Bankley Studios & Gallery, one of Manchester’s longest-running creative spaces, is facing an uncertain future.
A longstanding feature of the Levenshulme area, its loss would be a blow to the local community. Run entirely by volunteers through a cooperative structure, Bankley currently offers a regular programme of free exhibitions and creative events for members of the public.
Our artist community has been in our building for almost 35 years, and is a well-loved part of the Manchester creative scene. We currently have 37 artists working out of the building - making work from installation, sculpture and painting to printmaking and photography (and everything in between).
The programmed exhibitions in our gallery have showcased creatives from around the world; we provide an affordable white-wall space which is regularly hired by students and emerging artists and our most recent Bankley Open show in October 2025 was a resounding success.
Now, however, we face the serious possibility of eviction. This would be the end of our artist community and a loss of independent, artist-led space within Manchester. It would mean the loss of a free public gallery within a vibrant and creative local neighbourhood.
We now face a period of expensive legal action and other costs (physical surveys and works) as we work to stay here. We hope to find a negotiated solution which allows us to be part of our building's long term future.
If you work in the arts, enjoy the arts, value the idea of creative community, appreciate what arts and culture brings to a local community or have ever visited a Bankley exhibition or Open Studios in our 30+ years in Levenshulme, please contribute to our fundraiser and help us ensure our future.
AND PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!
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Thank you
From all at Bankley Studios & Gallery