This spring, Levenshulme Market will welcomes two brand new artists-in-residence.
With support from Arts Council England Levenshulme Market is funding two local artists to work in the heart of the local high street, creating an artistic project with the community at the market.
Supporting local artists
Since it opened nine years ago, Levenshulme Market has developed a reputation as a supportive and welcoming hub for the local artistic community. Each week Manchester’s artists can be found at the market, selling their work directly to the public. Now two of those artists, both of whom are Levenshulme locals, have been appointed as the market’s artists-in-residence.
Laura Deane is a mixed media artist, with a 16-year career in teaching art, photography and graphic design and running workshops and participatory projects with diverse groups. She also manages Levenshulme Old Library, a community arts hub.
Ciara Leeming is a photographer and a former journalist who now supports other people to make work about their experiences. During the pandemic she published Levy Lockdown Portraits a book of portraits of residents documenting their experiences during the pandemic. This was followed by a zine and website featuring work by more than 30 locals.
A Portrait of Levenshulme
This spring their joint project A Portrait of Levenshulmewill see the pair popping up at a market stall in order to build a community project – offering free photographic portraits and drawing and collage workshops, and inviting participants to reflect on what makes this neighbourhood special.
Despite some recent changes to the local high street, Levenshulme remains in the top 20% most deprived areas in the UK. However, it’s also the home to a vibrant community defined by its can-do spirit.
This year sees the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and the funding for this initiative comes from Arts Council England’s Let’s Create Jubilee Fund.
The Jubilee celebrates the 70 year reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Similarly, this project aims to celebrate the resilience and longevity in Levenshulme by reflecting on our local history of a diverse make-up of residents, all of whom work together to create Levenshulme’s diverse, cohesive and welcoming community.
Get involved!
Marketgoers can get involved helping Laura and Ciara build a portrait of Levenshulme by getting involved:
All these self-portraits can be donated to the growing exhibition or taken home at no cost. The work created at the market will also be collated in a zine
When and where
Levenshulme Market, Stockport Road, Levenshulme, Manchester M19 3PJ
