Young artists from Salford schools and youth organisations are exhibiting their work in an open-air art gallery.
Their striking artwork will be displayed on hoardings around the future Therme Manchester site on Barton Dock Road, close to the Trafford Centre.
Twenty-two pieces of art were chosen as part of a competition to find the Artists of the Future, after young people were invited to create artwork capturing Therme Manchester’s ethos: ‘Be Well and Have Fun in Nature’.
Six Eccles schools – Holy Cross & All Saints RC Primary School, Lewis Street Primary School, Beech Street Community Primary School, St Gilbert’s Primary School, Westwood Park Community Primary School and Arbour Academy Secondary School- were chosen to take part in the project.
Meanwhile, Arts Let Loose CIC, the accessible, community-led creative space in Swinton, also participated along with a host of other schools and charities from Greater Manchester.
The winning artists were Elif, Zeynep, Levi, Yusuf, Mason, Maddison, Willow, Ariaanaz, Cayden, Alaina, Nell, Jessica, Hayden, Bobby, Lochlann, Farrah, Harry, Lottie, Abdulmalik, Georgia, Piranith and Esom.
Street artist AKSE-P19, contemporary artist Helena Worthington and Roksanna Ciurysek-Gedir of Therme Group selected the 22 winning artworks from over 600 entries.
The Artists of the Future competition was created to engage young people in Salford and Trafford with a major local development and provide a meaningful platform for emerging creative voices.
Katie Mason, Head of Inclusion and Participation at Gorse Hill Studios said: “It has been an amazing collaboration with Therme Manchester on this project- an exciting time for the Trafford area and Manchester on the whole. It’s always important that communities are involved in changes to their environment, and the project has created a strong start to this partnership.”
Rob Creber, Head of Social Value & Partnerships at Therme UK, said: “Therme Manchester is about wellbeing, community and connection. Supporting us is our Therme Art team, who play a leading role in championing creative expression and highlighting the powerful relationship between art and wellbeing.
“The Artists of the Future competition allows us to celebrate young creativity and give local children the chance to inspire us all and leave their mark on one of the region’s most exciting developments. It’s a meaningful way to connect art, community and wellbeing, while giving something back to the neighbourhood that will help shape Therme’s future home.”
Set to become the UK’s first urban wellbeing resort, Therme Manchester will feature biodiverse gardens, immersive art, thermal experiences and family-focused leisure spaces. More information is available here.
