Urbis

Urbis is an exhibition centre located in central Manchester, England. The centre features changing exhibitions on the subject of city life, alongside talks, gigs and other events.

Urbis's programme of changing exhibitions focuses on the culture of the modern city, covering contemporary art, music, fashion and photography as well as family-oriented shows. Alongside this, it hosts a learning programme dedicated to citizenship and tackling the issues young people face by living in a city. [ [http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1021778_manifesto_for_peace Manifesto for Peace] , "Manchester Evening News", October, 10, 2007. URL accessed December 120th, 2007.]

The building opened in June 2002 as part of the redevelopment of the area around Exchange Square known as the Millennium Quarter. After initial controversy over funding, Urbis had its most successful year ever in 2006. [ [http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/230/230097_visitors_flock_to_urbis_as_revamp_pays_off.html Visitors flock to Urbis] , "Manchester Evening News", December, 06, 2006. URL accessed March 18th, 2007.]

The building and exhibitions

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The exhibition centre is set across five floors. Floor four focuses on life in Manchester; the other floors host temporary exhibitions that run from between three to five months. Each October, the entire building is given over to Manchester Fashion Weekend, an offshoot of a similar event in London.

Urbis also contains The Social (a bar and cafe), a shop, rooms for corporate hire and a restaurant and bar, [http://www.themodernmcr.co.uk The Modern] , on the fifth and sixth floors. Since August 2005 the offices and studios of Manchester's television station Channel M have been located in the building.

Exhibitions & Events

2008

*The Manchester Zinefest
*How Manga took over the world
*Urban Gardening
*Emory Douglas retrospective
*My first Pride

2007

*The Hacienda 25 The Exhibition: Fac 491
*D&AD Exhibition: The Best Design and Advertising in the World
*Catapult 07
*Arrivals & Departures: New Art Perspectives of Hong Kong
*PLAY: Experience the Adventure of Our Cities
*Best of Manchester

2006

*Under Surveillance
*British Art Show 6
*Little Black Dress
*D&AD: The Best Advertising Design in the World
*Manchester 0161: This is what we're made of
*The China Show
*Make Me Shine

2005

*Rock 'n' Roll Icons: the photography of Mick Rock
*Punk: Sex, Seditionaries and the Sex Pistols
*SuperCity

2004

*Manchester 24
*ILL COMMUNICATION II
*DTroit
*The Sounds of Two Cities
*Futuresonic04
*The Peter Saville Show

2003

*Compost Cities
*Ill Communication
*Taxi!
*Heliodays in the rainy city

2002

*Architecture by Stealth

ee also

*Cathedral Gardens

References

External links

* [http://www.urbis.org.uk/ Urbis website]
* [http://www.urbis.org.uk/exhibitions.asp/ Urbis exhibition list]
* [http://www.photopanorama.co.uk/manchester/hi_definition/manchesterexchangesqsqlge-qtcyl.html Urbis in Exchange Square Virtual Tour]
* [http://www.manchesterzinefest.org.uk/ Manchester Zinefest 2008]