Windows of Youth Creativity

Windows of Youth Creativity: WE MADE IT, launching on Saturday 22 October, will see artwork from young people across Manchester take over 10 large windows and spaces on and inside iconic, prominent venues this autumn, with the National Football Museum proudly serving as home to one of the artworks.

Part of Manchester’s Our Year 2022 campaign, the Manchester City Council commission will see global art producer Wild in Art deliver a city-wide showcase of creative disciplines such as photography, fashion, painting, illustration, dance, sculpture, mosaic, poetry and model making.

A series of photographs taken by young people living in East Manchester documenting their day to day lives ahead of the area’s redevelopment can be seen on the exterior of our building. The budding snappers were invited by photographer Simon Bray to explore a variety of themes such as family, hopes and fears, documenting their daily lives and communities amidst the redevelopment of their area.

The project will celebrate youth creativity, and the diverse communities that live across the city whilst also highlighting some of the many different cultural and leisure venues in Manchester. An online trail map will be available to download, giving individuals the opportunity to follow the trail and discover each exhibit.

Various family-friendly events and activities will take place whilst the project is live; a breakdance event will take place on Friday 28 October at Manchester’s brand-new urban neighbourhood Mayfield Park. The event will celebrate the European Breaking Championships which is taking place in Manchester this November. Featuring demonstrations from professional dancers, competitions for young people, and bookable taster workshops, the event will be run in partnership with Breakdance Manchester and Breaking GB.

Manchester Science Festival will also take place between Friday 21 and Sunday 30 October at the Science and Industry Museum. The festival will host a number of fun activities, drop-in workshops and immersive experiences for people of all ages.

2022 Our Year is a campaign led by Manchester City Council which aims to create a better future for children within the city and strives to put young people at the heart of Manchester’s future. It is a focused year of listening to young people and bringing key partners together to create more experiences, opportunities and support to children and young people local to the city.

Councillor Garry Bridges, Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People, Manchester City Council, said: “2022 Our Year is all about providing new opportunities for the city’s young people and We Made It has been an amazing opportunity for them to really stretch their imaginations and get involved in producing artwork for an exhibition that is set to be seen by thousands across the different venues. “It promises to be a fantastic showcase for the talents of our children and young people in Manchester – something they should all be very proud of contributing to – and I can’t wait to see what they’ve produced.”

Ben Reed, Head of Creative Development, Wild in Art, comments: ‘It’s great to be back delivering an event in my hometown of Manchester. There is so much creative talent being nurtured in this city. I’m really pleased we are able to showcase some of it in such high-profile locations and I can’t wait to see the response from those that have contributed and the general public.’’

Wild in Art is the leading producer of spectacular public art events that have animated cities across the globe including Manchester (Bee in the City 2018 and 50 Windows of Creativity 2020), Sydney, Auckland, and Cape Town, and created trails for historic events such as London 2012 Olympics & the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games

Windows of Youth Creativity: We Made It will be live from 22nd October until the end of November.