A History of Black Theatre in Manchester 1827-2020: Celebrating presence

Join us for the launch of the exhibition: ‘A History of Black Theatre in Manchester 1827-2020: Celebrating presence’.

Creative Manchester is delighted to host this exhibition exploring the artistry and entrepreneurship of people of African and Afro-Caribbean descent in theatre and performance in Manchester. The exhibition draws from library, museum and archive collections including Archives+ and the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah RACE Centre in Central Library and celebrates the achievements of artists including Ira Aldridge, SuAndi, Wyllie Longmore and Benji Reid and the work of Contact, Nia Centre and the Royal Exchange in supporting and showcasing Black excellence.

The exhibition is part of a pilot project exploring how university researchers can share and co-create content for future theatre-focused Black History Months with schools, cultural organisations and community groups to use all year round, not just in Black History Month.

The exhibition is based on research by Kate Dorney, Senior Lecturer in Drama, and Lerato Mokate, Theatre Maker, Access Coordinator and Manchester Drama and English alumni. The project consultants are SuAndi OBE and Professor Lynette Goddard and the project is funded by Creative Manchester and Impact and Engagement Funding from the School of Arts, Languages and Culture.

You will have the opportunity to visit the exhibition and hear from the exhibition curators and project consultant, SuAndi on the process of tracing and remembering this rich history.

This event is part of Oxford Road Corridor’s The Cultural Welcome - a week of events designed to help students discover the creative and cultural spaces of Manchester’s Knowledge Quarter from 6-12 October 2025. Find out more.

Image credit: Barbershop Chronicles by Inua Ellams, Royal Exchange 2019 in association with Fuel and Contact Theatre. Photo: Marc Brenner

Accessibility
We want to make the event a positive experience for all participants. If you have particular access needs, please let us know in advance by providing details of any accessibility needs when registering for your ticket or by emailing us at creative@manchester.ac.uk.

About Creative Manchester
Creative Manchester is an interdisciplinary research platform based at The University of Manchester. The platform champions research in creativity and creative practice, bringing together research communities with external stakeholders to explore new research areas and address strategic opportunities. Please visit the website for more information: Creative Manchester.

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