Aidan Jolly

Aidan Jolly is a self-taught musician and multi-media artist, who takes inspiration from cultural movements associated with the world-wide struggles of ordinary people for social justice.

He believes passionately that anyone can find their voice through cultural activity, and that art has the power to move people through the relating of experiences as portrayed in song and stories.

His songs, music and digital works are firmly rooted in the communities with which he works. He performs regularly in venues around the North West of England and in the UK.

Ailis Ni Riain

Ailis Ni Riain is an Irish composer, artist, writer and devisor based in Manchester, UK.  She is particularly interested in cross-discipline collaboration, improvisation, music-theatre, music education and presenting contemporary music in diverse environments. She aims to combine her interests as a composer/performer,  writer and visual artist to produce works which explore fully her artistic aesthetic.

Link: www.ailis.info

Akinyemi Oludele

Community artist available for commissions, projects and workshops within the UK. His work consists of contemporary portraits and abstract imagery, using inspiration from the natural world.

If you are interested in commissioning personal portraits, murals, community-based workshops or greeting cards contact him on onashilecreativity@yahoo.co.uk

Attic Art Gallery

The Attic Art Gallery in Bury is an exciting new venue for the Arts in Bury.

Karen Jones, an artist herself, aims to give a friendly service to artists and clients alike. Hosting a broad range of local and regional artwork, as well as classes, workshops and the Attic Artists Group, the gallery is quickly evolving into a hub for the Arts in the area.

The first Attic Art Competition is now underway supported by sponsors Selfridges, Tescos, Ioveart2com and Ken Bromleys.

Further details are available from the gallery. Always seeking new talented artists and craftspeople, tutors for classes and workshops, as well as new members for the Attic Artists Group!

The Attic Art Gallery, Unit 1, Claybank Works, Back Rochdale Road, Bury BL9 7AU. 0161 763 1263 / 07946 433203 Open Wed-Sun, 10am-4.30pm. mail@attic-art.co.uk

Link: www.attic-art.co.uk

Benchmark Furniture Design and Build.

At Benchmark Furniture Design & Build, an emerging social firm, we manufacture quality furniture to order. All estimates are free and a design service is also available.

We cater for many different furniture environments, providing free standing and built in furniture. We offer a range of timbers and veneered sheet materials finished in natural oils.

Link: www.benchmarkfdab.co.uk

Black Arts Alliance

The longest surviving network of Black artists representing the arts and culture drawn from ancestral heritages of South Asia, Africa, South America, and the Caribbean and in more recent times due to global conflict our newly arrived compatriots known collectively as refugees.

Black Arts Alliance is also the founder of Acts of Achievement. They work with a  host of other programming partners to profile a range of events throughout October, in museums, cinemas theatres, galleries, schools, and community centres across the region, to specifically reflect the history and contribution of the many Black and Asian communities resident in the North West. www.actsofachievement.org.uk

Link: www.blackartists.org.uk

Circus Zapparelli

Available for circus events & circus skill workshops including juggling; unicycling; acrobatics; stiltwalking; face & body painting; puppet making & shows; drumming; giant inflatables; willow making workshops; fire eating; clowns & clowning workshops; costume making; magic shows & workshops and tight rope walking... and much much more!

Dinu Li

I have shown widely across the UK, mostly in public galleries and museums. I have responded both to commissions as well as to self initiated projects. My work has been shown as part of group or solo exhibitions, as well as being part of touring shows.

In the last three years, my practise has expanded to encompass video, and installation. I have successfully made work with other artists' on collaborative projects.

Most recently, I have extended myself by taking on the role of curator for a new group-touring exhibition.

Link: www.dinuli.co.uk

DNA Performance Resource

DNA Performance Resource offers Acting Classes run in a professional environment by professional practitioners. Unlike most acting classes in the city, we regularly offer our clients the chance to perform, and are focused at helping you make progress in the industry by profile raising, networking and accomodating your participation in exciting projects and productions.

Link: www.actingclass.co.uk

Drake Music Project

From hip hop to classical, jazz to rock and roll, the Drake Music Project is a national charity that is committed to providing the opportunity for disabled people to explore, compose and perform their own music

Link: www.drakemusicproject.com

Fat Northerner

Fat Northerner represents the rich diversity of music created in Manchester and develops new and innovative ways of promoting artists to international audiences. In the proud tradition of great British indies such as 4AD, Warp, Creation and of course Factory, we only release music by artists we believe in.

