry, in addition to a selection of capsule toy figures and food samples, all of which demonstrate a strong commitment to craftsmanship in Japan.

This exhibition is curated by and co-presented with the Japan Foundation with advice from Yuji Yamashita. Celebrating the Japan-UK Season of Culture 2019-20.

To help celebrate the exhibition we have invited Fine Art students from the University of Salford to create work in response to individual pieces in the exhibition. These are on display alongside the exhibition until 19 April.

A Tree Celebration

Saturday 9 November 2019 to Thursday 16 January 2020

To mark National Tree Week (23 November to 1 December) we share with you some of the hidden treasures from our art collection that celebrate trees. National Tree Week is the UK’s largest annual tree celebration, marking the start of the winter tree planting season (November to March each year).

The Tree Council, one of the UK’s leading charities for trees, first established National Tree Week in March 1975 in response to the national replanting required after the outbreak of Dutch Elm disease. Local charity City of Trees provides lots of opportunities for you to get involved and there is a wealth of trees to be discovered in Peel Park, just behind Salford Museum & Art Gallery.

Salford Art Club

Saturday 21 September to Tuesday 3 December 2019

Members of Salford Art Club present their latest work in a variety of media and cover a range of subject matter.

The exhibition is a celebration of the group’s talents, which range from beginner to very accomplished.

Salford Art Club meet regularly at Salford Museum & Art Gallery – new members are always welcome. Visit the Salford Art Club website for more details.

Everything I Have Is Yours
Eileen Simpson and Ben White (Open Music Archive)

Thursday 4 July to Sunday 3 November 2019

Everything I Have Is Yours is an ambitious film and sound work by Eileen Simpson and Ben White (Open Music Archive) that looks back to the first decade of the UK pop charts (1952-62). Working with a group of older musicians – the ‘original teenagers’ of the Greater Manchester music scene, who are now in their 70s and 80s – the film focuses on this diverse group as they re-engage with public-domain samples from the formative era of the ‘birth of pop’, and incorporate these timeless sounds into new musical creations. When the musicians play, they individually and collectively interact with digital technology, recalling archive sounds ripped from 1950s and early 1960s shellac and vinyl chart hits. As the group trigger these sounds from the past, the camera continuously tracks its way through the assembled musicians, echoing the circular loops of the music itself.

Everything I Have Is Yours has been commissioned by Film and Video Umbrella, Contemporary Art Society, University of Salford Art Collection and Castlefield Gallery. An edition of the film will enter the University of Salford Art Collection.

Together We Move

Thursday 4 July to Sunday 3 November 2019

Together We Move is a programme that has extended opportunities for older people from across Greater Manchester to engage with the music, visual culture and social history of the decade 1952-62.

The Together We Move participants will present a showcase of their activities at Salford Museum & Art Gallery during the exhibition of Everything I Have Is Yours, as well as a community led programme of tours and events.

Transformations: Reveal Printmakers

North Gallery
Saturday 11 May to Tuesday 10 September 2019

Original, fresh and exciting prints by local collective Reveal using a range of techniques – screen printing, etching, monoprint, lino-cut, drypoint, collograph and lithography.

This enjoyable and accessible exhibition presents the different interpretations of Salford’s rapidly changing urban environment and life through the eyes of ten artists with styles varying from abstract to figurative, landscape to close up. It also seeks to illustrate the intriguing process by which a print develops, from idea to finished work, by showing the sequential stages in its making alongside tools and original drawings.

Focus on Family

Bluestairs Community Gallery
Saturday 16 February to Sunday 23 June 2019

Images tell stories and the experience of photography gives us so much more than the photograph.

Photography students from Pendleton Sixth Form College explore traditional methods of film and darkroom-based imagery. Working with relatives they collaborate to document family moments, holidays, activities and days out.

The students will curate an exhibition which not only captures the photographs they have taken, but also the images taken by the relatives they work with. This exhibition with family at the heart explores different generations working together, a real focus on family.

Acquired: a century of collecting

Temporary exhibition
Saturday 3 November 2018 to Sunday 9 June 2019

Acquired showcases rarely seen paintings, ceramics, sculptures, prints and digital works by major artists such as Vanessa Bell, David Bomberg and Jacob Epstein through to Shezad Dawood, Yang Yongliang, Rachel Goodyear and Mandy Payne.

Beyond the Linear: Emma Lloyd

Saturday 8 December 2018 to Sunday 28 April 2019

Emma Lloyd dissects, reforms and translates language, pushing it beyond its constraints and reconfigures it, challenging its structural boundaries.

Through installation, sculpture and printmaking, Emma explores the cognitive properties of sight, the shift between looking and reading, questioning not only what we see but how we interpret it.

Royal Academy Takeover

Saturday 30 June 2018 to Sunday 24 February 2019

This year Salford Museum & Art Gallery and Ordsall Hall brought the Royal Academy to Salford to help celebrate their 250th anniversary.

Founded in 1768, The Royal Academy of Arts exists to promote art and artists. Led by world leading practicing artists and architects, they do this through exhibitions including their annual summer show, education and debate. Royal Academicians are voted in by their peers and make up some of the greatest names in painting, printmaking, sculpture and architecture.

What’s In Focus

Saturday 17 November 2018 to Sunday 10 February 2019

A celebration of photography student work from the Pendleton Centre of Salford City College.

Students from a diverse range of cultures and backgrounds take inspiration from the surrounding area and people they live and work with. With the introduction of darkroom facilities at the college, the students have embraced working with film and traditional techniques.

This exhibition presented the very best film based, digital and instant photography.

Salford Summer Show: The Open [1]

Exhibited from Saturday 21 July to Sunday 11 November 2018

As part of our Royal Academy 250 celebrations, we launched an exciting opportunity open to all artists living, working, studying or were born in Salford to show their work as part of this exhibition, inspired by the Royal Academy’s annual Summer Exhibition.

Each artwork was selected on artistic merit by a group of judges including an external art curator. The Salford Open will take place every other year, so get creative for 2020!

PRINT UnLtd

Exhibited from Saturday 26 May to Sunday 14 October 2018

Challenging and questioning perceived constricts and rules around printmaking, four artists have been commissioned to create new work for this pop-up exhibition.

