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 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 delve into the boroughs history of morris dancing, through community workshops and contemporary making.
