The Guardian has an article this week looking at composer Arvo Pärt and Gerhard Richter’s early careers under communism, and the pair’s respective pieces dedicated to the work of the other, to premiere at this year’s Manchester International Festival this month. (more…)

Home, a new arts center in Manchester, is due to open in Spring 2015 as part of a movement that looks to establish Northern England as a viable contender in a country that places artistic and cultural emphasis on London. £25 million went towards the creation of the center and its multiple art galleries, performing spaces, and restaurants. The city hopes that Home will continue the success of the biennial Manchester International Festival, which has featured work by artists such as Matthew Barney, Steve McQueen, and Marina Abramović. (more…)

Some 350 engravings by Romantic era poet and artist William Blake have been discovered in the library of the University of Manchester.  A team of student and faculty researches uncovered the prints after an extensive, two-year search through the library’s archives.  According to library archivist Stella Halkyard:  “The students had some specialist training in identifying prints from David Morris at the Whitworth Art Gallery before hunting through the collection. They found out we actually had a huge number of commercial engravings by Blake.” (more…)