Grotto

Artist-run pop-up shop, exhibition and retail space — Manchester, 2014

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DIY, artist-led retail project supporting local makers and collective practice.
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In December 2014, I helped create Grotto, a temporary artist-run pop-up shop based in the Northern Quarter, Manchester. The space was provided free of charge, allowing us to build and operate a fully DIY retail environment in the run-up to Christmas.

The project brought together work by multiple artists, designers and makers, with the space collectively curated, managed and staffed. Alongside contributing work myself, I was involved in the installation, day-to-day running of the shop and the sale of artworks directly to the public.

Operating outside traditional gallery or commercial frameworks, Grotto functioned as both an exhibition space and a point of exchange, testing alternative ways of presenting, valuing and circulating work. The project emphasised collaboration, access and mutual support, using a temporary structure to create a visible platform for local creative practice.