Street Art: The Modern History of the Northern Quarter

Explore the back streets for urban art & discover how ceramic art transformed the area into the city's coolest district. We cast a critical eye & learn about issues facing the city from social justice to public spaces, and look at the ethics behind public art itself.

The tour tracks the transformation of the Northern Quarter since the 1970s when it was in decline in the wake of our first American-style shopping mall, the Arndale Centre, opening.

The area, the one with the highest density of protected buildings in the city, was cited by cultural icon Tony Wilson in the 90s as being 'our Detroit' owing to a mass evacuation of businesses.

It was art that turned the area around from 1998 onwards. The tour discovers the original ceramic art trail & uses more modern street art in order to weave together the narrative. We also take a dive into AirBnBs, gentrification, public space & where to sit down.

I donate 10% profit to local causes. Sustainable, thoughtful & inclusive tourism