Venture Arts: NARRATIVES

Venture Arts: NARRATIVES
Part of The Lowry’s Edit series

14 January – 26 February 2023

Artists: Omid Asadi, Jennie Franklin, Parham Ghalamdar, Jackie Haynes, Sarah Lee, Horace Lindezey, Millie Loveday, Deborah Makinde, Laura Nathan, Dominic Pillai, Alice Merida Richards, and Leslie Thompson.

The Lowry is delighted to present the collaborative exhibition NARRATIVES with Venture Arts, as part of our EDIT series. This multifaceted exhibition presents a vibrant fusion of drawing, film, performance, sound, and installation.

NARRATIVES at The Lowry is the culmination of a summer residency that brought together five artists based at Venture Arts in Hulme; a visual arts organisation working with learning disabled and neurodiverse artists, initially working alongside five other artists from across Greater Manchester, to develop shared ideas and create new art work. Each of the artists have been exploring personal histories and cultural heritage and stories, and possible connections between themselves. A collaborative approach to making art has been at the core of this 20-week residency; the collective of artists have drawn on inspiration from TV specials, 80s Moss Side, family heritage, comedy and reggae, supper club influences and group idols including Sid James, Sparrow Martin, Julee Cruise and Julie London. The residency took place at St Margaret’s social club in Whalley Range and the character of the club itself, the function room, changing rooms and surrounding football pitches also deeply influenced the work of the group.

NARRATIVES is the third cycle of the pioneering ‘Conversations Series’ by Venture Arts; a programme of four artistic projects and residencies first established in 2016 aimed at creating new work in a shared exchange of art and ideas. This programme brings together a range of artists, with and without learning disabilities, to develop collaborative, reciprocal learning, and creative  exchanges. Through this, it is hoped that open conversations and new dialogues about the role of art in contemporary society will be generated.

EDIT is a strand of the exhibitions programming at The Lowry that enables artists and performers to develop previously unexplored ideas in a gallery setting. Its short-term format allows for ambitious presentations of work, often participatory and engaging with new audiences. Previous invited EDIT artists have included DJs, dancers and choreographers, illustrators, and artist collectives.

NARRATIVES is part of the Explorers Project led by Project Art Works and is a partnership project between Venture Arts, Castlefield Gallery and The Lowry, and associates Ahmed Ullah Iqbal Race Relations Centre and Manchester Jewish Museum.