If you’ve ever walked to the Everyman Cinema at St John’s from Quay Street, chances are you’ve strolled straight through Smolensky Gallery. The long glass corridor in the ABC Buildings doubles as one of Manchester’s freshest cultural spaces.
The mid‑century Brutalist complex – once a hub for ITV and the BBC – now hosts a creative mix of cinema, studios, and eateries, and the Smolensky Gallery fits right in.
Founded by Joe Wilson in 2023, Smolensky isn’t your typical gallery. It’s got no white-walled snobbery. No hushed silence. Just proper Manc energy – bold art, new ideas, and a DIY approach that puts artists and the public on equal footing.
And right now, it’s home to something special – the first-ever public exhibition of the Tony Wilson Archive.
“This needed to happen” – the Tony Wilson exhibition
Running until 31 July, the Tony Wilson Archive exhibition is packed with letters, flyers, invoices, photos and all sorts of behind-the-scenes bits from Factory Records, the Haçienda and Granada Reports. Joe worked closely with Tony’s son, Oli, to put it together.
“We’d had the idea for over a year,” says Joe. “It wasn’t about looking at how to make money. It was just – this needs to happen.”
The archive itself lives at the John Rylands Library, but not everything fit their collection. Smolensky offered a chance to show the rest – and do it with some style.
“We went through it and thought: let’s have a bit of fun. Let’s try and create something that feels cool, not cliché.”
They even created a series of affordable risograph prints based on archive items. “Instead of the usual framed Haçienda poster you see everywhere, we wanted to bring something fresh. Quirky. A bit weird, even.”
He was shocked to discover how valuable some of the original Factory artwork has become. “Gagosian – one of my favourite galleries – did a version of the Durutti Column cover on stone, limited to 100, at £9,000 a piece. That’s how much this stuff matters.”
Smolensky: not your average gallery
Joe’s built Smolensky to be a different kind of gallery. Not just in the art it shows – but in how it operates.
“I probably survived because I’ve kept going when it’s been hard,” he says. “There’s a lot of amazing artists up north, and a huge opportunity for more people to be exposed to affordable art.”
He doesn’t believe in boxing himself into just expensive or cheap work – Smolensky sells both. “If you only sell £20 prints or £20k paintings, you can get stuck. I’ve tried to spread it across both. I want people to actually buy and live with art.”
It’s not just about the money either. Joe’s motivated by connection and purpose. “I believe in the underdog,” he says. “I’ve made all the mistakes, but I’ve learnt what people like. What they want to see. It’s not always what the big galleries are pushing.”
Backing artists who don’t tick the usual boxes
Joe’s keen to support artists that most galleries ignore. “A lot of galleries just want people to conform. If something sells, they want you to repeat it forever. I want the stories. I want to work with people in a fun way.”
That means emerging artists with strong voices, interesting lives, and something real to say.
He’s not afraid to take risks. “I’ve played it safe before and regretted it massively,” he says. “Now, I’m more confident. I know what works. And I want to give space to people who’ve not had it before.”
A new kind of gallery for Manchester
Smolensky Gallery isn’t just putting on exhibitions – it’s helping redefine what art can look like in Manchester. Community-focused. Accessible. Thoughtful. And just a little bit cheeky.
Joe’s not chasing trends or trying to be the next big thing. He’s just doing it his way – and putting Manchester artists and audiences first.
And as for the Tony Wilson show? “It’s only right that the cultural works of Mr Manchester are available for everyone to see and enjoy,” he says.
Find out more about the Smolensky Gallery on their website here