Lubna Ali challenges the notion of the value of a print, using geometric patterns inspired by her Islamic heritage; Claudia Alonso explores sculptural forms as print; Joey Collins gathers source material from discarded ephemera and allows chance to play an integral part to the way he approaches his practice; and Gwilym Hughes abstracts anonymous faces found in Salford Museum’s stores.

Brought to you in partnership with Hot Bed Press and University of Salford Art Collection, funded by Arts Council England: Grants for the Arts.

Salford Art Club

Exhibited from Saturday 17 February to Tuesday 3 July 2018

Artwork by members of Salford Art Club showcasing different media, techniques and styles exploring a range of subject matter.

Photo credit: Carol Parkes

Four Miles from Manchester: Tony Warren’s Coronation Street

Exhibited from Saturday 21 October 2017 to Tuesday 3 July 2018

“Coronation Street is four miles in any one direction from the centre of Manchester. Emotionally, it’s wherever you want it to be in your own heart”, Tony Warren.

Tony Warren, born and growing up in Pendlebury, absorbed the streets, people and sounds surrounding him. As a child Tony remembered visiting his grandmother’s house, where he would sit under the table and listen to the speech patterns of his female relatives.

1950s Salford was full of terraced houses, cobbled streets and industrial sounds and sights; this scene is set by specially created paintings by local artist David Coulter.

With original scripts and other items from his career, this exhibition tells the story of Tony Warren, the Salford legend, on his path to creating the biggest and longest running TV soap opera, Coronation Street; an innovation of its time, telling the stories of ordinary people on an ordinary street.

One Drawing at a Time: Salford and Manchester

Exhibited from Saturday 9 December 2017 to Sunday 27 May 2018

Urban Sketching started in Seattle in 2007 to share the world one drawing at a time. Since then it has become a global phenomenon with artists sharing this passion of on-location drawing, not from memory or photograph.

To help celebrate 10 years, this exhibition brought together some of the best local drawings from members of the Manchester group of Urban Sketchers as they tell you their story of Salford and Manchester, one drawing at a time..

What’s In Store? University of Salford Art Collection

Exhibited from Saturday 20 May 2017 to Sunday 19 November 2017

To mark the University of Salford’s 50th anniversary, this exhibition launches their art collection to the public. A unique chance to see rarely shown works by artists including L.S. Lowry, Adolphe Valette, Liam Spencer, Cao Fei and Mishka Henner. These highlights are brought together to tell the story of the University of Salford’s art collections.

© Patrick Hughes, Wet Rainbow (1979), Screenprint, Courtesy Patrick Hughes and Flowers Gallery, London and New York, Artwork Photography by Museum Photography North West

James Bloomfield: In Service 1918-2017

Exhibited from Monday 31 July 2017 to Friday 10 November 2017

To mark the centenary of the Battle of Passchendaele, artist James Bloomfield was resident at Salford Museum & Art Gallery and the Working Class Movement Library. Delving into this fabulous rich archive, Bloomfield created a truly special piece of work that engaged with the audience directly and asked us to look at our history and the global legacy of the war to end all wars.

The outcome of this research was the creation of 226 commemorative ceramic plates. The plates reference each conflict and the number of fatalities for that conflict. Instead of being in display cases or on the gallery walls, the plates were placed into service in the Museum cafe, presenting the findings of Bloomfield’s research directly to visitors.

The plates were used as part of the regular dinner service at Salford Museum & Art Gallery’s bustling cafe and in Ordsall Hall’s coffee shop. The plates were presented for service from Monday 31 July and later decommissioned on Friday 10 November to coincide with the centenary of the battle of Passchendaele, which runs over these exact dates (3 months and 6 days).

John Bloomfield says:

“When I started this project I didn’t know where the research would take me, I especially didn’t think I would be hand decorating 226 plates each plate to mark a global conflict since the end of the war to end all wars. I want the work to become part of the domestic, our consciousness to remember those that have been involved in conflict or who still are.”

Supported By Arts Council England.

Queues, Clogs & Redemption Salford

Exhibited from Saturday 10 June to Sunday 5 November 2017

Wood Street Mission has been helping children and families living below the poverty line in Manchester and Salford since Victorian times.

This exhibition looks at the work of Wood Street Mission from the days of ‘rescuing’ street children in the nineteenth century, sending tens of thousands to the seaside in the twentieth, and running a city gym for deprived teenagers and professionals working in the city in the 1980s.

These stories are told through panels, historical artefacts and a film featuring former and current service users.

Ten Plus @ Salford

Exhibited from Saturday 29 April to Tuesday 5 September 2017

An exhibition of contemporary textile art by northern based collective Ten Plus Textiles. The work includes hand and machine embroidery, needle felting, quilting, beadwork, patchwork, weaving and 3D pieces. Rich, luxurious and ornate in texture and colour, the pieces on display represent a fusion of traditional textile methods with original and inventive ideas and creations.

Ten Plus Textiles was founded 25 years ago to work together and promote an appreciation of textiles in all its forms and now has 16 members working with fabrics and fibres in different ways. The group’s work has been exhibited widely through the North West and as far afield as London and Dublin.

Ups and Downs

Exhibited from Saturday 1 October 2016 to Sunday 4 June 2017

Maria Carroll has collaborated with her brother Matt to create works for this exhibition.

Maria has always been an inspiration to her family, manifested in her innate visual and artistic approach to the world around her.

The use of vibrant, strong colours and striking images to visualise her world will inspire and uplift. Maria, who has Down Syndrome, is part of a large family born and brought up in Little Hulton.

Her artistic collaboration with Matt, better known for his work with Central Station Design, is used as a therapeutic way to positively face hurdles in their lives.

Being There

Exhibited from Saturday 12th November 2016 to Sunday 30th April 2017

An immediacy of time and place is vividly captured in painting, drawing and collage in this wide ranging exhibition by Colin Binns.

The artwork reveals his fascination with the colour, form and sense of movement found in explorations of our towns and cities. Their character is powerfully conveyed through mixed media drawings, whilst urban energy and atmosphere come to life through his strong and expressive semi abstract paintings.

A theme of urban renewal emerges in much of the exhibition, particularly in the artwork responding to Manchester’s regeneration since the dramatic 1996 damage to the city centre.

Salford Art Club Annual Exhibition 2017

Exhibited from Saturday 18th February to Tuesday 18th April 2017

A popular yearly event for visitors, the annual Salford Art Club exhibition will present the very best works produced by members.

A mixture of landscape, portrait and still life are shown in a variety of media.

