AWOL Studios

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Established in 2007, AWOL Studios is based in the historic Grade II* listed Hope Mill in Ancoats, Manchester. Home to over 90 studios, AWOL has grown into one of the largest creative communities in the North West, offering a vibrant and supportive environment for artists to create and connect.

AWOL’s focus is deliberately broad, reflecting the diversity of its residents. For Manchester Art Fair the studio presents a curated selection of 2D works, spanning figurative and abstract painting, surreal compositions, collage and mixed media.This range reflects both the individuality of the artists and the shared commitment to experimentation and craft that underpins the community.

At AWOL, collaboration is central. The studios are committed to being an active part of Manchester’s wider creative ecosystem, recognising that by working together artists and organisations become stronger. Beyond studio provision, AWOL hosts regular exhibitions, open evenings and collaborative projects with partner organisations, building connections between artists, audiences and the city.

AWOL artists exhibit locally, nationally and internationally, with the studios acting as a launch pad for ambitious practices. By supporting affordable, long-term space and fostering collective strength, AWOL continues to play a vital role in sustaining and shaping Manchester’s cultural landscape.

Location

Manchester
4JB3
4JB3 is the creative practice of Jack Berry, a Manchester based artist originally from the West Midlands. Depicting scenes of a reality of his own creation through fine art. He uses this world to port …
Sid Cooper
Based in Manchester, I am a self-taught artist and the creator of The Bluemans—a mythic world built through paint, symbol, and story. My work explores the deep-rooted magic of myths, fairy tales, and …
Lily Rose
Lily Rose is a contemporary artist based in Manchester, working primarily in oils creating figurative paintings. Houses and empty landscapes are common themes in Lily’s work, alongside overlooked them …
Sarah Harrison-Greaves
Sarah Harrison-Greaves is a Manchester based, mixed media artist working primarily with clay. Her practice explores the relationship between the body, material and process, and how we organise ourselv …
Jasmine Su Juanyan Gardner
Jasmine Su Juanyan Gardner (b.1997), is a Manchester-based artist whose work primarily focuses on binding traditional Chinese art forms such as painting and paper cutting, with contemporary social iss …
Kay Shah
Kay Shah is a British-Pakistani artist based in Manchester, working across painting and installation. Drawing on patterns and motifs from Pakistan, they bring these references into dialogue with the s …
Tony Wheeler
Wheeler’s work is an amalgamation of his environment, blending borderline surrealist tendencies with a deep fascination for the natural world. Based in Manchester, he earned a Fine Art degree from Man …
Julia Milns
Julia Milns is a multi-disciplinary artist working at AWOL studios in Hope Mill, in Ancoats.  Her works invoke dialogue about the protection of the earth’s precious natural resources.  She captures th …
Anastasia Borodina
I am a contemporary artist exploring the transformation of traditional European cultural symbols within modern society, using classical fine art techniques and materials. My central subject is always …
Sandra Robinson
I trained at Manchester School of Art graduating in 2005 with a BA Hons in Fine Art Painting. My work has been shown in galleries throughout the UK including The Bankside Gallery in London and The Roy …
Jason Carr
Jason Carr is a New Zealand-born, Manchester-based figurative and portrait artist whose work delves into identity, vulnerability, and the raw, unguarded moments that define human connection. Carr expl …
Sam Owen Hull
Sam Owen Hull is a contemporary artist working at the intersections of fine art, craft and sculpture. She has exhibited in the UK and internationally and has work in private collections worldwide.  He …
Jude Wainwright
Jude Wainwright MAFA is a figurative and surrealist painter based in Manchester. Her work explores identity, emotion and storytelling through staged, symbolic self-portraits that blur the line between …
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