Culture Guides
Destination Guides
Sci-fi holds radical potential as a space for reshaping the ideas of the present through the imagined and speculative futures it puts forward. For this reason, who authors those visions matters a great deal. While the genre has traditionally been dominated by white men (think H.G. Wells, Kubrick and others), there are many creative and talented women, people of colour, and trans and queer people working in the field whose perspectives have been overlooked. Top of our pick of exhibitions this month, Rewriting The Future at Site Gallery in Sheffield seeks to shine a light on some of these, presenting work by four visual artists that are redefining the genre today.
Over in Gateshead, BALTIC exhibits a new body of paintings by rising star Joy Labinjo, whose vibrant portraits of family and friends – based on images from a recently discovered photo album – offer a unique window into her personal experience of growing up as a Black, British and Nigerian woman in the UK during the 1990s and early 2000s. And in Manchester, the first solo presentation of work by recent Slade graduate Sof’ya Shpurova at Holden Gallery draws upon the artist’s Russian heritage and interest in old iconography paintings.
Peer to Peer, presented at Open Eye Gallery and within the vaulted basement of St. George’s Hall, also focuses on fresh talent, showcasing the work of 14 artists based in China and the UK deemed on the verge of major international recognition. The exhibition forms a core part of LOOK Photo Biennial, Liverpool’s biannual photography festival that works with a different exchange country each year. From China to Italy, head over to Barnsley where Cooper Gallery’s latest exhibition explores the depiction of Venice by artists from across the last few centuries, from Canaletto in the 1700s onwards. We also recommend Football is Art at National Football Museum where works by Banksy, Picasso, LS Lowry and John Cocteau reveal a new side to the game.
Here are our picks
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1. Rewriting The Future at Site Gallery, Sheffield
Image: ATOM SPIRIT 2017, Ursula Mayer. Three channel video, 16 mm on HD 20 min. Courtesy the artist. Rewriting The Future at Site Gallery in Sheffield, City Centre, 27 September 2019–26 January 2020, free entry - Visit now
Rewriting The Future at Site Gallery shines a light on the speculative futures being put forward by women, trans and queer people, and people of colour.
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2. Peer to Peer at Open Eye Gallery & St. George’s Hall, Liverpool
Puhejing Quarry Ecology Recovery Project, Dali, China, © Yan Wang Preston Peer to Peer (part of LOOK Photo Biennial) at Open Eye Gallery, Waterfront, 17 October–22 December 2019, free entry - Visit now
Featuring 14 artists deemed on the verge of major international recognition, Peer to Peer provides a snapshot of the state of art in China and the UK today.
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3. Joy Labinjo: Our histories cling to us at BALTIC, Gateshead
Joy Labinjo , Bride - to - be, 2019. Courtesy the artist and Tiwani Contemporary -
4. Sof’ya Shpurova: Low Human Activity at The Holden Gallery
Courtesy of Holden Gallery Sof’ya Shpurova: Low Human Activity at The Holden Gallery, Manchester, 1 November–13 December 2019, free entry - Find Out More
Step into the intense inner world of Russian artist Sof’ya Shpurova, whose first solo presentation is about to open at The Holden Gallery.
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5. Venice, Paradise of Cities at Cooper Gallery, Barnsley
Courtesy of Cooper Gallery Venice, Paradise of Cities at The Cooper Gallery, Barnsley, Barnsley, 14 September–30 November 2019, free entry - Visit now
Weren’t able to make it over to Venice this summer? Us neither. But don’t worry, the floating city is much closer than you think.
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6. Football is Art at National Football Museum
PENALTY – the world. Copyright Mandy Barker Football Is Art at National Football Museum, Cathedral Quarter, 5 April–3 November 2019, £8 or Free for Manchester Residents - Book now
With works by Banksy, Picasso and John Cocteau, Football is Art demonstrates how artists have been mining the beautiful game for inspiration for decades.
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7. Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2019 at Leeds Art Gallery
Bloomberg New Contemporaries installation image, Bluecoat, 2016. Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2019 at Leeds Art Gallery, 14 September–17 November 2019, free entry - Visit now
An exciting indicator for what’s around the corner in terms of British contemporary art, the Bloomberg New Contemporaries is a must-see.
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8. Beautiful and Brutal: 50 Years in the life of Preston Bus Station at Harris Museum, Art Gallery & Library
Image courtesy of The Harris Museum and Art Gallery. © BDP Beautiful and Brutal: 50 Years in the life of Preston Bus Station at The Harris Museum and Art Gallery, 21 September–24 November 2019, free entry - Visit now
Beautiful and Brutal – an unusual new exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of the iconic, internationally renowned Preston Bus Station.
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9. No Particular Place to Go? 35 Years of Sculpture at Castlefield Gallery
Hilary Jack, Turquoise Bag in a Tree, 2016 No Particular Place to Go? 35 years of sculpture at Castlefield Gallery at Castlefield Gallery, Castlefield, 6 September–27 October 2019, free entry - Visit now
35 years and still going strong. Castlefield – Manchester’s first public contemporary visual art gallery – looks back on its history through the prism of sculpture.
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10. Elizabeth Price: A Long Memory at the Whitworth
AT THE HOUSE OF MR X, 2007, HD video. Courtesy of/copyright the artist Elizabeth Price at The Whitworth, Manchester, 25 October 2019–1 March 2020, free entry - Find Out More
‘Elizabeth Price at the Whitworth’ brings together new and acclaimed works – including drawings, sculpture, and video – by the Turner prize-winning artist.
