Shopping Centre is set to see another creative collective join its ranks as the team at GRIT Studios prepare to set up its latest creative hub at the centre.
GRIT Studios CIC, which was founded by John and Sophie Macaulay in 2021 and provides studios for artists, makers, and creatives, will take over a vacant space that used to be the NatWest bank, turning it into a space for more than 20 local creators.
The space at Salford is the third studio opened by the collective, following its previous ventures in Stockport and Manchester’s Great Northern Warehouse.
GRIT are also the team behind Art Battle MCR, a knock-out style creative competition that was featured on BBC’s The One Show, with both Art Battle MCR and GRIT having the same goal of supporting grassroots artists to inject creativity into communities across Greater Manchester.
The new venture follows another artists collective, Supermassive, that opened its own creative space in the centre last year, with the centre also boasting its own Artist-In-Residence, Chelsea Davies .
Rory Flemming , Centre Manager at Salford Shopping Centre said: “We’re proud to be welcoming GRIT Studios to Salford Shopping Centre, giving another incredible creative collective a place to innovate and inspire.
“We’ve long been admirers of the work of the GRIT team, with their previous studios showcasing the best in independent creativity that Greater Manchester has to offer, and we’re truly thrilled to see what they get up to in their new studios.
“The additions of groundbreaking creatives like GRIT Studios and Supermassive continues our mission to redefine what the centre offers to both the City Of Salford and the wider Greater Manchester city region. Alongside our well established and thriving retail offer, we want the centre to represent the creative heart of the city, showcasing the ingenuity and vision that has driven our creative industry to the forefront of national and international culture.”
John Macaulay, Founder of GRIT Studios CIC, said: “This is the third studio space that we’ve opened in Greater Manchester, with each one adding an incredible new group of local creatives that are helping to change the game in the region’s art scene.
“Salford is a great fit for us. It’s a city with plenty of grit, a strong sense of community, and is an area that is brimming with exceptional talent. We’ll be encouraging lots of collaboration, problem solving and sharing opportunities to help the local artists & makers realise their potential.
“It’s art for the people, by the people!”
The GRIT team are also keen to hear from any Salford based artists and makers and can be contacted at [email protected]
