Comme Ca Art

Comme Ca Art Established in 1994, Comme Ca Art pioneered the creation of alternative exhibition venues throughout Most notably the USA, Asia and Europe.

Established in 1994, Comme Ca Art pioneered the creation of alternative exhibition venues throughout Manchester City Centre, offering up and coming artists the opportunity to showcase their works to a wide and varied audience. Many of the artists who have worked with Comme Ca exhibit their works throughout the world. Over the years, Comme Ca has worked on a number of projects including, The Comme

Ca Art Prize in 2003, awarding £10,000 to Paul Rooney, whose work was deemed to encapsulate the essence of what was being created in the North of England. Judging panel included the Turner Prize winning artist Chris Ofili, Lewis Biggs, Director of Liverpool Biennal, Sune Nordgren, director of Baltic and Carol Maund, director of Site Gallery. One week after Comme Ca Art prize we launched Comme Ca NYC, a 3,500 sq ft ground floor gallery space in Manhattan’s Chelsea district. From 2003-2004, we exhibited Manchester based artists, putting them on an international footing in one of the world’s most prestigious gallery areas. Since 2004 we have worked alongside the five star Lowry Hotel, producing an enviable line up of exhibitions. This has become Comme Ca’s main exhibition space where people from all over the world can view the works on display 24 hours a day. Many of the works have been bought from the shows and are now on display in private homes as far a field as Iceland, the USA and Australia. In autumn 2015 CCA opened the doors to the brand new CCA GALLERY at Hope Mill in Ancoats, Manchester. As well as working on an enviable Exhibition Programme, the space will also be used for Meet the Artist Brunches, Pre-Preview Viewings and Artists in Residence.

TUESDAY SKETCH CLUBA Monthly Live Drawing Night at Matt & Phreds in collaboration with Comme Ca Art. Fancy a night of l...
25/08/2026

TUESDAY SKETCH CLUB
A Monthly Live Drawing Night at Matt & Phreds in collaboration with Comme Ca Art.

Fancy a night of live drawing at Matt & Phreds while enjoying Happy Hour all evening? Add in some fantastic live music, and you’ve got the perfect creative night out.
​
Every 4th Tuesday of the month, starting on Tuesday 22nd September, you can book a Stage Side Table and join fellow artists for an evening of sketching, live music, and great company. Simply bring your sketchbook and your favourite drawing materials, and our bar team will take care of the rest.
​
Best of all, it’s completely free to attend. With Happy Hour running all night, you can enjoy delicious pizza, sip on our Happy Hour cocktails, and make the most of an inspiring evening without breaking the bank.
​
Each month, Tuesday Sketch Club welcomes a featured artist from Comme Ca Art.
​
The featured artist will be sketching alongside everyone else, so you’ll have the chance to chat about their creative practice, hear about their current exhibitions with Comme Ca Art, and gain an insight into life as a working artist.
​
Tuesday Sketch Club is more than just a drawing session—it’s about bringing artists, illustrators, designers, and creative people together to connect, share ideas, and celebrate Manchester’s thriving art scene in the relaxed atmosphere of Matt & Phreds.
​
Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just enjoy putting pencil to paper, it’s a brilliant opportunity to meet like-minded creatives while soaking up the unique atmosphere of the best little jazz club in town.

**LINK IN BIO TO BOOK YOUR FREE TICKET**
​​​
September’s Featured Artist - Olga Mun

Olga Mun is a figurative abstract painter currently residing in Manchester after completing her MA in Fine Art at The University of Salford. Olga won the prestigious AXA Art Prize UK 2023, where she was awarded £10,000 for her outstanding figurative art piece titled “IMPOSSIBLE PAINTING” (Cat no.62). The prize was awarded by a panel of judges including Jennifer Schipf, Mark Hampson, and Rachel Hobkirk, recognising her exceptional talent and contribution to contemporary art.

We are as obsessed with Rachael Addis’ exquisitely detailed paintings as the artist herself. Rachael says of her works;“...
03/08/2026

We are as obsessed with Rachael Addis’ exquisitely detailed paintings as the artist herself. Rachael says of her works;

“Materiality sits at the heart of my practice, shaping process and mark-making. My paintings are built through layered applications of acrylic, spray paint, and drawn interventions made using found tools, paint pens, and everyday objects rather than traditional brushes. These materials leave visible traces of pressure, repetition, and movement, recording the physical act of making as much as the image itself.

