Get Together and Get Things Done

Friday 17 May 2019–Sunday 29 September 2019

Free, no booking required.

What brings people together, from protest to partying? What is the use of a crowd?

Get Together and Get Things Done is part of a city-wide programme in 2019 to commemorate the bicentenary of the Peterloo Massacre.

On 16 August 1819, in a period of wide-scale protest and unrest, the area around what is now St Peter’s Square, Manchester was the site of a violent assault on 60,000+ peaceful pro-democracy and anti-poverty protesters; now known as the Peterloo Massacre. Historians acknowledge that Peterloo was hugely influential: ordinary people eventually won the right to vote, the Chartist Movement grew into Trade Unions and the Manchester Guardian newspaper was established.

Inspired by these events, we will explore with people the wider theme of the crowd through international historic and contemporary art and group activity, looking at how an art gallery can be shaped by the crowds that use them.

Events to get involved in:

Crowd Source sessions

Wednesday 3 April 6 – 8pm

We would like to gather a crowd to source ideas, opinions and thoughts about some of the art works that will be on display in this exhibition. Usually our curatorial team write labels, however we know that through our discussion events that bringing a wider group together often enables many more interesting interpretations of art works.

During these sessions we will discuss more of the exhibition content and look at specific art works. Please feel free to come to any or all of the sessions. We have tried to put them on at different times to suit different people. The sessions will be led by the project team working on the exhibition of curatorial and learning staff. If you can’t make any of these sessions then there will be other ways you can contribute online soon.