The Triennial

Shisha is the UK’s international agency for South Asian contemporary craft and visual arts. Shisha Ltd is an independent registered charity (no.1088702) - established in 2001 and based in Manchester - that acts as an influential cultural organisation.

In 2008, Shisha launched the UK’s first Asian Art Triennial, ATM08, in Manchester, in partnership with Castlefield Gallery, Chinese Arts Centre, Cornerhouse, The International 3, Manchester Art Gallery and Manchester Metropolitan University as a new long-term programme of contemporary arts and crafts by artists from Asia, the UK and the Asian diaspora. ATM08 featured 5 stunning venue-based exhibitions, 23 site-specific new commissions, innovative residencies and publicly-sited work by 18 artists from across Asia inspired by Manchester and its communities. 848 participants were involved in the ATM08 programme which reached an audience of nearly 400,000 people.

A key part of ATM08 was its broad education, community and events programme which took place across Manchester and Greater Manchester in collaboration with 20 local community based venues and organisations and created opportunities for people to meet and work with the international and local artists to develop their own skills and in some cases becoming part of the artwork that was exhibited. The programme included an innovative Teahouse Discussion Series across the 10 AGMA regions and the high-profile and interactive Cabbage Walk through Manchester City Centre which involved 100 local people and was viewed by an estimated 5,000 people on route. “ATM08 created a new international cultural event – unique in the UK!
This was a first for Europe and another first for Manchester.” Alnoor Mitha, Director

ATM11
For ATM11 alongside the core ATM08 partners, we have a number of new venues and other collaborators including Whitworth Art Gallery, The Lowry, Manchester Museum, The People’s History Museum, Cube, John Rylands Library and others. The programme will explore the theme of Time and Generation, a broad theme that offers lots of scope to explore issues that are relevant and meaningful today and to examine and reflect movements and changes in art and culture, community, communication and connection across the globe and through time.

A series of exhibitions, commissions and interventions by international and UK artists will explore this theme presenting new site-specific work alongside work not seen before in the UK. An education, community and events programme will accompany the exhibitions and there will be opportunities for people to get involved and to work with artists developing creative skills. The ATM11 programme will also include an international film series, music and other performances.

(Excerpted from triennial summary)