The only UK contemporary art fair outside London

With careful selection and bold curatorial vision, The Manchester Contemporary showcases the strength of the UK’s regional artists and galleries alongside key international presentations that can only be experienced in Manchester.

We aim to create an inclusive and supportive event for our exhibitors and to develop a sense of community for the art collectors of the North.

200
Artists
11,072

Visitors to the fair

£34k
TMC Art Fund Spend
Fair Curator
Nathaniel Pitt continues as Fair Curator playing a key role in collector development, strategic partnerships and the strengthening of TMC’s relationships with collectors, galleries and institutions.
TMC Art Fund

The Manchester Contemporary Art Fund is the largest philanthropic fund outside of London acquiring work from exhibiting galleries for the permanent collection of Manchester Art Gallery.

Art Talk

The fair invites leading artists and art experts to share their knowledge and experiences with visitors. Past speakers have included Gemma Rolls Bentley, Ryan Gander, Tony Heaton OBE & Marie-Anne McQuay.

Collector Programme

The Collector Programme offers unique social events and guided tours of the fair with gallerist introductions for existing and new collectors.

I am really impressed with how Manchester’s art scene has developed in recent years. There is no shortage of potential art buyers in the region, and the fair is vital to inspire and develop a significant audience of collectors.
 
Frank Cohen
Art Collector

The Manchester Contemporary is an vital component for the UK arts ecosystem 

ARCADE

The Manchester Contemporary takes a uniquely artist-focused approach, inviting the most exciting international and UK galleries to participate.

With careful selection and bold curatorial vision, The Manchester Contemporary showcases the strength of the UK’s regional artists and galleries alongside key international presentations that can only be seen in Manchester.

We aim to create a more inclusive and supportive event for our exhibitors and to develop a sense of community for the art collectors of the North.

The pARTnership
Manchester Contemporary is a brilliant opportunity for artist-led spaces like Paradise Works to be able to showcase the local talent and also share what is happening within the artistic community. There is always incredible support for the studios each year and the Manchester Contemporary amplifies this; allowing our artists to develop their careers and practices. 
Paradise Works

The Fair continues to be a genuine counterweight to London – and a real part of the art world ecology outside the capital.

i newspaper 4* review

The Manchester Contemporary Audience

65%

spent 1-2 hours exploring the fair.

97%

will visit the fair next year and recommend to friends & family.

98%

of visitors come from the North of England.

35%

own more than 10 pieces of art.

93%

spend up to £5,000 a year on art.

97%

of visitors are aged 25 and above

Manchester

The City

With an international reputation for the visual arts and institutions such as Manchester Art Gallery, The Whitworth, HOME, Manchester International Festival, The Lowry and Aviva Studios, Manchester is the ‘original modern city’.

Manchester has been named as one of 25 global destinations to be included in the Where to Go 2024 list by prestigious US travel publication AFAR, has been named in the New York Times’ 52 Places to Go list for 2024 and is the only UK city in National Geographic's influential ‘Best of the World’ list which annually sets out 25 of the must-see places to visit around the globe.

Manchester Central

The Venue

The Fair’s venue, Manchester Central located at the heart of the city centre is served by its own dedicated tram stop, free city centre shuttle buses and on-site parking for 700 cars.

Combing state-of-the-art exhibition facilities and little extras such as dedicated porters and trolleys we aim to make exhibiting as easy as possible. Once the fair’s doors close at the end of a successful day the city centre’s restaurants, bars and theatres are on your doorstep to enjoy!

Manchester Art Fair 2024

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