Urbis Closing

For those who don't know, Urbis will close down and be replaced by the National Museum of Football. Which is shite.

However...

Urbis, Manchester’s glittering pop culture palace, has created some of the most groundbreaking, contemporary exhibitions in the UK.

On Saturday 27 February, Urbis will close its doors in its current form. But before it does, comes its grand finale – the retrospective exhibition Urbis has Left the Building: Six Years of the Best Exhibitions in Pop Culture. Looking back over a 6 year journey that has seen the finest exhibitions on popular culture brought to the city of Manchester, it will celebrate and commemorate the highlights of Urbis’ imaginative, self-curated and diverse programming.

Bringing together original artwork, graphic design, audio and video, from the best in international art, design, architecture, music, fashion and family friendly, the exhibition will be a chance to reminisce on its critically acclaimed shows, or just catch up on those you’ve missed. Included will be favourites, Ill Communication (II), The Peter Saville Show, (2004), Punk: Sex, Seditionaries and the Sex Pistols (2005), The China Show (2006) Hacienda 25 The Exhibition: Fac 491 (2007), How Manga Took Over the World, Black Panther: Emory Douglas and the Art of Revolution (2008), State of the Art: New York, Videogame Nation (2009)....plus many more.

If you’ve loved Urbis, or simply never got around to visiting, come celebrate with at the end of an era at Urbis has Left the Building: Six Years of the Best Exhibitions in Pop Culture.

That is total fookin' shite,it should be kept as it is,& what it has been is original,innovative,daring & educational....to be replaced by another paean to football,whether I like the game or not,is just fookin' unnecessary & will leave a massive cultural gap,even if they exhibit somewhere else,because the building itself adds to the experience also....in a word,bollox

I'm really sad to hear that. I've been to more than a few exhibitions there and particularly loved the diversity of them.

Will probably visit the football museum once, then never again.

wasnt the footie mseum in preston? anyways would love to see the last exhibit m,lord before CLOSuRE.

Subculture

Was in Stoke, but it's moving to Manchester.

Very good point, Jemma. Once is the most anyone will visit this.

Wasn't it in Preston? There was something of a rumpus when it was decided to relocate to Manchester.

Confusion33 wrote: Wasn't it in Preston? There was something of a rumpus when it was decided to relocate to Manchester.

it still is, Jems about half way between the two and obviously hasn't been to it at preston!

I don't like the idea of loosing Urbis, I've visited a few times and think it's great, but it does make more sense for the national football museum to be anywhere other than preston!

This is the only football museum I've ever been to:

Ambleside

I wasn't even aware of the one in Preston.

I'm really going to miss Urbis , I have been to some great events at the museum -

Peter Saville Show Peter Saville & Ben Kelly Design talk Hacienda Exhibition Factory Record Book Launch Tony Wilson Experience

My personal highlights were meeting Tony Wilson & Steve Coogan.

Very sad news I hope the EMO gangs stay outside (they are funny) :)

Urbis is a beautiful building but it cost a fortune to build and run. I still think there is plenty of scope for a centre for pop culture in Manchester, possibly at MOSI where they do dip their toe into this sort of thing (as my earlier thread about the Factory stuff shows).

The simple fact is, Urbis does not get enough foot fall and it is costing the taxpayer.

It makes perfect sense to have the national football in museum Manchester, and it will mean that this iconic building will get the appreciation it deserves, and be commercially viable.

It could have been worse. I recall it being touted as the HQ of the failed proposal for a North West Reghional Assembly a few years back.

So in order to be viable, something has to make a profit?

If that were the case, I'm sure it would be bad news for most arts projects in the UK, never mind Manchester. There are countless theatres, galleries, museums and music venues in Manchester that rely on public funding.

This has got the chop because it was unpopular with the arty establishment in Manchester, and popular with the unwashed.

MoSI may dip their toes into this field, but it's not their remit, is it? Fabulous as MoSI is, it's nothing like Urbis and will do nothing to fill the gap that Urbis leaves.

A venue that celebrates popular culture was always going to fail to impress the funding bodies.

Are you basing your argument on actual figures?

I would be interested to see the funding figures for Urbis compared to other museums in the area, and the relative visitor numbers.

Bigi, man city are very POPular,, doesnt make them the BEST though.

emotion, devotion

They can't turn a profit either.

Bigbananainoil

79 order wrote: Bigi, man city are very POPular,, doesnt make them the BEST though.

emotion, devotion

In Stockport perhaps

aS one of the WASHED Great UNWASHed....i think this is a shame.I have been here on over 40 days out.Always thought of it as rather COOL but very WARM in the shop at the BASE.Great memories especially nicking all the flyers to send on to other NOOL.I even gave away my OWN!

Biginoil wrote: Was in Stoke, but it's moving to Manchester.

It was definitely Preston, not Stoke. We have ceramic & pottery museums instead.

Think this should be moved to World in Motion Forum :\ohwell:

Tick tock tick tock...

Stockport,preston, stoke,manchester

wheres it all gonna end.

this is the start of it

Who needs history?

The future is mine

Biginoil wrote: Tick tock tick tock...

This is what New Order causes to their fans after 3 years without seing them live, complete waste of time

Dangit! Yet another happening I'll miss because I'm going back home too soon...

Big Mouth Julio wrote: Think this should be moved to World in Motion Forum :\ohwell:

Nope

....it's hosted exhibitions for Peter Saville,The Hac',& The Sex Pistols,all seriously related to JD/NO,so it it has it's right to be on here,whether your from Manchester or not,it doesn't make a difference