Find out more about the Salford Art Club.

Soul Journey

Exhibited from Saturday 15th October 2016 to Tuesday 7th February 2017

The Soul Journey Art Project is a unique collaboration between arts company verd de gris, writer Paula Sutherland and international photographer and film-maker Geoff Brokate. This exhibition will challenge how we perceive and respond to dementia as individuals and as a society.

Very often there is a perception that dementia, being an ‘incurable’ or ‘difficult’ condition, is filled only with anxiety and confusion, devoid of joy. Having worked for over 10 years with people living with dementia, verd de gris have experienced quite the opposite in their creative dementia sessions, giving people time and space where the present becomes new and fulfilling.

The exhibition included an installation, original writing, a series of still photographs and a film that weaves together spoken word, moving images and an original score to capture some of the beauty and dignity of the people taking part. It celebrates the extraordinary richness of the landscape that means so much to them. Group participants also present their own unique interpretation of what it means to live with dementia.

Gifts, Grants and Games:
Celebrating 60 years of the Friends of Salford Museum

Exhibited from Saturday 2 April to Sunday 13 November 2016

The Friends of Salford Museum Association are celebrating their 60th birthday by sharing some of the fascinating objects they have helped the museum secure for the museum collections in this exhibition.

From pencil sketches to oil paintings, sculptures to games, many of the items have not been on public display for a number of years. In addition, the Friends support a large number of project and funding grants for both Salford Museum & Art Gallery and Ordsall Hall.

Salford and Cheetham Hill in Focus:
Iconic Photographs from the 1950s and 60s by Retracing Salford

Exhibited from Saturday 18 June to Sunday 30 October 2016

Explore new and unseen images from a large photographic archive from the 1950s and 60s from Salford and Cheetham Hill. It includes studio portraits, whit walks, shop fronts, textile workers, furniture and fashion, Salford schools, products, portraits of migrant ancestors from a range of nations, and much more.

The team from Retracing Salford will be in the gallery collecting your memories of some of the photographs. The project is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

To find out more about the photographs on display, see more images or to leave your memories of the pictures, please visit the Salford and Cheetham Hill in Focus website


Cotton & Steel: The Industrial Paintings of Kevin Haynes and David Watson

Exhibited from Saturday 9 July to Sunday 9 October 2016

The cotton industry of Manchester and Oldham and the steel industry of Teeside and Middlesbrough are brought together in this joint exhibition by post war artists Kevin Haynes and David Watson.

Cotton and steel are two distinctly contrasting materials presented by two distinctly different artists, both from working backgrounds in industry, later mixing their palettes to reflect these experiences.

Kevin’s instantly recognisable colourful naive style blends fondness of his childhood and career memories of northern cotton towns, through a methodical and precise mind of an engineer. Whilst David’s raw and often brutal approach resonates a personal relationship with the industrial past against the present reality.

When combined they weave an industrial narrative connecting the regions through the industries once defined as Cotton and Steel.

Peel Back Time

Exhibited from Saturday 16 July to Sunday 25 September 2016

The first park created through public subscription, Peel Park opened in 1846. Just four years later the Royal Museum and Public Library opened in Lark Hill Mansion.

‘Peel Back Time’ tells the story of the people and the park over the 170 years of its life. From local working people to royalty the park has welcomed all visitors. Now the plan is to renew the park to its 1890 layout and draw people back to this hidden gem. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund a programme of events and activities will invite people to get to know and appreciate this special place.

Swinton Photographic Society

Exhibited from Saturday 30 April to Sunday 10 July 2016

Members of the Swinton and District Amateur Photographic Society present works from their annual exhibition. Showing a range of subject matter, the photographs include natural history, pictorial, human life, record, still life studies and portraiture in both colour and monochrome.

A special addition this year will be members images of their favourite places along the theme of ‘Watery locations in Salford’.

Visit the Swinton Photographic Society website.

My Life Through My Lens: Graham Nash

Exhibited from Saturday 23 April to Sunday 3 July 2016

Graham Nash is an internationally renowned photographer and digital imaging pioneer whose revealing work captures brilliant, unexpected surrealism of everyday life. The images beautifully illustrate Nash’s celebrated talent as a compelling storyteller. Included in the exhibition are artfully crafted photographs of friends such as David Crosby, Joni Mitchell, Jerry Garcia and Johnny Cash.

Nash, of British pop group The Hollies and folk super group Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young fame, was brought up in Salford. He recently received an honorary doctorate from Salford University and an OBE from the Queen.

Heart & Sold

Exhibited from Saturday 5 March to Sunday 5 June 2016

A unique visual arts exhibition that will touch your heart and mind. Experience the latest collection from established and developing artists that happen to have Down Syndrome.

With an eclectic mix of artwork from painting to photography to line drawing. Witness how this condition can showcase unique perspective and original insights.

Visit the Heart and Sold website.

Turn Sideways in the Wind: Ciara Leeming

Exhibited from Saturday 12 December 2015 to Sunday 24 April 2016

Over the past decade, Britain has become home to sizeable communities of Romani people from central and Eastern Europe.

Turn Sideways in the Wind told the stories of young Roma adults who have made their lives in Salford and Manchester, in their own words. With documentary photography by Ciara Leeming.

To coincide with Turn Sideways in the Wind, Michael Cretu, a musician of Romanian Roma heritage lead a musical event to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. One of Michael Cretu’s solo contemporary pieces can be seen here.

Salford Art Club Annual Exhibition 2016

Exhibited from Saturday 23 January to Sunday 17 April 2016

A popular yearly event for visitors, the annual Salford Art Club exhibition presented the very best works produced by members.

A mixture of landscape, portrait and still life were shown in a variety of media.

Visit Salford Art Club’s website.

Join Salford Art Club

Salford Art Club meet on Wednesday evenings at Salford Museum and Art Gallery. Join the club from 5.45pm to 7.45pm for drawing, painting, demonstrations, talks and exhibitions. For further enquiries please call 0161 950 5019 or email mail@salfordartclub.co.uk or kendovid@ntlworld.com.

100 Years Ago: Salford at War

Exhibited from Saturday 15 March 2014 to Sunday 6 March 2016

‘100 Years Ago: Salford at War’, helped uncover some of Salford’s unique stories from World War One.

This exhibition focused on local characters, including the Broughton poet, Winifred Mabel Letts, Billy Unsworth, a soldier from Ordsall, Albert Batty, who served in an ambulance unit and Dr James Niven, who helped fight the Spanish Flu pandemic.

