Older Residents’ Art and Stories to Be Shown in Manchester 2026

Key Points

• A free pop-up exhibition entitled Celebrating older people’s lives and communities in North Manchester will be held at Manchester Museum on Wednesday, 25 November 2026, between 16:00 and 18:00.
• It will feature photographs, a zine, embroideries and calligraphy pieces made by older residents and community groups from North Manchester.
• The artworks were made through a one-year participatory project by Dr Camilla Lewis and Niamh Kavanagh of the Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group supported by Healthier Futures.
• Creative Manchester is organising the exhibition at Manchester Museum’s Main Hall and entrance is free, although people should book their attendance via the website.
• Lord Mayor of Manchester Councillor Shaukat Ali will open the event and honour the involvement of the community members.
• An older residents’ panel taking part in the creative workshops will give presentations and participate in a discussion about residents’ involvement in future local neighbourhood planning.
• People attending the event will be able to join a guided tour of the South Asia Gallery, which Manchester Museum calls the first permanent UK gallery to celebrate the experiences and contributions of the South Asian diaspora.
• Following the event, the exhibition will move to Glass Corridor Exhibition Space of the museum in December 2026.

Manchester (Manchester Mirror) October 23, 2026 — Older residents from across North Manchester are to have their photographs, textiles, written work and personal stories showcased at a free exhibition at Manchester Museum later this month.

The event, Celebrating older people’s lives and communities in North Manchester, will be held in the museum’s Main Hall on Wednesday, 25 November 2026, between 16:00 and 18:00. According to Manchester Museum, it will celebrate the lives of older people living in North Manchester and their contribution to their communities.

What will visitors see at the North Manchester exhibition?

Visitors will see creative work made by older residents and community groups from across North Manchester. The displays will include photographs, a zine, embroideries and calligraphy.

Manchester Museum states that these pieces were created during a year-long participatory project led by Camilla Lewis and Niamh Kavanagh from the Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group. The project was funded by Healthier Futures.

The exhibition is being hosted by Creative Manchester, an interdisciplinary research platform based at the University of Manchester. Creative Manchester describes its role as bringing together research communities and external stakeholders to explore new research areas and address strategic opportunities.

Why is North Manchester’s older population being highlighted?

North Manchester is described by Manchester Museum as an area of rich ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, with an ageing population. The museum says the project highlighted that older people are active members of their communities and hold a strong sense of identity and belonging.

Many participants expressed a wish to age in place in their communities. They also said they wanted to contribute to future discussions about neighbourhoods undergoing rapid urban redevelopment.

The exhibition therefore presents older residents not only as subjects of research or community history, but as people whose experiences and views are relevant to decisions affecting the places where they live.

Who will open the Manchester Museum event?

Councillor Shaukat Ali, Lord Mayor of Manchester, will open the event. Manchester Museum says he will celebrate the contribution of community members to the project.

The programme will also include reflections from a panel of older residents who took part in the creative workshops. A discussion will follow on how older people can play an active role in future conversations about their neighbourhoods.

After the formal programme, attendees will be invited to join a guided tour of the South Asia Gallery. Manchester Museum describes it as the first permanent gallery in the UK to celebrate the experiences and contribution of the South Asian diaspora.

Is the exhibition free and how can people attend?

The event is free to attend, although Manchester Museum asks visitors to book online in advance. It will take place in the Main Hall at Manchester Museum, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL.

The exhibition will not end after the launch event. Manchester Museum says it will be shown in the Glass Corridor Exhibition Space during December 2026.

What earlier project inspired the celebration?

The event follows a related project in Cheetham Hill, which focused on the experiences of older South Asian men in North Manchester. As reported by the University of Manchester on 9 July 2026, Khidmat: Our Stories was launched at the Guidance Hub in Cheetham Hill on Friday, 3 July.

The publication was co-produced by researchers from the Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group at the University of Manchester and members of the Khidmat Group, a community organisation for older South Asian men. It features first-person life stories from eight group members, alongside photographs taken in Crumpsall and Cheetham Hill by documentary photographer Chan yang-Kim.

According to the University of Manchester, 70 family members, friends, community organisations and academics attended the booklet launch. Councillor Shaukat Ali opened that event as well.

What did the Lord Mayor say about the Khidmat project?

As reported by the University of Manchester, Councillor Shaukat Ali said the booklet “brings people together and creates opportunities for learning and understanding across generations and communities.”

He thanked members of the Khidmat Group, saying their “openness and honesty created something truly meaningful which can inspire and educate others.” He added that the project was “a wonderful example of when the university and communities work together.”

What did researchers say about older South Asian men’s experiences?

Dr Camilla Lewis, a researcher in the Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group who helped co-produce Khidmat: Our Stories, said the group was delighted to work with Khidmat members to share their stories more widely.

As reported by the University of Manchester, Dr Lewis said the stories celebrated “remarkable achievements and personal journeys,” while also acknowledging the impact of racism and discrimination on many of the men’s lives.

She said older South Asian men are “too often overlooked, misunderstood, or viewed as outsiders within the communities they have helped shape for generations,” despite their longstanding contributions to British society.

Dr Lewis also said the booklet highlighted the importance of community, identity, belonging and dignity among older South Asian men. She added that organisations such as Khidmat can provide safe and supportive spaces where men can share experiences, build friendships and access companionship and support.

What role does the Khidmat Group play locally?

The Khidmat Group was formed in response to a lack of social opportunities for older South Asian men. The University of Manchester reports that the group meets regularly at the Guidance Hub in Cheetham Hill and acts as a gateway to public services.

Representatives from the health, housing, education and employment sectors regularly attend its sessions to provide information, guidance and support.

Dr Mohammad Younas Perwaz, founder and chairman of Khidmat, said he recognised in his later years that many older people experience loneliness, isolation and a lack of social engagement. He said Khidmat was established to address those issues and provide meaningful support and companionship.

Khidmat: Our Stories was produced with support from Healthier Futures at the University of Manchester and the Guidance Hub community organisation. The University of Manchester says it is available to read online.

Background of the development

The exhibition forms part of a wider body of work by the Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group, which examines ageing, community life and neighbourhood change in Greater Manchester. The November event brings together creative material produced by older residents over a year-long participatory project, while the earlier Khidmat: Our Stories publication documented the lived experiences of older South Asian men in Crumpsall and Cheetham Hill.

Both projects were supported by Healthier Futures at the University of Manchester. They also connect academic research with community organisations, including the Khidmat Group and the Guidance Hub, and public cultural institutions such as Manchester Museum.

How could this development affect older residents and local communities?

For older people in North Manchester, the exhibition may provide public recognition of their everyday contributions, creative work and connections to their neighbourhoods. The event also gives participants a platform to discuss how they want to age in place and how redevelopment should take account of established residents.

For community groups, the project may reinforce the value of regular social spaces, particularly for people at risk of loneliness or isolation. The Khidmat Group’s experience shows how such organisations can combine social activity with access to information about health, housing, education and employment.

For policymakers, developers and local services, the residents’ stated interest in shaping future neighbourhood discussions may increase expectations that regeneration plans consider older people’s needs, community ties and sense of belonging. The exhibition itself does not announce a planning decision, but it does document residents’ desire to be involved in those conversations.