We visit NOMA’s free ‘hobby house’ designed to encourage more creativity in the city
Manchester’s growing city centre neighbourhood, NOMA (a portmanteau of North and Manchester) has launched a new concept known as ‘Altogether Otherwise’. Taking up residency inside a former disused printing house on Hanover Street, this creative venue offers an exciting free-to-attend calendar of workshops and events throughout the month.
It’s being described as a ‘hobby house’ and provides an escapism from the typical hustle and bustle of city life, taking things back to basics and allowing you to try something new, pick up where you left off with an old hobby, and make new friends in the process.
This ‘ever-changing workshop’ has a constantly growing roster of activities, including everything from pottery and whittling to skateboarding lessons and mushroom growing.
The best part? Anyone and everyone is welcome and it doesn’t cost a penny to join. Just simply find a club you’re interested in and book your spot. Can’t find a club you like? No dramas - you can create your own. The possibilities are literally endless.
Made up of little rooms and nooks throughout the building, there’s plenty of space for creatives to coexist. There’s also a larger ‘village hall’-style area suitable for hosting events, exhibitions and larger activities as well as an outdoor garden area for getting back to nature in.
This community-led venture is the latest to come from creative urbanist Ben Young, and a culmination of 10 years driving a participatory neighbourhood-led approach at NOMA which include ‘the pub that Manchester built’, the Old Bank Residency and city gardening project Plant.
When asked about the space, Ben said “We like the idea of it being low stakes. It’s a place where you can come and be bad at stuff, you don’t have to worry about it being your new creative practice. It’s just a place to have a go at something,” adding “A lot of it is about meeting other people as well. It’s a really social space and the main thing is about getting together.”
The concept has evolved overtime, but Ben and the group decided to strip it back to its simplest form as a way to encourage a more relaxed atmosphere that everybody wants to be a part of.
“In the past we’ve given our campaigns quite grandiose manifestos and big ideas…but this time, we’re not worrying about any of that. It’s just more about spending time together and having fun and because of that it’s landing with people an awful lot better. People are really responding to it because it’s light hearted,” explained Ben.
The NOMA group has been paramount in helping Altogether Otherwise continue to run by providing funding for the space and equipment like clay and gardening tools to ensure that all that visitors need when they stop by is their hands and a willingness to get stuck in.
Ben describes the hobbies and sessions as “free-wheeling pursuits of aimless pleasure which act as a much-needed salve for a world dominated by achievement.”
Dominique Murray, Head of Customer Experience and Marketing at MEPC, the property investment and development company behind NOMA said “We can’t wait to see people enjoying this new space in Manchester – a place like no other, where people can take time out from the everyday pressures of life and to connect while sharing new experiences, or even by sharing their own passions by starting their own club.
“The introduction of the Altogether Otherwise hobby space at NOMA will be a great asset not just at NOMA but for the wider city. Creating opportunities every day of the week for anyone that wants to get involved and feel part of Manchester’s growing neighbourhood.”
Upcoming events and clubs include:
- THE THROW AWAYS - a wheel thrown pottery pop-in.
- WOOD NOT WORK - whittle the week away.
- MINDLESS MUSHROOM HOUR - mushroom growing club led by NOMA residents Stockport Fungi.
- FOOD TASTE GOOD - a cookbook club with food.
- EVENING GARDENING CLUB - led by PLANT gardeners, every week they nurture the neighbourhood in NOMA.
- SPIRALLING CRAFT SOCIAL - a yarn-based craft meet up.
- EAT THE FROG - a running club.
- READ RAD BOOKS - a radical book club.
- WAVY WOOL CLUB - a friendly workshop making objects using surplus wool gleaned from farms in the North West.
- THE FINAL FRIDAYS - walking, drawing and investigating with artist and education Neil Greenhalgh.
More information about Altogether Otherwise and current clubs and classes can be found at altogetherotherwise.com.
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