Fancy Pants: an exhibition about fashion and society at Portico Library – and a Grand Ball

Never let it be said that the Portico Library is a stuffy place, as its latest exhibition deals with haute couture. Fancy Pants sees four visual artists present expressive works which look at fashion’s historic and contemporary relationship with things like ritual, morality, and resistance. There’s also a couple of special events linked to the exhibition. In March, there will be a ‘crafternoon’, where you can create wearable art pieces using your pre-loved items. Artist Ruby Kirby will help you turn them into new, offbeat creations using a variety of other recycled odds and ends. Closing the exhibition in style is a recreation of a ‘Grand Fancy Ball’, which was held at the Library in 1836. Attendees are invited to create and wear their own wild and wonderful costumes. There will be a dance performance using Ruby’s wearable pieces, and a prize for the best dressed guest. Tickets for the Ball are now available; its on Friday 22 March at 7pm – find out more.

Until Mon 25 Mar, The Portico Library, 57 Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3HY, Tel: 0161 236 6785, 9.30am – 5.30pm, FREE, www.theportico.org.uk