HOME Arches: £3.5m artist development hub opens in Manchester

Tucked under one of Manchester's busiest railway lines along Whitworth Street West, a new £3.5 million artist development hub has been unveiled, providing a major boost to the region's arts and culture sector. HOME Arches, part of the city's premier arts venue HOME, aims to support local creatives by offering 5,000 hours of free making, studio, and development space each year.

The project, funded partly through the government's Levelling Up fund, has transformed three heritage railway arches into a creative talent development centre. The 258 sqm facility includes co-working areas, rehearsal spaces, and a custom-built public exhibition space visible from the street.

Half of the available space is dedicated to artists from underrepresented groups, including members of the Global Majority, d/Deaf and disabled artists, and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Inside are three main spaces, designed in collaboration with HOME's 'artist panel' and through consultation with the wider artistic community. Arch 1 is a double-height studio with a sprung dance floor, soundproofing, lighting, and sound rigs. It accommodates up to 60 people and provides space for artists to test new ideas. Arch 2, named the 'Sir Bob Scott Arch' in honour of one of HOME's key supporters, serves as a co-working and networking space. It includes meeting rooms, IT facilities, lockers, and a kitchen. Arch 3, meanwhile, is a creative-making facility for up to 30 artists, designed for cross-disciplinary collaboration and experimentation.

The hub launched with installations from artists Sophie Mahon and Omid As and a one-off performance by Afreena Islam-Wright during this year's PUSH Festiv—HOME's biennial celebration of North West creative talent. The debut works are part of the 'At HOME with Jerwood' residency programme, which supports artists in making significant career steps.

HOME Arches will also serve as the centre's 'Engine Room', expanding its artist development programme, which already works with over 1,000 artists annually. The space will support flagship events such as PUSH Festival, offering workshops, talks, and skills-sharing opportunities.

"HOME Arches has been a key part of our strategy for artists' development for many years," says CEO Karen O'Neill. "Opening these new spaces in 2025, our 10th anniversary, is really special. This investment highlights Manchester's commitment to culture and its creative community."

The project is funded by Manchester City Council, The Granada Foundation, The Wolfson Foundation, Ask Real Estate, and other donors. Robertson Construction North West served as the main contractor.

Councillor Garry Bridges, deputy leader of Manchester City Council, adds: "Culture plays a huge part in the success of Manchester and is a massive draw for visitors from around the globe, as well as helping attract people to live, work and study here.

"Supporting local artists and creative communities is therefore really important to us and is an integral part of our ten-year cultural ambition plan for Manchester that we launched last year.

"We know how important it is to have places where artists can work, create and collaborate with others, and the HOME Arches provide just that. It's brilliant then to see these previously unused spaces brought back to life, providing vital space and new opportunities in the city's heart for our immensely talented and fast-growing community of creatives whose work helps showcase Manchester to the world."

In addition to its development spaces, HOME Arches features Arches Windows, a custom-built public exhibition space on Whitworth Street West. The first display, by Omid Asad, uses vibrant stained-glass installations inspired by the building's structure. Future exhibitions will include works from sculptural artist Maisie Pritchard and public artist Venessa Scott, further cementing the Arches as a dynamic, creative focal point for the city.

Artists interested in learning more can contact its artist development team at [email protected]. Further details are available at homemcr.org.