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11. Alan Davie & David Hockney: Early Works at The Hepworth Wakefield
Alan Davie, Cross for the White Birds, 1965. © The Estate of Alan Davie. All rights reserved. DACS 2018. Alan Davie & David Hockney: Early Works at The Hepworth Wakefield, 19 October 2019–19 January 2020, free entry - Visit now
A major new exhibition at The Hepworth Wakefield brings together the work of two major figures of post-war British painting: Alan Davie and David Hockney.
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12. Yorkshire! Achievement, Grit and Controversy at Beningbrough Hall, Gallery and Gardens
Image: National Trust / Paul Harris Yorkshire! Achievement, Grit and Controversy at Beningbrough Hall, Gallery and Gardens, North Yorkshire, 5 March–3 November 2019, free entry - Visit now
Featuring over 20 paintings, photographs and prints, this National Trust exhibition brings together some of Yorkshire’s most iconic and controversial figures.
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13. Vivian Suter at Tate Liverpool
Vivian Suter, Nisyros (Vivian’s bed) 2016–17 © Courtesy of the artist and Karma International, Zurich and Los Angeles; Gladstone Gallery, New York and Brussels; House of Gaga, Mexico City; and Proyectos Ultravioleta, Guatemala City Vivian Suter at Tate Liverpool, Waterfront, 13 December 2019–16 March 2020, free entry - Find Out More
Drenched in the rich beauty of the Guatemalan rainforest, Tate Liverpool presents the first UK solo exhibition of work by the Swiss-Argentinian artist, Vivian Suter.
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14. Christina Quarles at The Hepworth Wakefield
For a Flaw / For a Fall / For the End, 2018. Courtesy of the artist and Pilar Corrias Gallery, London. Photo: Damian Griffiths Christina Quarles at The Hepworth Wakefield, 19 October 2019–19 January 2020, free entry - Visit now
Marking her first European solo exhibition, ‘Christina Quarles at The Hepworth Wakefield’ offers a remarkable window into the LA-based artist’s rich inner world.
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15. Manchester Open Exhibition 2020 at HOME
HOME Manchester Open Exhibition 2020 at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 18 January–15 March 2020 - Book now
Featuring over 500 artists from across Greater Manchester, the inaugural edition of the Manchester Open Exhibition at HOME should be a highly eclectic and exciting affair.
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16. Yemen: Inside a Crisis at Imperial War Museum North
© Giles Clarke for UN/OCHA, 2017 Yemen: Inside a Crisis - IWM North at Imperial War Museum North (IWM North), Manchester, 17 May 2019–26 January 2020, free entry - Visit now
Curated with support from award-winning journalist Iona Craig, Yemen: Inside a Crisis at IMW North offers a powerful look at one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
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17. The Sun at the Science and Industry Museum
Science Museum Group The Sun at Science and Industry Museum, Castlefield, 20 July 2019–5 January 2020, from £6 - Book now
The Science and Industry Museum’s blockbuster summer exhibition, The Sun, sets out to bring us as close to the star as many of us are likely to ever come.
More in Exhibitions
Nordic Craft and Design at Manchester Art Gallery
Showcasing furniture, fashion, lighting, ceramics, glass, metalwork and jewellery, Nordic Craft and Design at Manchester Art Gallery highlights the superb quality and creativity inherent in design from the region and features pieces from 1930 to the present day.
Liverpool Biennial Northern England Tour
Whether Liverpool Biennial 2018 passed you by or you diligently ticked-off every last one of its multiple offerings (if so; bravo), the Liverpool Biennial Northern England Tour seems unlikely to disappoint.
A World Inside a Book: Gruffalo, Dragons and Other Creatures at Z-arts
The UK’s first immersive exhibition of the much-loved tales of Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler. Expect enchanting forests, miniature towns and watery worlds.
Developing History at the Hardmans’ House
As one of Liverpool’s lesser known gems prepares to reopen its doors for 2019, we look forward to encountering a rare series of photographs only recently discovered by chance in the cluttered darkroom of the Hardmans’ former, perfectly-preserved home.
The Reno at the Whitworth
Award-winning playwright Linda Brogan and a group of local residents who used to attend the Reno nightclub in the 1970s and 80s prepare to occupy the Whitworth for one year. Located in Moss Side, the Reno was known as a space for young mixed-race Mancunians. This living exhibition will tell the story of the club through art and archive materials.
A-Z of Salford’s Collections at Salford Museum and Art Gallery
Discover how Victorian gentlemen protected their moustaches from tea, which monarch’s pair of stockings reside in Salford, get up close to incredible art and more.
In A League Of Their Own at Castleford Museum
Rugby League is born and bred in West Yorkshire. From its beginnings in Huddersfield in 1895 to the Super League superstars of today, celebrate over 120 years of blood, sweat and tears.
Disrupt? Peterloo and Protest at People’s History Museum
Marking the 200-year-anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre, ‘Disrupt? Peterloo and Protest’ at People’s History Museum takes visitors on a journey through the past, present and future of protest in this country.
Summer 2019 at Little Moreton Hall
With its beautifully charming and quirky style, Little Moreton Hall offers an iconic Tudor manor house, moat, manicured knot garden and plenty of fun activities for everyone.
Culture Guides
Literature
Autumn enjoys its usual bumper crop of book-related festivals – and as Manchester and Rochdale wind down, Chester Literature Festival is back for a 30th year to help get you through November.
Food and Drink in Manchester and the North
Discover the best food and drink that the North has to offer in our expert guide to food and drink in Manchester and beyond.
Tours and Activities
Find alternative nights out, decadent afternoons and fun new ways to explore the city in this month’s guide of things to do in Manchester.
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Museums in Sheffield
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Places to go / stay / shop / eat / drink
Things to do right now
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