Want to know more about World War One?

Download our learning activities pack via our World War One Centenary website and think more deeply about some of the issues involved. The pack can be used without visiting the exhibition.

Take a look at our Salford Remembers booklet for an overview of some Salford stories during WW1 including work going on to commemorate the four year centenary and how you can get involved.

Culture, Barricades and Badges:
Paintings (1980-2015) by John Sculley

Exhibited from Saturday 14 November 2015 to Sunday 21 February 2016

This was the first retrospective exhibition by the prize-winning painter, John Sculley. The exhibition includes works illustrating the social and political unrest of the 1980s, the humour of family life, the passion of football, as well as the artist’s on-going admiration for the performing arts – music, dance, drama and circus.

Accompanying the exhibition was a collection of emblems and badges which as well as complimenting the paintings, offer a unique insight into the social and political history of the last 40 years.

The Lightfoot Letters: Maria Walker and Angela Topping

Exhibited from Saturday 12 September 2015 ro Sunday 17 January 2016

Inspired by a chance meeting and an amazing coincidence surrounding a bundle of letters from the 1920s, visual artist Maria Walker and poet Angela Topping have formed an artistic collaboration that tells the story written in these letters through a combination of textile art, installations and poetry.

Visit Angela Topping and Maria Walker’s website.

Digital Salford: Opening the City’s Photo Album

Exhibited from Saturday 3 October 2015 to Sunday 6 December 2015

This exhibition celebrated the culmination of a Heritage Lottery Funded project in which volunteers have digitised thousands of images from Salford’s local history photograph collection for a brand new searchable website.

The exhibition showcased a selection of photographs of buildings, streets and areas requested by the people of Salford, along with stories and memories that illustrate the important role they take in people’s lives and the identity of the city.

More information can be found on the Digital Salford website.

Out of the Ordinary: Colin Rodney Burrows

Exhibited from Saturday 18 July to Sunday 1 November 2015

Highlighting ordinary objects in a photo-realist style was local artist Colin Burrows’ main style of painting in this retrospective exhibition. These were brought together with family portraits and several almost abstract paintings completed earlier in his career. Shown alongside written memories of Colin, there will also be artwork by ex-colleagues, former students and his son, Robert.

This exhibition celebrated seeing this extraordinary in the ordinary with plenty of opportunities to have a go for all ages!

Colin Burrows was a former prize winning student at the Slade School of Fine Art and a lecturer at Salford University School of Art until 2002.

Chapel Street through the keyhole: Anthony McCarthy

Exhibited from Saturday 4 July to Sunday 27 September 2015

Anthony McCarthy is a Salford artist who has been depicting the regeneration of Chapel Street and Salford Crescent for the past two years.

Historically Chapel Street is a place of sieges, invention and intrigue, its regeneration highlighting what has been lost amidst the burgeoning modernity. Everyday we travel along this route often oblivious to the history around us despite its exteriors being well documented.W

What then of the unseen Chapel Street? The hidden interiors that exist in shadow beyond the public eye?

Through a series of mixed media drawings, ‘Chapel Street through the keyhole’, McCarthy documented an alternative view of the historical area which often evades the encroaching world.

The Now, The North: Hugh Winterbottom

Saturday 2 May 2015 to Sunday 6 September 2015

Take a journey through Hugh Winterbottom’s work from the cityscapes of central Manchester and Salford, out into outskirt towns like Stockport, and into the more rural villages of Derbyshire.

A local artist based in Greater Manchester, Hugh’s colourful paintings show the north at all times of day and in all weathers, in his fresh vibrant style.

Visit Hugh Winterbottom’s website.

One Needs More than Paint: Harry Ousey – A centenary exhibition

Exhibited from Saturday 28 March to Sunday 5 July 2015

Born in Manchester in 1915, Harry Ousey’s recognisable abstract paintings were considered ahead of his time.

Passionate about nature and landscape, his work is inspired by places he lived including Hayfield in Derbyshire, the coast of Cornwall and the landscape of France where he spent the last years of his life. Although part of the art scene in Cornwall in the 1950s and London and Paris in the 1960s, his work is little known today.

This retrospective exhibition celebrated his life on the centenary year of his birth.

Swinton Photographic Society Annual Exhibition

Exhibited from Saturday 25 April to Sunday 28 June 2015

Members of Swinton and District Amateur Photographic Society present works from their annual exhibition. Showing a range of subject matter, the photographs include natural history, pictorial, human life, record, still life studies and portraiture in both colour and monochrome. The images displayed constitute the society’s 2014 annual exhibition and are judged with awards given accordingly by an independent approved judge from the Lancashire and Cheshire Photographic Union,

This exhibition coincided with their annual themed show ‘Salford Then and Now’ which was display at Ordsall Hall from Sunday 8th February 2015 to Sunday 10th May 2015.

Swinton and District Photographic Society is supported by the Community Committee for Salford.

Salford Art Club Annual Exhibition 2015

Exhibited from Saturday 24 January to Sunday 26 April 2015

A popular yearly event for visitors, the annual Salford Art Club exhibition presented the very best works produced by members. A mixture of landscape, portrait and still life were shown in a variety of media.

Salford Art Club programme

Salford Art Club meet on Wednesday evenings at Salford Museum and Art Gallery, usually from 5.45pm to 7.45pm for drawing, painting, demonstrations, talks and exhibitions.

View the Salford Art Club programme for further details, call 0161 288 5519 or email mail@salfordartclub.co.uk.

Made in Eccles

Exhibited from Saturday 14 February to Sunday 19 April 2015

Photography students from Eccles Sixth Form Centre worked on the theme ‘A sense of place’ for this special exhibition.

The first time this work has been exhibited outside the college walls, this was a rare opportunity to see these images which reflect both Salford and Manchester.

Visit the Eccles Sixth Form Centre website.

Immortal Love from Shanghai

Exhibited from Saturday 15 November 2014 to Sunday 15 March 2015

This exciting exhibition was a rare opportunity to see traditional Chinese art brought over especially from Shanghai for visitors to Salford.

Highly respected artists Mr and Mrs Chen worked with The Chinese Arts Association and leaders from Manchester’s Chinatown to curate the beautiful works.

