Two things we love are an exhibition, and a pub. Now, the two are being blended to form an experience we can’t resist, as UTOPIA comes to Aviva Studios, playfully exploring nostalgia, class, identity, gentrification and the changing landscapes of Glasgow and Manchester.
Created by artist Trackie McLeod with Factory International’s Young Curators, UTOPIA revives the warmth of the working men’s clubs McLeod grew up in in Glasgow – by building a working pub inside Factory International’s Warehouse space. This installation raises a glass to the places that shaped us.
What is UTOPIA?
By day, UTOPIA is open as a pub, exhibition and workshop space – complete with McLeod working shifts behind the bar. Pull up a stool for talks and put the world to rights with mates. Explore new prints, sculpture, video and found-object works from Trackie that draw on his lived experience, tucked between salvaged chairs and rescued pub décor – a loving nod to what’s vanishing from our cities.
Come sundown, the pub transforms into an intimate venue for live music, performances and late-night gatherings. Created as an inclusive, safe, multi-purpose space for everyone, UTOPIA flips the expectations of a traditional working men’s pub on its head. Throwing its doors open to Manchester’s creative scene, it celebrates grassroots culture, giving local talent a platform to meet, create and flourish.
Warm and buzzing with creativity, UTOPIA is all about bringing people together when so many of the community spaces we rely on are disappearing or moving online. Everyone’s welcome – just make sure you get in before last orders.
Which events are taking place at UTOPIA?
- A Night of Bailey J Mills: 19 Feb 2026, 7.30pm
- Trackie’s Happy Hour: All days, 3pm–6.30pm
- Rainy Miller + mamba.exe + Sharari: 20 Feb 2026, 8.30pm–11pm
- Roundtable: A Public House or the Public’s Home?: 20 Feb 2026, 7pm–8pm
- DBA Takeover: 21 Feb 2026, 8pm – midnight
- T-Shirt Customisation Workshop: 21 Feb 2026, 12pm
When does UTOPIA open at Aviva Studios?
UTOPIA will only be open between Thursday 19 – Saturday 21 February, 2026 – so make sure you’re there.
How to get tickets for UTOPIA
All UTOPIA events are free, with some requiring booking here.
📍 North Warehouse, Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester, M3 4JQ.