Canvas is finally coming to town two years after it was originally announced – and it’s set to be a ‘first-of-its-kind’ venue here in Manchester, combining live music, events, entertainment, food, drink and socialising. A venue that will act as a one-stop destination for an evening out with your friends, Canvas will be home to three areas: Canvas Kitchen, Canvas Club and Canvas Events.
Set to arrive at the bustling new Circle Square neighbourhood in the city centre, the space will feature a huge capacity – with room for 100 at the Canvas Kitchen and an additional 600 across the live music and events space.
Open from 7am til 4am every single day, Mancs will be able to enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner or a night out with friends, colleagues and family – with the idea of Canvas proving versatile to suit different needs. There’ll also be a well-rounded events programme on offer, too, including health and wellbeing events, space for social activism and the function to host workshops, networking events and even gigs boasting notable names from the music biz.
If that wasn’t all, guests of Canvas will also be able to enjoy a packed programme of emerging talent, with the team behind Canvas – from London’s Pickle Factory and G.A.Y. – putting a focus on LGBTQ+ artists, too.
Dean James, co-owner and co-founder said: “We’re thrilled to finally open our doors at Canvas. With authenticity at the forefront of everything we do, our key ambition is to provide the most innovative space where emerging music and new talent can grow.
“We’re incredibly proud of our diverseness; in both what we do and who we are – from our growing Canvas community, right through to our teams.
“By giving people a platform to share and collaborate, Canvas has a really unique way of bringing together artists and audiences from underrepresented backgrounds. We try hard to avoid being polarised – I think it’s this passion that keeps us ahead of the curve and relevant to what our communities actually want [to] adjoin to.
“Through the development of Canvas membership programmes, our long-term vision is to forge an environment that young creatives and grass-roots talent are not only excited to be a part of, but we also hope that they share in a sense of ownership with us too.”
Members of the Canvas membership programme will be able to participate in events, panel discussions and wellness classes; all with an emphasis on music, wellbeing, visuals, sound and the arts. The discussion will host some of the city’s most exciting talent, from TV commissioners and producers, philanthropists, emerging talent in the tech industry and DJs, producers and artists in the music industry, making for interesting Q&As for young professionals to take advantage of.
Late summer will see the arrival of a plunge pool and sauna as part of the membership programme, too, giving member’s a slice of ‘serenity in the midst of the city’. The wellness part of Canvas will combine fitness and dance classes that will be accessible to all, too, with fun classes planned in dark rooms amplified by colourful lights and ‘pumping’ tunes. The membership – which will be just £15 for under 30s – will also give members free access to gigs and clubs, discounts on food and drinks and will give them part-ownership of the members’ club platform.
Food and drink-wise, guests can expect global small plates across breakfast, lunch and dinner sittings, with a menu curated by Miam Miam Glou Glou, the hospitality consultancy behind Manchester’s much-loved Peru Perdu. Small plates will be accompanied by natural wines and cocktails, alongside late-night music and entertainment.
Canvas Manchester is set to open on 8th June at Circle Square, joining Hello Oriental, Manchester’s first-ever sake bar, Tsujiri and Bird of Prey.
[Featured image: Circle Square Manchester]