Traditional Chinese skills were used including paper-cut to show the history and development of the Chinese Dragon; detailed Chinese paintings to show symbols of wealth, love and friendship; stone carving for wax seals to show the historical importance of these; and traditional Chinese watercolour paintings to show the beauty of the landscape in China. The artworks explored Chinese culture and traditions, exhibited alongside archive material from The Chinese Arts Association to illustrate the development of Manchester’s China Town.

This dual language exhibition inspired and engaged visitors with demonstrations, workshops, special events and opportunities to meet the artists. This was the first time this work has been exhibited in the UK and Salford Museum and Art Gallery were honoured to host the show.

Winning raffle tickets announced!

Immortal Love from Shanghai 剪韻墨緣

展覽期間:由二零一四年十一月十五日至二零一五年三月十五日
索爾福德博物藝術館首次舉辦傅統中國藝術展覽,特別邀請上海藝術家陳軍及陳偉展出水墨畫,雕刻圖章及剪紙工藝,工筆畫藝術作品
這次的藝術活動得到華人藝術協會羅主席的大力支持,所有展覽作品會提供中英對照,更有藝術家的親自示範表演,同時與大家慶祝二零一五年的中國農曆羊年
SALFORD MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY 感到非常榮幸舉辦此次展覽交流中英藝術
二零一四年十一月十五日,星期六,中午十二時半至三時半,準備了醒獅助興,中國傅統舞蹈表演,更安排曼城唐人街皇城酒樓提供中式小食
傅統中式藝術示範活動
活動日期: 二零一四年十一月廿十九日,十二月六日以及十二月十三日,下午一時至三時
由上海藝術家,羅主席親自主持示範及解答書法,中國畫,中國剪紙,圖章等藝術文化活動

Selection from the Collection

Exhibited from Saturday 18 October 2014 to Sunday 8 February 2015

As 2014 is the Chinese year of the horse, which will be going into the year of the sheep (also known as the goat or ram) in February 2015, we are delving into the museum collections to see what we can find featuring these animals to help celebrate Chinese New Year and to run alongside our exhibition of traditional Chinese art ‘Immortal Love from Shanghai.

This exhibition ran alongside out exhibition of traditional Chinese art ‘Immortal Love from Shanghai’.

Find out more about Chinese New Year.

One Man’s Vision

Exhibited from Saturday 20 September 2014 to Sunday 18 January 2015

Local charity, Henshaws Society for Blind People, was set up in 1837 as the result of a legacy left in the Will of Oldham business man, Thomas Henshaw. In 2012 the charity celebrated its 175th birthday!

This travelling exhibition was specially curated to mark the occasion and to show how attitudes and services for visually impaired people have changed. The first ‘asylum’ for blind people was set up in the late 1700s and soon similar charities emerged providing meaningful employment for those who had previously been marginalised.

This exhibition included historical objects, specially commissioned artworks, tactile signage, handling objects, audio-description and an audio tour. It was specifically designed with the needs of people with a visual impairment in mind, but it invites all visitors to think about visual impairment and to experience the world using a range of senses.

Visit the One Man’s Vision website.

Reincarnated Rubbish

Exhibited from Saturday 19 July 2013 to Sunday 2 November 2014

Reincarnated Rubbish is Val Hunt’s critically acclaimed touring solo exhibition. Val retrieves everyday things we throw away and presents them in new, fascinating dimensions. After years of experimenting and discovery Val has developed her own unique style and the ability to see all varieties of discarded materials as something beautiful yet to be invented. She creatively recycles a diverse selection of throw away material but her favourite is drinks can metal. From this she creates innovative sculptures, wall hangings, hats and distinctive, affordable quirky jewellery, full of humourous imaginative and thought provoking constructions.

This retrospective included a wide and diverse range of Val’s creative recycling inspired by nature, historical fashions and tribal art. It has continued to tour very successfully throughout the Arts Galleries and Museums of England and Wales.

‘Reincarnated Rubbish’ aimed to inspire and encourage everyone to experience the fun of creative recycling.

Visit Val Hunts’ website.

Chapel Street Then and Now

Exhibited from Saturday 5 July to Sunday 12 October 2014

Manchester visual artist Ian McKay and three community art groups have been exploring the changing face of Chapel Street.

With support from Chapel Street Community Arts, the groups have created combined work incorporating watercolour painting, photograph and mixed media visual arts. The exhibition celebrated D.C. Thompson, the publishers based on Chapel Street who produced the Beano and the Dandy, looks at how the area changed and imagined what the current redevelopment work might bring.

The Good Old Days: Terry Allen

Exhibited from Saturday 17 May to Sunday 7 September 2014

Inspired by his surroundings growing up in Stockport, Terry Allen paints scenes of his childhood reminiscent of industrial northern towns in the 1950s. The stylised cobbled streets, corner shops and houses in working class neighbourhoods are brought to life with characters busy about their everyday lives.

A self taught artist, Terry started doodling at an early age, drawing and painting all of his life, and has now developed his own often whimsical style.

Random Visual Poems by Charlie Holt

Exhibited from Saturday 5 April 2013 to Sunday 6 July 2014

This exhibition brought together a number of related series of works by artist Charlie Holt. Charlie creates collages that have their roots in both Pop Art and Surrealism, preferring to work with an attitude similar to the game of chance of the exquisite corpse.

All the works shown were either traditional cut and paste collages or digital montages influenced by both Manchester and Salford. There were altered record sleeves, random visual poems often inspired by music, reworked posters with interventions, mini hoardings and based on graffiti and fly posters, and a series of collages based on the Northern Quarter and Salford inhabited by people like Eric Cantona.

Charlie worked with students from the visual arts, media and music courses at Salford University to create specially commissioned pieces for this exhibition. A satellite exhibition showing more of Charlie’s work was on display at the Deli Lama Cafe Bar from Monday 7 April to Sunday 27 June 2014.

Re-Imaging Salford

Exhibited from Saturday 3 May 2013 to Sunday 29 June 2014

Photography students from Salford University presented re-photographed areas of the city for this special exhibition.

Using archived photographs from the Salford Local History Library, they have visited each area to re-photograph it today. First year students presented their works in a book, which was shown alongside the second year student prints.

Workshops were also held for visitors to make their own re-image of Salford.

Salford Art Club Annual Exhibition 2014

Exhibited from Saturday 8 February to Sunday 11 May 2014

Salford Art Club exhibit at Salford Museum and Art Gallery on a yearly basis.

