GRIT: A brand-new art studio comes to the Great Northern Warehouse

An organisation dedicated to creating affordable spaces for artists, makers, and creatives has opened its second site within the walls of Manchester’s iconic Grade II-listed Great Northern Warehouse.

GRIT, whose team founded the much-loved creative duel concept Art Battle Manchester 10 years ago, launched its first space in Stockport in 2021 in response to the alarming shortage of creative studio spaces in the city.

The Stockport site was full by its first day of opening, housing 20 local makers and creators. Following this instant success and clear demand, the team from the Great Northern Warehouse recognised the need for such initiatives and approached GRIT about opening a second location in the heart of the city.

Following just one social post, GRIT’s second space was instantly oversubscribed twice over, and ahead of the weekend’s official launch, it is already home to 30 artists and makers, including painters, street artists, digital artists, mosaic artists, guitar makers and woodworkers.

Manchester’s familiar creative powerhouses have already gotten involved, with the likes of HOME, National Football Museum, University of Manchester, Manchester Met, JMW and Sedulo Wealth all hosting events in the studio, with plenty more exciting plans still to come.

GRIT now boasts some of Manchester’s most exciting creative talent. This includes Michael Browne, a fine artist who collaborates with Eric Cantona and who is behind the stunning Art Of The Game collection which has been on display at the National Football Museum.

Over the next five years, the team say they want to have studios in each of the 10 Greater Manchester boroughs, and are committed to building a strong ‘tribe’ of creatives, with community at the heart of all plans moving forward.

Described as the ‘poshest art studio in Manchester’ GRIT’s Great Northern space also now happens to be one of the cheapest. Studio spaces start at £150 per month and “Messy Hot Desks” with lockers start at £75 per month.