Going Northside

Manchester’s underground live painting phenomenon is ‘Going Northside’ for the first time! On September 28th, Art Battle Manchester makes its debut in Rochdale town centre, bringing its high-octane art showdown to Champness Hall.

Art Battle Manchester 24 – ‘Going Northside’ - will feature 10 new fearless artists taking centre stage at the largest auditorium in town, Champness Hall. Watch as painters, illustrators, tattooists, and street artists go head-to-head in the city’s most exhilarating art event. With only 30 minutes to create their masterpieces, the audience will wield their power to vote for their favourite artist in a dramatic display of democracy, crowning the next Art Battle Champion.

But that's not all – it will also be a night of vibrant music, delicious food and drinks, and unexpected shenanigans. Art Battle Manchester has been known for transforming iconic venues into lively art arenas, from London Road Fire Station to Victoria Baths, and now they’re bringing that magic to the stunning Art Deco gem Champness Hall.

Battle Manchester Co-Founder John Macaulay explained: “The birthplace of the cooperative movement, Rochdale is undergoing something of a cultural renaissance, and it felt like the natural next location for Art Battle to go to.

“One of our favourite ever battles was at Albert Hall in Manchester, and when you walk through the door at Champness Hall, you get similar vibes. The three-sided balcony offers people a gladiatorial vantage point of the 30-minute paint battles and there’s also an outdoor area where we’ll get some street art on the go.”

Greg Bond, Director at Culture Co-op added: “We’re delighted to bring the battle to Rochdale. There’s a growing visual arts scene here in recent years including Rochdale Uprising street art festival, the opening of Richard Street Studios, and some exciting collaborations with Manchester International Festival.”

Paul Ambrose, Rochdale BID explained: “In addition to the high-energy live painting competition, we’ll be joined by some of Rochdale's finest independent traders, serving a vast array of food and drink, so it’s set to be a great night all round!”