A selection of the very best artworks produced by members of the Salford Art Club including portraits, landscapes and still life in a variety of media.

This year, to commemorate the centenary of World War One, some works were created around the theme of ‘1914-2014: a century of change’.

Visit the Salford Art Club website.

The Big Brownie Birthday in Salford

Exhibited from Saturday 15 February to Sunday 27 April 2014

In 2014 the Brownies will be 100 years old.

This exhibition celebrated the history of the Brownie section of Girl guiding in our area and looked forward to Brownies in 2014 and beyond. With ‘hands on’ activities visitors could experience the fun they’ve enjoyed at their meetings over the years.

20:20 Vision: An installation to celebrate 20 years of Start in Salford

Exhibited from Saturday 23 November 2013 to Sunday 23 March 2014

Start in Salford marked its 20th anniversary in 2013; in order to celebrate its success and the work achieved by its members, they created a unique exhibition of their work over the years.

Start in Salford is a creative arts and wellbeing centre and its mission is to promote emotional wellbeing and recovery by providing creative arts-based activities and training opportunities for who are, or may be at risk of experiencing mental health difficulties or social exclusion.

A contemporary exhibition which included projected artworks, wall graphics, interactives, member’s personal journeys, film and music. This exhibition is as diverse, interesting and moving as the people that benefit from Start in Salford.

The exhibition was created in partnership with Start in Salford’s friends at Hive and funded with the help of The Big Lottery, Booth Charities and The Heritage Lottery Fund.

Salford Museum and Art Gallery have worked in partnership with Start over the years and we are delighted to of hosted their 20th anniversary celebratory exhibition.

Press Release for the 20:20 Vision exhibition.

Harold Riley: Salford 1947 to 2012

Exhibited from Saturday 4 May 2013 to Sunday 23 February 2014

Harold Riley has dedicated much of his career to capturing the everyday street life in Salford.

This exhibition was a mini retrospective of these works including oils, watercolours and drawings. Growing up in Salford, Riley has seen many changes within the city. He and LS Lowry recorded the lives of working people during the 1960s. Some of these drawings will feature in the show.

This exhibition places Riley’s work of his home city next to a selection of portraits of some of the people important to him.

Visit The Riley Archive website for more work by Harold Riley.

Where the Needle Passes…Sarah Greaves

Exhibited from Saturday 14 September 2013 to Sunday 26 January 2014

This was the first exhibition to bring together Sarah’s ‘Embroidered Graffiti’ and her 2013 Arts Council funded project ‘Armenian Threads’. Her extraordinary practice of embroidering into solid objects is both beautiful and insightful.

Domestic objects told personal stories, whilst ancient Armenian imagery becomes a lens through which to view history and identity.

Reggie’s Roller Palace

Exhibited from Saturday 20 July to Sunday 10 November 2013

A theatrical installation of life size ceramic dogs on roller skates! Enter the wonderful world of canine celebrity culture created by ceramicist Olivia Brown.

Meet the characters who create the drama and set the scene; the competitors roller-skating for their lives in the hope of hitting the big time, the celebrity judging panel headed up by Elvis the whippet, the 100 strong audience and the formation display team Kenny and the Keneavils.

The trials and tribulations of the competitors were set against the backdrop of Reggie’s vintage roller skating rink.

Reggie ‘Name the dog’ competition winner!

Salford Music Yerrrr!

Exhibited from Saturday 17 August to Sunday 20 October 2013

See some famous Salford faces in this exhibition of photographs taken by amateurs and professionals captured at last year’s Salford Music Festival. Mark E Smith (The Fall), Hatty Keane, Julie E Gordon (Happy Mondays) and Peter Hook all appear alongside other bands and musicians performing at venues across Salford.

Salford Music Festival is an annual event that grows bigger each year with over 200 bands playing in 20 venues across the city last year, from The Star in Higher Broughton to The Ship in Irlam, and from Little Hulton across to Chapel Street.

Photographers featuring in the exhibition include Karin Albinsson, Philip Howe, Nikki Jaye, Melanie Smith, Ste MoonShine McGee and many more.

Visit the Salford Music Festival website.

Swinton and District Amateur Photographic Society

Exhibited from Saturday 25 May to Sunday 15 September 2013

Members of Swinton and District Amateur Photographic Society were busy since their last exhibition at Salford Museum and Art Gallery.

In this exhibition you could see a selection of the very best photographs taken by the members over the last two years on a variety of subjects including local interest, landscapes, portraits and human life.

Visit the Swinton and District Amateur Photographic Society website.

The club welcomes new members and meets on Monday evenings at 7.30pm at The Agnes Hopkins Memorial Centre, Swinton.

Salford Art Club annual exhibition 2013

Exhibited from Saturday 18 May to Sunday 8 September 2013

A selection of the very best artwork produced by members of Salford Art Club including portraits, landscapes and still life in a variety of media.

This year society members have created works based around the theme of ‘Salford urban and rural’. Salford Art Club welcomes new members and meet at Salford Museum and Art Gallery on Wednesday evenings.

Visit the Salford Art Club website.

St Augustine’s – people and parish

Exhibited from Friday 5 July to Sunday 11 August 2013

St Augustine’s church has been a key part of the community of Pendlebury for over 100 years.

Families, volunteers, staff and pupils at St Augustine’s CE Primary School have been exploring local history through conversations and arts activities over the past year.

In the exhibition you could discover more about St Augustine’s, the Miners’ Cathedral, and mining in local collieries. Stories of school and former youth club, and stories, poems and photographs of Pendlebury past and present including Whit Walks and Rose Queens celebrations.

There’s a rainbow in the road: Caroline Johnson

Exhibited from Saturday 23 March to Sunday 7 July 2013

This was Caroline’s first solo show in a public gallery. Her highly graphic, graceful paintings and drawings reflect both the vibrancy of recent changes, and the history of Salford and Manchester. Caroline’s contemporary urban artworks investigate the hidden charm of overlooked corners, as well as giving a fresh interpretation to architectural icons.

Caroline lives in the North West where she was brought up on a post-war housing estate and drew from an early age. She attended art schools in Preston and Falmouth and the Central College of Art and Design, London.

Caroline is the official Urban Sketcher for Manchester and carries her sketchbook with her at all times. She’ll be making sketches in the area in the months leading up to the exhibition and these will be on show alongside her larger works.

