BLOG | The importance of a diverse workforce

It’s Learning Disability Week 2021 and another opportunity for us to celebrate the work of our artists.    Our Public Engagement Assistant, Amber Okpa-Stother, is a neurodivergent artist herself and works hard in her role to advocate for people with learning disabilities. She has produced two videos showcasing our artists’ work and also her own … Continued

At Venture Arts we’ve always been extremely proud of the energy, commitment and warmth that our volunteers bring.   National Volunteers’ Week is the perfect opportunity for us to recognise this huge commitment and celebrate the difference that they make.    Across the country, volunteers have been making an exceptional contribution to supporting local communities … Continued

Venture Arts artist Louise Hewitt is passionate about visiting Manchester’s museums and galleries, gaining inspiration for her own art and poetry.    This is the first of a new bi-monthly blog from Louise, in which, acting as ‘Venture Arts Cultural Correspondent’, she’ll review an exhibition she has attended, giving an insight in to how it … Continued

In a normal year we’d work with young students from a range of schools across Manchester, providing them with an important opportunity to gain valuable skills and experience in the work place. We work in partnership with Our Futures, who support young people with careers advice and work experience.   Of course last year and … Continued

We are delighted to announce a new creative partnership with specialist architectural lighting company, Studiotech.   Venture Arts will be working with Studiotech on a series of creative projects, together finding new and dynamic ways to bring artwork projects to life and present illuminated work in unusual public settings.   The partnership will begin with … Continued

This year artist Anne-Marie Atkinson has been contributing to the Venture Arts blog, sharing with us insights from her research for her PhD thesis, ‘Challenging Outsider Art: How are learning disabled artists informing contemporary art’. She has written three blogs for us, sharing the ideas and motivation behind her research, how it’s been impacted by … Continued

Staff at Bolton-based Barry Bennett Ltd. (and its sister company, Bennett Workplace Solutions Ltd.) has stepped up to the challenge to raise funds for our Warm-hearts Winter Challenge.    35 staff members put their best feet forward to walk a combined 8,211,128 steps, collecting sponsorship along the way. The company topped up the £1,642 total … Continued

As part of this month’s International Women’s Day celebrations MCR Sew Social have curated an exhibition titled, ‘What does International Women’s Day mean to you?’   MCR Sew Social was established in 2018 and is run by textile artists Rowan Bridgwood and Louisa Hammond. A community of textile and fibre artists who meet in Greater … Continued

On 25th March 2021, Venture Arts is delighted to present a digital ‘Artist Open Studio’ – sharing the work of Poppy Maguire and Josh Brown, alongside Rory White from Creativity Explored in San Francisco, USA.   As part of her PhD research, Anne-Marie Atkinson has spent time with these three artists over the last several … Continued

Last month we shared our first blog from artist Anne-Marie Atkinson, who is currently conducting her PhD research with us, through a partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University. For her thesis entitled, ‘Challenging Outsider Art: How are learning disabled artists informing contemporary art’, Anne-Marie immersed herself in the daily life of the Venture Arts studio.   … Continued