Spirit 2023-2026
Spirit 2023-2026, funded by the GMCA Culture Fund, unlocked creative opportunities for communities across Greater Manchester. Salford, Oldham, Stockport and Tameside each explored place-based commissions which responded to local need and identity.
All ten districts delivered bursaries to improve access for artists, and city wide networks were developed to increase collaboration and peer-learning.
Oldham place-based commissions:
2023-2024: Oldham Council commissioned Designs in Air, a pioneering inflatable design company who create original inflatable sculptures and spectacular installations, to install Ocean Drifters at Gallery Oldham, an immersive installation of jellyfish sculptures and otherworldly underwater creatures. The commission enabled Oldham to test touring models for inflatable artworks.
2024-25: Oldham Theatre Workshop and Illuminos were commissioned to work together to bring visuals projection-mapped onto the Old Town Hall for Illuminate festival, alongside a seamless music and theatre performance centred around a musical journey through time across four generations of a family.
2025-26: GM Arts and Oldham Council jointly supported* XTRAX to commission Global Grooves’ spectacular contribution to La Merce festival in Barcelona. ‘Worker Bee Becomes Queen’ (pictured) included blended dance traditions, a new musical score and giant puppets. The performance returned to Oldham in February 2026.
*Supporters included GM Arts, Oldham Council, Tameside MBC, Manchester City Council, Arts Council England and GMCA.
Tameside place-based commissions:
2023-24: Tameside Metropolitan Council worked with Global Grooves, an artist-led Carnival arts organisation based in Mossley with over 20 years practical experience, to create ‘Maude’ - a new puppet for future use by the local Stalybridge community, as a friend to the Mill Boy puppet being created as part of Emergency Exit Art’s Heritage Action Zone project. The friend for Mill Boy was unveiled at WEAVE on 9th September 2023 in Stalybridge as one of the town’s gifts to Farah the Fox.
2024-25: Tameside Metropolitan Council commissioned Artist R&D with Big Imaginations, supporting Alicia McKenzie & Adam Blake to develop new theatre work for young audiences. Productions have toured across the North West in 2025.
2025-26: A new commission with collage artist Sarah Hardacre will dove into the borough’s history of Morris dancing, through community workshops and contemporary making.
Stockport place-based commissions
2023-2024: Future Everything were commissioned to lead Stockport’s creative engagement work in the lead up to the opening of Stockroom, a brand new community library, arts centre and resource, in a disused area of the shopping centre.
2024-2025: Future Everything worked with Di Maidstone to develop ‘Emotional Biodiversity’ - an imaginative and innovative digital artwork co-created with the people of Stockport.
2025 - 2026: Future Everything worked with Maya Chowdry to develop a sound installation in the tunnels of Stockport Air Raid Shelter.
“We want to bring people back into the town centre. You can’t just plant art there. You have to make art collaborative. and give people ownership.”
Salford place-based commission
2023-2025: Working in partnership with Rochdale’s Breaking Barriers, Salford Community Leisure commissioned a long term research and development project ‘What about me?’ which focused on the experiences of local young people.
The extended time period enabled Breaking Barriers to develop a significant outdoor sound and visual installation in Parr Fold Park, which was displayed and performed to the public throughout October 2025.
The project also developed a new Young Company, providing bespoke work experience for young creatives.