Young creatives from Salford and Trafford are set to see their artwork take centre stage as Therme Manchester announces the winners of its ‘Artists of the Future’ competition.
The community arts initiative invited schools from across Salford and Trafford to design artwork that will transform the white construction hoardings surrounding the development site at TraffordCity into a vibrant, large-scale outdoor gallery. Now, the winning young people – Elif, Zeynep, Levi, Yusuf, Mason, Maddison, Willow, Ariaanaz, Cayden, Alaina, Nell, Jessica, Hayden, Bobby, Lochlann, Farrah, Harry, Lottie, Abdulmalik, Georgia, Piranith and Esom – have been revealed.
Selected from over 600 entries by a distinguished judging panel comprising renowned street artist AKSE-P19, contemporary artist Helena Worthington and Roksanna Ciurysek-Gedir of Therme Group, the winners impressed with imaginative responses to themes at the heart of Therme’s global ethos: nature, water, fun and wellbeing.
Their designs will now be reproduced at scale and installed across the site’s perimeter, creating a striking open-air exhibition that celebrates local talent while bringing colour, creativity and community spirit to the emerging Therme Manchester destination during construction.
The competition culminated in a special celebration event on Sunday 22 February at Gorse Hill Studios, where all participating students came together to showcase their ideas and learn more about how their creativity could shape a major development in their area. The event recognised the contribution of every young person involved and reinforced the importance of giving local students a meaningful voice in the future of their community. The competition winners were also entered into a raffle for the chance to win a family trip to Therme Bucharest in Romania in spring 2026.
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. The artworks have been incredible- our young artists have really shone through, and we can’t wait to see them on a big scale! We have already started planning a picnic at the hoardings!”
Councillor Liz Patel, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration, said: “We’re delighted that so many children and young people got the chance to take part in this exciting challenge and will see their work reproduced at a large scale for a huge audience. These eye-catching designs on the themes of nature, water, fun and wellbeing will give local people, commuters and passers-by a lovely, colourful display to enjoy while building work takes place.”
Salford City Council’s Deputy City Mayor, Jack Youd, said: “We’re committed to supporting other organisations to have a positive impact on the city and its people so it’s great to be working with Therme Manchester and other partners on this exciting art project. Artists of the Future is a fantastic opportunity to engage local children in creativity, inspiring confidence and fostering aspiration. Congratulations to everyone involved and the winners who must be thrilled to see their eye-catching work displayed on the site’s hoardings.”
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, all centred on Therme’s mission to make wellbeing accessible for all.
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. It forms part of Therme Manchester’s wider social value strategy, delivered in partnership with Trafford Council and Salford City Council, to ensure lasting local impact through jobs, apprenticeships, community projects and long-term opportunities linked to the development.
Schools that took part in the competition include Barton Clough Primary School and St Monica’s Primary School in Trafford, along with 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 in Salford. Arts Let Loose CIC, the accessible, community-led creative space in Swinton, also participated in the project.
The competition was organised in collaboration with Gorse Hill Studios, a Trafford-based youth arts charity dedicated to empowering young people through creative engagement.
The project demonstrates how regeneration can positively involve local communities, transforming a temporary construction boundary into something inspiring and inclusive. The winning designs will create a dynamic outdoor exhibition reflecting young people’s visions for wellbeing, nature, creativity and the future of Greater Manchester.