Journeys, Narratives and Land Marking: A celebration of the Irwell Sculpture Trail

Exhibited from Saturday 23 February to Sunday 19 May 2013

Winding its way from Bacup to Salford Quays, the Irwell Sculpture Trail features over 70 artworks by locally, nationally and internationally renowned artists.

This exhibition showcased the artistic work produced at re-launch events for the trail and pop-up arts projects, delivered by local artists and organisations and the All About Us project which has engaged young people and families in Ordsall in arts and digital technology activities.
This exciting exhibition included photographs, films, geocaches, tree canvases, audio stories, performance and creative writing, all inspired by the trail and its sculptures.

For more information please visit the Irwell Sculpture Trail website.

Salford’s Sporting Stars

Exhibited from Saturday 17 December 2011 to Sunday 14 April 2013

A taste of sport in Salford!

Discover some of the sports and sporting stars that have a connection to Salford from the past and present.

From running and rugby to boxing and water polo, this exhibition will bring together stories, objects and images from the museum’s collection.

Yemeni Roots, Salford Lives

Exhibited from Saturday 15 December 2012 to Sunday 30 June 2013

Yemeni Roots, Salford Lives is a Heritage Lottery funded project that has recorded the history of the Yemeni community in Eccles from 1950 to the present day. This exhibition brings together the stories, memories and photographs collected as part of the project, alongside objects lent by the community.

The project runs in partnership between the Yemeni Community Association, the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Education Trust and the University of Salford.

Our Choice of Your Paintings

Exhibited from Saturday 8 December 2012 to Thursday 21 February 2013

The Public Catalogue Foundation is revealing the United Kingdom’s 200,000 collection of oil paintings.

By photographing collections held in public ownership, the registered charity is enabling digital access to these via their website ‘Your Paintings’, in partnership with the BBC.

To celebrate this project and mark their involvement, different members of staff at Salford Museum and Art Gallery  chose their favourite paintings from the collections that have contributed, many of which have not been on public display for a number of years.

Salford Museum’s collection of oil paintings can now be seen on the Your Paintings section of the BBC website.

A Tourist in Your Own City: the paintings of Nigel Walker

Exhibited from Sunday 17 November 2012 to Sunday 10 March 2013

Salford born artist Nigel Walker devotes his life to painting, capturing the people and essence of street life in Salford and Manchester. His paintings take the viewer on a journey, revealing stories of the characters met along the way, instead of focusing on the landmark buildings that form a backdrop of his work.

After distancing himself from his home city he travelled the world to discover himself as an artist. This took him into isolation into the Alps, following the footsteps of Picasso and Matisse on the French Riviera, and to a remote island in the middle of the North Sea.

In 2007 he embarked on a solo 5000 mile mountain bike journey to China and South East Asia constantly observing the people and places around him. On his return to Salford in 2009 he found his true style, with the fresh eyes of a traveller, a tourist in his own city.

This was the first major solo exhibition of Nigel Walker’s work and was an unmissable opportunity to see the talent of this up-and-coming artist.

Colour and Texture

Exhibited from Saturday 6 October to Sunday 9 December 2012

Pupils from Springwood Primary School were busy working on art inspired by colour and texture for this exhibition.

The exhibition included work on canvas, felt hangings, ceramics and photographs.

Springwood Primary School in Swinton is specially designed to cater for children aged 2 to 11 who have special educational or medical needs.

Lost Salford Streets

Exhibited from Saturday 21 July to Sunday 2 December 2012

An installation of family snaps, oral histories, home videos and street signs from the people that lived in some of Salford’s lost streets and communities demolished over the past 50 years. These are brought together with other unseen parts of the Re-Tracing Salford project archive. The project is an on-going collection engaging people with their heritage, re-connecting people in the present with former neighbours, friends and relations through exhibitions and the online archive.

For further information, visit the Streets Museum website.

The Wondrous Collection of Encapsulated Time: an exhibition by Sue Platt

Exhibited from Saturday 14 July to Sunday 4 November 2012

Sue Platt’s fascination lies with clocks that have become dysfunctional, clocks that were clockwork that had to be wound up and involved effort to keep on time. Sue transforms these clock cases into small cabinets, tiny theatres to show scenarios, a moment caught in time. Instead of telling the time, these clocks now each have a different story to communicate. Each piece is a small comment on the world around us, be it humorous or tragic, analytical or earnest.

Sue’s work is inspired by the Victorian’s fascination with collecting weird and wonderful artefacts to display in cabinets of curiosities.

Diversity, Green and Gold!

Exhibited from Saturday 16 June to Sunday 30 September 2012

The Irwell Education Improvement Partnership (Irwell EIP) worked with 8 Salford primary schools and one Salford high school on very colourful artwork exploring the themes of diversity, green and gold.

Facilitated by artists Maureen Neil and Paul Hamilton, the pupils celebrated colour and differences, using paint, batik and textiles.

The schools involved were The Albion, The Friars, St. Pauls, Bretnall, St Phillips, Lower Kersal, Marlborough Road, St Georges and River View.

Life and Times of a War Time Art Student, an exhibition of work by Kate Herbert

Exhibited from Saturday 4 February to Sunday 12 August 2012

This exhibition shows how a working class girl from Lower Broughton, Salford, realised her dreams and ambitions by passing a scholarship to Salford Art School. It was when Kate was an evacuee at the beginning of the Second World War that her artistic ability was spotted by her teacher.

Throughout her later and family life she has continued with her artwork and creative writing.

This exhibition brought together her artwork and stories from her days at Salford Art School during the war to the present day.

Kathleen Walne: the Salford collection

Exhibited from Saturday 28 April to Sunday 15 July 2012

Following the death of the artist Kathleen Walne in June 2011, Salford Museum and Art Gallery displayed their entire collection of her work, many of which have not been seen for over 26 years.

A much acclaimed watercolour artist hailed as being ahead of her time, Kathleen Walne has the ability to create unusual designs enriched with wine-rich pigment.

Image courtesy of the Ward family.

1984 Looks Like This

Exhibited from Saturday 17 March to Sunday 1 July 2012

What does 1984 look like? Is Big Brother watching you on CCTV?

Documentary photographer David Dunnico asks you these questions in a two-part exhibition.

For a number of years, he has documented the rise of CCTV surveillance in a series of graphic black and white images. Alongside this, Dunnico has built up a collection of editions and ephemera about George Orwell’s 1984 – the book’s changing covers tell how every new generation of readers finds Orwell’s work frighteningly relevant to their own times.

