Castlefield Gallery wins a Manchester Culture Award for Inspiring Innovation

We are thrilled to share news of our recent success at the Manchester Culture Awards. Castlefield Gallery was presented with the Inspiring Innovation award, alongside Venture Arts and The Whitworth, at the awards ceremony on Saturday 9 November held at Manchester Central Convention Centre.

The award is especially significant to us as it highlights our work with cultural partners across Manchester to improve accessibility and inclusion for disabled artists. The award recognises the hard work and determination behind a long-standing partnership between Castlefield Gallery and Venture Arts. Our next collaborative project will be a brand new exhibition focusing on the work of four artists supported by Venture Arts, which opens to the public on 24 January 2020. Venture Arts also have a number of high profile exhibition projects in Manchester and across the North West region throughout 2020.

The Manchester Culture Awards celebrate the very best of Manchester’s cultural offer including the work of individuals, cultural projects and organisations, and recognise the huge contribution that the cultural sector makes to the city’s economy, making Manchester a vibrant place that people want to live in, work, and visit. Manchester is now recognised as the second largest creative city in Europe after London, making a contibution to the city’s economy of £1.4bn.

Inspiring Innovation
Venture Arts, The Whitworth and Castlefield Gallery

Our work was initially nominated for two awards, Inspiring Innovation and Promotion of Talent and Leadership.

Pictured above are (left to right) awards host Ria Meera Munshi, Patricia Keating from UK FAST, who presented the award, Alastair Hudson, Director of The Whitworth and Manchester Art Gallery, Venture Arts Director Amanda Sutton, Castlefield Gallery Director Helen Weiwora, and host Jenny McAlpine.

The judges of this year’s Manchester Cultural Awards were: Alison Clark – Director North and National Director of Combined Arts for Arts Council England; Councillor Luthfur Rahman, Executive Member for Executive Member for Skills, Culture & Leisure; Dr Ruth Bromley GP in Wythenshawe, the Lead for Ethics & Law at Manchester Medical School and Chair of Manchester Health and Care Commissioning; Rachel Roger – Director of Reform Radio; and Fiona Worrall Strategic Director Neighbourhoods Manchester City Council. The support and recognition of these cultural leaders from across the city reinforces our ambition to play an integral role in the cultural fabric of the region.

Photo: Manchester City Council