Public Gallery Tour with Nicola Ellis
Join us at HOME for an exclusive tour of this year’s Manchester Open with artist Nicola Ellis, one of the exhibition judging panel.
Nicola Ellis is a British visual artist based in Manchester, who explores the question of who values what—and why—in different contexts. Her work examines how information, tradition, and legacy are passed on and translated through materials, systems, and the people who work within them. Ellis works with materials sourced from places of industry, scientific research, and public institutions; therefore, her sculptures, drawings, and digital artworks often intercept and expand existing material cycles. Her work simultaneously celebrates the connections and distinctions between different contexts at specific points in time.
Starting with Art in Manufacturing residency in 2018, initiated and organised by The National Festival of Making, Ellis has developed a long-term relationship with Ritherdon & Co. Ltd, a manufacturer of steel enclosures based in Darwen, Lancashire.
In recent years, Ellis’s work has been acquired by private and national public collections, including the Government Art Collection and the Arts Council Collection. She is the recipient of a Henry Moore Foundation Artist Award, a Henry Moore Artist Research Fellowship, and several Arts Council England grants to support the development of her work.
About the Exhibition:
The Manchester Open is the biggest celebration of Greater Manchester's artists and creative talent - and it returns this summer. Taking place every two years, The Manchester Open is an exhibition of artworks from people across Greater Manchester of all experience levels, including first-time artists and enthusiasts as well as emerging talent and established professionals. Selected by a panel consisting of art experts and community representatives, the artwork on display represents artists from across all of Greater Manchester's boroughs and includes works in the categories of ceramics; digital / moving image; drawing; print; painting; photography; sculpture / installation; and textiles.
This year's Manchester Open is 4th iteration of this popular open exhibition. 1,500 artists from across Greater Manchester entered this year, of which 420 have been selected by our panel to exhibit their work at the HOME gallery. The judges praise the “creativity and quality" of this year’s submissions which include a wide range of artforms and perspectives. The exhibition will include artists selected from all of Greater Manchester's 10 boroughs, ranging in age from 4 to 80 years old.