We bring both of these together so you can decide is Big Brother watching you?

Visit David Dunnico’s website.

Memory Lane

Exhibited from Saturday 21 April to Sunday 10 June 2012

Memory Lane was an exhibition of work created by local artists.

In 2012, a reminiscence project took place that was led by Claremont and Weaste Health Improvement Service. The project used reminiscence resources from Salford Museum and Art Galley to help local residents rediscover childhood memories and improve their wellbeing.

Work displayed included art work, collages, photographs and poetry.

Salford Art Club Annual Exhibition 2012

Exhibited from Saturday 28 January to Sunday 22 April 2012

A selection of the very best artwork produced by members of Salford Art Club during the past year. Work included portraits, landscapes and still life in a variety of media.

Some of this work was based around water and bridges to tie in with the Bridgewater Canal Anniversary celebrations.

Visit the Salford Art Club website.

Olympic Celebration!

Exhibited from Saturday 25 February to Sunday 15 April 2012

This exhibition showcased work of talented artists aged from five to eleven.

They were pupils from three Salford primary schools:

  • St Boniface’s
  • Cathedral School of St Peter and St John
  • St Luke’s Church of England

They worked together with artists Paul Hamilton and Mauren Neill over a period of three months to create stunning representations in 2D and 3D to celebrate the London 2012 Olympics.

Shirley Baker Retrospective

Exhibited from Saturday 19 November 2011 to Sunday 4 March 2012

Capturing the everyday street life of towns and cities across the north west and other places, Shirley Baker’s photographs show a bygone era with a strong sense of community. Starting in the 1960s, her images show scenes of humour, social history and the innocence of youth. She began photographing her native Salford to document the human story of the soon to be demolished communities, recording through imagery a time of social change in the city.

Shirley Baker was born in Salford and moved to Manchester at the age of two. This exhibition showcased photographs of Salford and Manchester, alongside other areas and themes. Shirley has exhibited at Salford Museum previously, in 1986 and the museum was delighted to hold the exhibition of work from the 1960s to the 2000s.

Salford Zine Library

Exhibited from Saturday 15 October 2011 to Sunday 29 January 2012

Salford Zine Library was set up in 2010 at local creative centre, Islington Mill.

This exhibition showcased some of the self published books, magazines and fanzines from the library’s collections, including literature, poetry, art and comics.

All of the work that was on display was created by artists and illustrators from the north west, as well as from around the world.

For more information, please visit the Salford Zine Library’s blog.

The First Cut: celebrating 250 years of the Bridgewater Canal

Exhibited from Saturday 8 October 2011 to Sunday 22 January 2012

2011 marked the 250th anniversary of the Bridgewater Canal in Salford. A Heritage Lottery Funded project entitled ‘The First Cut’ celebrated this important date through workshops and events along the canal corridor which will be brought together for this exhibition.

These artistic creations were shown alongside some of Salford Heritage Services collections relating to the canal including images, objects and archival material. You could find out about the canal’s involvement in the industrial revolution, the first canal aqueduct in the world and the 46 miles of underground canal.

This exhibition will be going on tour to various venues across Salford, for more information please see the Bridgewater Canal events page.

Bridgewater Canal iPhone App

A free Bridgewater Canal iPhone app written by Salford residents can be downloaded by anybody interested in the historic waterway.

Canal visitors making their way from Boothstown to Barton can use the app to look out for landmarks, buildings and animals. Features also include historic images of the canal, interesting facts and memories from local people.

Titled ‘The Bridgewater Canal – waterside trail’, the app has been designed to bring the heritage and nature of the Bridgewater Canal to life on people’s mobile phones and can be downloaded for free from the Apples iTunes App Store. As part of the Bridgewater Canal 250th anniversary, The Friends of Salford Museum and Art Gallery have written the app with help from Salford City Council and Salford Community Leisure. It’s funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Councillor Paula Boshell, Salford City Council’s Lead Member for Neighbourhoods, Culture and Leisure said: “The free app is a brilliant way to find out more about the Bridgewater Canal and it’s fascinating past over the last 250 years. If you have an iPhone and love the great outdoors, I’d really recommend it.”

Download the Bridgewater app from the iTunes App Store.

Twinning Photos: Salford and Saint-Ouen

Exhibited from Saturday 10 September 2011 to Sunday 8 January 2012

This exhibition explored the twinned cities of Salford and Saint-Ouen, in France, through photography.

You could see the similarities and differences between them, as the cities celebrated their 50th anniversary of the partnership.

The twinning committees from here and Saint-Ouen had the difficult job of selecting the images to feature in the exhibition.

They picked out photographs that feature people, events, recognisable buildings and everyday scenes from the two cities over the past 50 years.

Life through the Lens: snapshots of Salford’s past

Exhibited until Sunday 27 November 2011

To celebrate ten years’ of the LifeTimes project, this exhibition shown some of the hidden gems from the museum, LifeTimes and Local History Library photographic collections. Focusing on themes including local characters, fashion and changing street scenes, these photographs tell Salford’s story from the perspective of local people. You could listen to clips from the LifeTimes oral history archive to discover more about a selection of the images that were on display.

Families could enjoy the reconstructed dark room, the ‘climb in’ camera and the shadow puppet theatre. You could help the rat catchers find the rats and think of a caption to go with some of the weird and wonderful images found in the collections. LifeTimes Link fans could also read all the back issues in a room dedicated to the local history magazine.

Llamas in Pyjamas: children’s book illustrations by Lynne Chapman

Exhibited from Saturday 16 July to Sunday 6 November 2011

Lynne’s picture book characters took over the Langworthy Gallery and you could even walk into some of her book illustrations! You could dress up with the animals from A Lark in The Ark, help the Big Bad Wolf find duckling number five and join Stinky the warthog with his new friends in the monkey’s tea party.

Lynne has been an illustrator for over 25 years, with her most famous illustrations appearing in children’s books such as Class Two at the Zoo and Stinky!, amongst others. This exhibition brought together her original artwork and sketchbooks, with some family-friendly, hands-on activities. Visitors could find out how Lynne approaches each character she illustrates and could also read some of her funny stories about her experiences along the way.

See our Llamas in Pyjamas competition page where children created their own characters inspired by Lynne’s work.

For more information please visit Lynne Chapman’s website or visit her blog.