The Horsfall

Creative Tourist

The Horsfall is a unique creative venue in the heart of Ancoats, run by award-winning mental health charity 42nd Street, runs a stellar public programme featuring regular arts and social events, exhibitions by emerging and established artists and performances.

The renovation and repurposing of a Victorian shop into a welcoming and stimulating three storey space aims to open access to the transformative powers of creativity and inspire new social action. It reflects  42nd Street’s aims to support young people under stress and improve mental health and wellbeing through engagement with art, nature and heritage.

The incredible inspiration for its name and ethos is nineteenth century philanthropist Thomas Horsfall. Believing that art could be a transformative force to improve people’s lives and wellbeing, Horsfall opened The Ancoats Art Museum in 1884, determined that its location would be in the neighbourhood of the urban poor, living in unimaginable conditions in the heart of the world’s first industrial city. This unique social and artistic experiment aimed to lift people both spiritually and morally with art and music (including a room by William Morris).

Although sadly demolished, its phenomenal legacy includes Turner paintings left to Manchester City Art Gallery, and a change in the law that allowed schoolchildren to access art and culture during the school day as part of their essential education.

As creative approaches go, we can’t think of a better way of drawing inspiration from this incredible history to imagine new futures.  Long live The Horsfall.

87-91 Great Ancoats StreetManchesterM4 5AG View map
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What's on near The Horsfall

Hallé Art Club
Until
ActivityAncoats
Hallé Art Club

Music, art and sustainable practises intersect in a beautifully curated series of workshops with Hallé Art Club.

from £16.96
Women in Comedy Festival 2023
Until
ComedyAncoats
Women in Comedy Festival 2024

Described as one of the “UK’s best comedy festivals”, the Women in Comedy Festival MCR returns with its 11th bumper edition of top-notch comedy. 

from £3.00
Until
ComedyManchester
Creatures of the Night Comedy Club

An insanely committed seven-nights-a-week, Creatures of the Night Comedy Club opens its doors (20.30-22.30 typically, though please check) for evening after evening of side-splitting comedy.

from £5.00
Until
ActivityManchester
Sí Manchester Daily Tour

Sí Manchester’s daily tour is a brilliant way to get an overview of the city with tours running in both English and Spanish.

free entry
MusicManchester
Un-Convention Manchester 2024

Un-Convention is the ultimate independent music industry conference and showcase taking place at Band on the Wall in Manchester this November.

Where to go near The Horsfall

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Viet Shack Restaurant

Arguably Manchester’s most well-known Vietnamese restaurant, Viet Shack started out as a hugely-popular street food stall before opening this restaurant in Ancoats.

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Blue Eyed Panda

Manchester is home to many delicious Chinese food restaurants, and Blue Eyed Panda is no exception. Moreover, it caters gluten free.

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Ancoats General Store

Ancoats General Store serves the local community as a sustainability-focused convenience store stocking craft products, locally-sourced wares and top tier vegan produce.

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The Jane Eyre

It’s Pintxos Week at The Jane Eyre, one of the best neighbourhood bars and small plates restaurants in Ancoats.

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Rudy’s Pizza

Founded in 2015 by Jim Morgan and his partner Kate Wilson, you’ll find Rudy’s Pizza in cities all over England these days. But there can only be one original…

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Hallé St Peter’s

Grade-II listed church recently renovated by the Halle Orchestra to be used as a venue and rehearsal space.

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Erst

An offshoot of the popular Trove bakery in Ancoats, this new restaurant specialises in perfectly-formed and eye-catching small plates with a focus on environmentally-friendly practices.

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Canto

Modern Portugese food from the team behind the mighty El Gato.

Culture Guides