Exhibitions in Manchester and the North

Lowry at Home: Salford 1966 – Unseen photographs by Clive Arrowsmith at The Lowry, Manchester, 10 June–24 September 2017, free entry - Visit now

What can we tell of a man from his kitchen sink or old-fashioned cooker? A great deal it would seem judging by a new exhibition of rare, previously unseen photographs at The Lowry…

LOVE LIFE: ACT II at Grundy Art Gallery, 17 June–12 August 2017, free entry - Visit now

A radical re-imagining of ‘Punch and Judy’ explores the darker side of the popular Victorian seaside show at Grundy Art Gallery.

Liverpool(e): Mover, Shaker, Architectural Risk-Taker at RIBA North, Waterfront, 17 June–16 September 2017, free entry - Visit now

Liverpool is a city that can be read like no other as a living, breathing encyclopedia of British architecture. But how has its unique skyline been shaped, and how else might it have looked? These are the intriguing questions asked by RIBA North’s inaugural exhibition.

Wyndham Lewis: Life, Art, War at Imperial War Museum North (IWM North), Manchester, 23 June 2017–1 January 2018, from £4.00 - Book now

IWM North turns its attention to one of the most controversial figures in British art.

Lindsey Bull and Plastique Fantastique at Castlefield Gallery, Castlefield, 23 June–6 August 2017, free entry - Visit now

Strange and unexplained figures, seances for Tarot card characters… Castlefield Gallery presents: Lindsey Bull and Plastique Fantastique.

Raqib Shaw at The Whitworth, Manchester, 24 June–1 November 2017, free entry - Visit now

Raqib Shaw’s paintings, created by manipulating pools of enamel and metallic industrial paints using a porcupine quill, are as sumptuous as they are subversive. Don’t miss them at the Whitworth.

The Return of Memory at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 21 October 2017–7 January 2018, free entry - Find Out More

A major new exhibition at HOME sets out to re-examine the legacy of the Russian Revolution through the lens of the ‘New East’ today.

Noor Afshan Mirza & Brad Butler: The Scar at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 10 February–31 March 2018, free entry - Find Out More

An ex-beauty queen, a Kurdish MP, a notorious gangster, and a former agent. The Scar explores the political scandal that helped unravel the Turkish Deep State.

What’s in Store? at Salford Museum and Art Gallery, Manchester, 20 May–19 November 2017, free entry - Visit now

What’s in Store? is a unique showcase of The University of Salford Art Collection; established in 1969, the collection now includes around 700 works by artists including Bridget Riley, David Hockney and Gilbert and George. Many of the works in this exhibition have never been on public display before.

Liverpool Biennial 2018, 14 July–28 October 2018, free entry - Find Out More

Taking place in 2018 is the tenth edition of the Liverpool Biennial, an event that has brought newly-commissioned contemporary art to the city and the region since 1998. Discover the dates and theme for next year’s event here.

Athletically Pleasing at Manchester Craft & Design Centre, Manchester, 25 May–3 September 2017, free entry - Visit now

A showcase of design in sport at Manchester Craft & Design Centre – including an ‘anti-stink’ material made using silver, a collapsible helmet and a relaxation hoodie with a very particular shade of pink…