Paradise Works opens its doors for S.O.S, a Summer Open Studios event with exhibitions, tours and a party to coincide with the Manchester International Festival 2023. 

We are showcasing what local artistic talent the city has to offer with our community of contemporary visual artists inviting the public into their studios throughout the Saturday.

Start the day by joining us for a free studio tour led by artist and curator Jez Dolan, exploring the goings-on of an artist-led space, with informal talks from selected studio artists. 

Saturday night kicks off at 6pm in our first floor gallery with the preview of ‘Hoarfrost On Our Lips’ a group exhibition with Yelena Popova, Catriona Robertson, Madi Acharya-Baskerville and John-Paul Brown with Poems by Esther Koch, curated by Will Marshall. Our ground floor gallery will preview 'Imagine What We Could Do Tomorrow', a solo exhibition with Y2K PARTY by Duncan Poulton curated by Division of Labour. 

We close with a party and set performed by Cally b2b SebastieN, donations bar and street food until 9pm.

For this event we’re pleased to profile our Haworth Trust scholarship recipients Fleur Yearsley, Gabriel Kidd and Isaac Jordan, in addition to our Manchester School of Art bursary and the University of Salford scholarship recipients Anna Clough and Laura Socas.

Studio Artists

Louise Adkins, Alex Macdougall, Alyson Olson, Anna Clough, John Cake, Bridget Coderc, Chris Paul Daniels, Claire Tindale, Winter & Kurth, Elizabeth Wewiora, Fleur Yearsley, Freya Wysocki, Gabriel Kidd, Gwen Evans, Studio Critical, Mikesian Studio, Hilary Jack, Isaac Jordan, James Wright, Jack Brown, Jeffrey Knopf, Jez Dolan, James Ackerley, Katie Tomlinson, Kieran Leach, Laura Weaver, Lauren Steeper, Lotti V Closs, Laura Socas, Alex Frost, Maisie Pritchard, Naomi Harwin, Precious Innes, Richard Shields, Robin Broadley, Sarah Blaszczok, Steve Iles, Tasha Whittle and Tom Lambe.

This celebratory evening is a chance to meet and see the work of artists and curators living and working in the cities of Salford and Manchester today. 

Access: 'Imagine What We Could Do Tomorrow' exhibition and five artist studios are accessible from the ground floor. 'Hoarfrost On Our Lips' exhibition and all other studios are only accessible by stairs.

Paradise Works is kindly supported by Arts Council England, The Haworth Trust, University of Salford Art Collection, the Manchester School of Art and Manchester Independents.