My process is both meditative and compulsive. Through sustained, repetitive gestures, painting becomes an immersive dialogue between hand, material, and surface, pushing me physically and mentally while allowing each work to evolve slowly. Each piece gradually emerging after prolonged, focussed, engagement rather than from predetermined outcomes.”

Rachael’s solo exhibition at the Lowry Hotel runs until the 22nd September 2026. Open daily from 10:00 - 22:00, it’s a wonderful exhibition to spend time absorbing the gentle quietness of her paintings in the wonderful surrounds of the hotel.

We are super excited to be exhibiting brand new paintings by Rachael Addis at the Lowry Hotel. The Exhibition Preview is...
21/07/2026

We are super excited to be exhibiting brand new paintings by Rachael Addis at the Lowry Hotel.

The Exhibition Preview is on Thursday 30th July from 18:00 - 20:00.

The exhibition will be open daily from the 30th July until the 22nd September. Perfect to bob in and peruse the exhibition with a delicious Lowry Hotel cocktail!

On Sunday, I visited AI WEIWEI: BUTTON UP! at Factory International.Described as “Monumental in scale and ambition, Ai W...
06/07/2026

On Sunday, I visited AI WEIWEI: BUTTON UP! at Factory International.

Described as “Monumental in scale and ambition, Ai Weiwei: Button Up! is the artist’s most expansive presentation in the North to date,” I found myself in complete awe of Ai Weiwei’s creative vision. Every work invited contemplation, revealing layers of meaning, history and human experience.

As I reflected on the exhibition, I couldn’t help but think about my own gallery. Comme Ca Art Gallery is based in Hope Mill, a Grade II* listed former steam-powered cotton spinning and fustian weaving factory. One of Manchester’s best-preserved early industrial buildings, the mill carries the stories of the people who once worked within its walls.

Ai Weiwei’s exhibition explores Manchester’s influence and power during the Industrial Revolution, with the activist at the heart of his practice examining “how historic systems of trade, empire and exploitation resonate in today’s humanitarian and political crises.” Those themes felt especially poignant knowing the history of the very building where my gallery is based.

I often find myself wondering about the workers who spent their days on the fifth floor of Hope Mill. What did their working lives look like? What conditions did they endure that they had no power to change? Standing in Ai Weiwei’s exhibition, those questions felt more immediate than ever.

I’m already planning my next visit. If you have the opportunity to see it, don’t miss it.

We can’t quite believe it was a week ago when we held the Comme Ca Art x AWOL Studios Open Call Exhibition preview where...
26/06/2026

We can’t quite believe it was a week ago when we held the Comme Ca Art x AWOL Studios Open Call Exhibition preview where the winning artist was announced.

The Judges selected Anastasia Borodina’s ‘STORM WARNING’ painting as the winner.

Anastasia says about the painting:
“I came across accounts by oceanographers describing deep-sea expeditions, including the presence of plastic debris even at extreme depths.
In the painting, forms hover between the organic and the artificial. What might first be read as marine life resists a stable definition. I am interested in this ambiguity, in how easily the boundaries between natural and man-made begin to blur, and how a new visual reality quietly takes shape.”

It truly is a beautiful and somewhat melancholy piece of art, capturing the beauty of the ocean and it’s fragility to human interaction.

STORM WARNING 2025/26
Oil Paint on Linen
91cm x 106cm
£8,200
by Anastasia Borodina

The exhibition is open every Saturday, ending on the 11th July from 11am-2pm and by appointment at all other times.

🔴 SOLDFour works from the Comme Ca Art x AWOL Studios Open Call Exhibition have found new homes.
20/06/2026

🔴 SOLD

Four works from the Comme Ca Art x AWOL Studios Open Call Exhibition have found new homes.

20/06/2026

And the winner is…..

Thank you to all of the artists who applied to be in the exhibition, the Judges for giving their time and expertise and to everyone who attended the preview last night.

The Comme Ca Art x AWOL Open Call Exhibition is open for the next four Saturdays from 11-2pm and is well worth a visit to view some great art.

Exciting! The Comme Ca Art x AWOL Studios Open Call Judges have arrived to select the winning artists.
19/06/2026

Exciting!

The Comme Ca Art x AWOL Studios Open Call Judges have arrived to select the winning artists.

Address

5th Floor, Hope Mill, Pollard Street
Manchester
M47JA

Opening Hours

12pm - 4pm

Telephone

+441612735495

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Comme Ca Art posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Comme Ca Art:

Shortcuts

Share

Category