Victoria Baths to host Manchester exhibition after welcoming stars for Chanel Métiers d'Art show afterparty

A new exhibition all about Manchester’s creative history will run for one weekend only at Victoria Baths following the Chanel fashion show afterparty. 

Titled “Manchestermodern: past present future,” the exhibition will be open on Friday 8, Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 December and is free to attend. It will feature a combination of photography, music, poetry, design, crafts and spoken word by famous Manchester creatives. 

The announcement post on the Victoria Bath’s Instagram page reads: “The exhibition gives a unique perspective on Manchester's tremendous history and creativity by bringing together artists in the fields of photography, music, poetry, design, crafts and spoken words.”

The post is accompanied by the first colour picture by photographer Martin Parr from 1971. Some of the other contributing artist include Peter Saville, the graphic designer behind Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures album, Bury-born photographer and Northern Soul director Elaine Constantine, Salford’s punk poet John Cooper Clarke and official poet of the London 20212 Olympics and former chancellor of the University of Manchester Lemn Sissay, plus others. 

It has been created by Factory International and magazine Chaos 69 with support from Chanel, who are hosting the afterparty for their Métiers d'Art show taking place in Manchester this week at the venue.

The world’s fashion elite and hundreds of celebrities and VIPs will descend on the Northern Quarter on Thursday, where a giant canopy has been erected on Thomas Street for the catwalk. Although many details of the event are secret, the heritage fashion house hinted in an Instagram story that Manchester will feature in the show, with images of Factory Records, Emmeline Pankhurst and Joy Division. 

How to get tickets

It is free to book online via the exhibition website, with 30-minute time slots available from 4-5pm on Friday, and 10am-5pm on Saturday and Sunday.