Across nearly two weeks, Design Manchester 2016 will explore the many shades and colours of the city’s artistic canvas through collaborative events, one-off exhibitions, film screenings and its central conference. There’s more to be announced, but judging by the first few lines drawn, its fourth annual programme is shaping up to be its best yet. Here we pick out a handful of the must-sees.
Art Battle VIII
Among its headlining attractions is the 8th edition of the popular Art Battle, which pits painters of various styles in competition, tasked with producing a piece of art against the clock and under the watchful eyes of a live audience. It’s due to take place at the recently re-opened London Road venue, which will prove to be an ornate setting for the DJs and art exhibitions scheduled alongside the event’s focal bout.
Fri 14 Oct, London Road MCR, Manchester, M1 2PH, 7pm, www.designmcr.com
Design City Fair
This collaboration with GF Smith, Manchester Print Fair and Hot Bed Press features the cream of the grassroots croppers, binders, letterpressers, screen printers and frame makers, who’ll host workshops to share their skills. For the window shoppers and stall browsers among you, the main room will be crammed with opportunities to peruse the arts, crafts and design of Manchester’s creatives, from zine makers to illustrators.
Sat 15-Sun 16 Oct, London Road MCR, Manchester, M1 2PH, 10am-5pm, FREE, www.designmcr.com
Alan Kitching: A Life In Letterpress
Resident at The Typography Workshop in London, Kitching is a respected veteran of his craft. The exhibition displays sketches to limited edition prints and accompanies the launch of his book of the same name.
Wed 12-Sat 22 Oct, Manchester School of Art, Benzie Building, Higher Ormond Street, Manchester, M15 6BR, FREE, www.designmcr.com
Women In Print
Another exhibition available to view for most of the DM16 run is a revival of the project launched earlier in 2016 and delves into design’s female icons breaking ground and crossing boundaries, whether motivated to print by the personal or the political.
Thu 13-Sun 23 Oct, The Co-op, 1 Angel Square, Manchester, M60 0AG, from 12pm daily, FREE, www.designmcr.com
Design City Film Season
Some of the most stylistic cinema experiences are due to be relived at Manchester’s modern centre of cultural engagement, Home. Hitchcock’s Vertigo (Mon 17 Oct) and Kubrick’s Dr Strangelove (Tue 18 Oct) have been selected so far, with more to be announced.
Home, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN, 6.20pm each day, Price TBC, www.designmcr.com
Design City Conference
The industry all-dayer will launch the festival series with a who’s who of the design world, featuring interaction designer Jason Bruges, immersive tech artists FIELD, graphic designer Alexandra Wood and Dutch design collective Trapped in Suburbia. One for those with their finger on the design pulse and an eye on the current and future trends.
Thu 13 Oct, RNCM, 124 Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9RD, 12.30pm-6pm, £36/£18 (NUS), www.designmcr.com
Wed 12-Sun 23 Oct, Design Manchester, Various Venues, Times and Prices, www.designmcr.com
- Words:
- Ian Pennington
- Published on:
- Tue 27 Sep 2016