Link: www.fatnortherner.com

Full Circle Arts

Full Circle Arts is a user led company and exists as a regional resource for Disability Arts by:

• Promoting Disability Arts and the arts of Disabled People.
• Providing an information and advocacy resource for Disability Arts and the arts of Disabled People.
• Promoting and campaigning for access for Disabled people to participate in the arts and cultural activities of the region.
• Promoting and working to provide employment for Disabled People in the Arts.
• Creating partnerships for the resource development of Disability Arts throughout the region.

Link: www.fullcirclearts.co.uk

Kerry Bertram

Textile Artist
Artist Facilitator/Practitioner
Arts Project Worker

An enthusiastic and bright art facilitator and maker, experienced working to deadlines and briefs. I am creatively versatile with a broad and motivated outlook and a strong commitment to bringing art into all communities.

As an artist facilitator/practitioner, I am experienced devising, planning and leading creative workshops in a range of craft disciplines. I work with families, young people and children's groups to teach creative skills, engage and explore imagination and create inspiring community artwork. I currently work with Art Galleries, Schools, Community Groups, Art Centres and Performing Arts organisations in and around Manchester. Workshops can be adapted to meet client's needs.

As a textile artist, I am committed to creating tactile pieces using natural, recycled and organic materials. My work draws on visual and cultural elements of cities, communities and landscapes.

Recent projects have comprised bright blocks of hand dyed cotton, layered onto natural backgrounds and sewn with strips of contrasting fabrics. Techniques such as smocking, embellishment and dye painting, describe the organic nature of growing cities.

My work has been made into interior products and handbags for commercial sale. I am available to work on commissioned pieces, please contact me via email to see some examples.

I enjoy using my experience of making textile pieces and utilising my practical textile skills within freelance art project work. I am keen to work with urban communities to encourage people to see their surroundings in new ways in order to make 'community' artwork.

ladykerryb@hotmail.com

Laura H Drane and Associates. Project & Event Management for the Arts

Want someone who knows how the arts and media business works?

Think that you can earn more money if you can pay someone else to do the paperwork? Need someone who can do all the 'boring stuff' whilst you get on with doing what you do? We facilitate arts and media organisations and individuals, both in the creation and promotion of their work, through efficient project management and administration.

Link: www.lauraHdrane.com

Leaf Arts

LEAF ARTS delivers creative arts-based workshops across the North-West.

We use various art forms to empower assist and facilitate people in making positive changes in their lives.

Working within our communities and schools, with young and old, the Arts add a new dimension and quality of purpose to our lives.

If you would like us to deliver an Arts based Project with your group please send an email to:
request@leaf-arts.co.uk

Live Music Now

Live Music Now has two aims:

• To promote the enjoyment and experience of live music amongst people who would not normally have access to it.
• To assist gifted young professional musicians at the outset of their careers.

If you're a musician, if you attend or work at a venue where you would like to have live music or if you would like to support our work, Live Music Now is for you.

Link: www.livemusicnow.org

Manchester International Arts

MIA was founded in 1988 to present international, multi-cultural and animatory events in Greater Manchester and the North West.

Our last 8 years have been devoted mostly to organising large vibrant festivals in the centres of towns, involving street performers, visual installations, circus, music, pageantry and fireworks. Recently we have introduced two new strands of work which we intend to develop over the next decade - creating a weekend 'pleasure garden' in a Manchester park and producing installations that last for several days in one place that transform that site and offer countless opportunities for public engagement and interaction. In all of our work, we have brought many of the most wonderful, engaging, imaginative and colourful companies from Britain and abroad, often for the first time, to Greater Manchester and the region.

If your interested in getting involved with future events then get in contact.

Link: www.streetsahead.org.uk

Manchester Jazz Festival

Manchester Jazz Festival takes place for a week each summer with events at all times of the day and week, indoors and out. Most MJF events are free, giving you every chance to witness some of the North West's finest musicians at their very best, along with a hand-picked selection of artistes from further a-field.

Link: www.manchesterjazz.com

Manchester Jewish Museum

Manchester Jewish Museum tells the story of the Jewish community in Manchester over the last 200 years.

Through photographs, objects, documents and room settings, visitors gain an insight into the lives of the individuals who came to the city in different waves of Jewish immigration.

Link: www.manchesterjewishmuseum.com

Manchester School of Samba

Manchester School of Samba (MSS) formed in March 1995 to foster the appreciation of Brazilian Carnival culture through rhythm, melody, dance and simple costumes.

We meet at The Dancehouse opposite the BBC every Wednesday for a very sociable rehearsal. All are welcome and drums are provided.

Link: www.msamba.org.uk

Manchester Stained Glass

Manchester Stained Glass is a professional stained glass studio established by Lauren Sagar in 1998 in central Manchester.

