Community Arts North West

Who we are

Community Arts North West (CAN), is a long established Manchester-based arts organisation, Manchester City Council Cultural Partner and Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. CAN is at the cutting edge of contemporary, inter-cultural arts practice and has been a leader in the field of participatory arts since 1978. We have a particular expertise and interest in arts & migration.  We build deep, long-lasting connections with communities across Greater Manchester, developing unique, creative projects with people whose voices are not normally heard in the mainstream. 

Through exciting and high-quality creative projects with artists, communities and young people, CAN shares powerful creative work; shining a light on new talent and fresh voices, and enriching Greater Manchester’s cultural landscape. 

CAN's work is firmly rooted in social justice and driven by ethical values: 

• We stand in solidarity with people at the sharp end of poverty and oppression, believing that everyone is creative, and through cultural expression, people on the margins can have a voice and provoke change. 
• Co-creation and shared leadership are crucial for CAN in developing deep and lasting connections with communities, young people, artists, audiences and partners.
• We champion equality and strive for diversity in the artists we work with, our staff and Board, and the organisations we choose to work with. 
• We welcome new migrant communities as collaborators and creative partners; and we are a home for emerging artists, especially those who are new to the UK.

We work across a wide range of art-forms including contemporary theatre, live interactive mixed-media performance-based work, new music, digitally created arts, festivals, events and new platforms for sharing and distributing work and we regularly commission artists to make new work.