At Manchester Stained Glass we provide bespoke and ready made window panels for every budget. All work is of a high standard using quality materials. Whether you need your old windows repairing, or you would like us to design a unique window for your home, we will be happy to give you a quote.

You can also take part in evening courses with tuition, use of tools and refreshments, included in the cost.

Link: www.manchesterstainedglass.co.uk

Martin Milner

Musician, composer, educator, writer- available to deliver music and sonic art projects, training for musicians working with community groups, composer/music director.

I am motivated by two things: music making, and people. My work over the last 20 years has given me much experience of both. I have taught in HE (LIPA), FE (City College Manchester), Adult Education and as a Music Teacher in a high school (KS 3 & 4).

I am also an instrumental tutor (guitars). My passion can be described as 'community music', that is, facilitating and being part of original and authentic music making with groups of people outside the formal education sector.

It is not necessary to be 'a musician' to make music that is worth listening to; nor is 'music making' the only process that happens when people come together to create.

Martin Milner, BA (Hons), PGCE.
mjmilner@ntlworld.com 07812 345406

Michelle Brand

We live in a consumer society with a growing throw away culture. It's a deadly mixture, which is costing the earth.

Michelle Brand takes the philosophy of 'reduce, reuse and recycle' to new heights with a selection of lampshades, window screens, room dividers, decorative indoor lights and cards, all made using bases cut from discarded plastic drinking bottles. It's an ingeniously simple way to reuse a familiar product and this ethos is at the core of this striking work.

The finished articles evoke casual, urban chic - making the eco-friendly house into a beautiful home. Michelle takes commissions from corporate to private. She relies on donations of plastic drinks bottles.

So if you are an individual or an organisation and have a regular large collection of plastic bottles please contact Michelle.

Link: www.michellebrand.co.uk

Noelene Gillatt

This is the coming location of Origins Art - the web site of Bolton Artist Noelene Gillatt. The name of her studio came from the title of the second year Degree Show at Bolton Institute in 2001, of which she was one of the main organisers.

Link: www.noelenegillatt.org

Roger Stanway

I am a broadcast TV trained video producer working under the banner of 'Butterfly Videos' for my community videos and 'Butterfly Productions' for my broadcast TV work. My studio is based near to Manchester International Airport and I have an office in East Manchester near to Victoria Station. I specialise in the following types of movies:

• Community projects and activities
• Wedding and celebrational events
• Life Stories: ordinary folk talking about their extraordinary experiences.

Link: www.RogerStanway.com

Skillsbase

Skillsbase is a professional not for profit theatre and media training company. In addition to regular workshops and performances, we also deliver TIE workshops and productions as well as performing arts solutions for corporate events.

Link: www.skillsbase.org.uk

Tess Hills

I am a visual artist, performer & community artsworker. I work with client groups of all ages, in a variety of educational, residential and community settings. Previous experience covers both long- & short-term projects ranging from full-time teaching in Further Education, through to artist residencies, and one-off workshops.

Links: www.tesshills.co.uk www.curiouscargo.co.uk

The Monastery of St. Francis and Gorton Trust

What do a derelict Franciscan Monastery in West Gorton and the ancient ruins of Pompeii have in common? They are both on the List of 100 Most Endangered Sites in the world, a status granted to them by the World Monuments Watch in recognition of their architectural and historical importance, and their risk of being lost. The Monastery of St Francis, known locally as Gorton Monastery, designed by Edward Pugin (1834-1875) stands majestically on Gorton Lane, near to Manchester city centre. Its green bell-turret, which, from a distance, looks as if it were made of icing sugar, is instantly recognisable on the urban landscape. It is one of Manchester's most important landmarks, not only appreciated by architects and academics as one of the finest examples of High Victorian Gothic architecture, but by a much wider local, and regional community.

Link: www.gortonmonastery.co.uk

Tom Southerton

Artist/Band, Musician, Manager, Organizer/Club, Product & Service, Teacher

Touchdown Dance

Touchdown Dance, based in Manchester, works locally, regionally, nationally and internationally within communities and professional dance. Our renowned workshop provision has taken us to Poland, Germany, Australia, and the USA to involve people with a visual impairment in dance or to provide training for professionals. We have been referred to as world experts in the delivery of dance workshops with our specialist methods and processes using touch and sensory feedback techniques.

UHC

UHC (Ultimate Holding Company) is an inter-disciplinary art collective based in Manchester.

Founded in 2002, we work collaboratively over multiple media as well as running a not-for-profit workers co-op specialising in graphic design and visual communications for an ethical client list.