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'Desert Generation' exhibition, MMU. 2008 - Simon Faulkner

Art and Performance
Research Hub

Embracing, interrogating and responding to contemporary and historical issues through art and performance research.

The Art and Performance Research Hub brings practice- and text-based research together. We work locally and internationally through exhibitions, seminars, conferences, screenings, events, performances and publishing. Our models for creative and critical practice include everything from performer training to curating.

We also investigate art and performance through theoretical and historical writing about performance, painting, photography, printing, drawing, dramaturgy, screen art (including performance), sculpture and time-based arts.

Our work takes place in the public realm, locally and internationally, through exhibitions, seminars, conferences, screenings, events, performances and publishing. We contribute to the overall research culture and expertise at Manchester School of Art through the local and international profiles of our staff.

How we work

We develop and share internationally acclaimed digital media and performance. We recognise and embrace the importance of individual practice, as well as collaborative and inter- and trans-disciplinary work.

Our historical and contemporary research alike is relevant to socially engaged art practices. Challenging the boundaries of real and virtual sites allows us to examine both digital and analogue art and performance across platforms and realities.

We welcome new technologies and methodologies as well as cross-disciplinary collaborations with academic and non-academic partners worldwide. We also provide specific expertise and knowledge in digital materials and processes, as well as analogue media such as micro-fiches, slides, vinyl and film.

We’ve embraced new ways of making and disseminating our work online. The rich and innovative approaches to our research we’ve developed recently have led to rich and innovative pedagogy.

We lead and contribute to the postgraduate research student environment through seminars, lectures, roundtables, research training and research supervision. We also work collectively and across disciplines within the wider University ecology.

Research Focus

The Art and Performance Research Hub explores contemporary issues through rigorous intellectual research themes, including:

  • — archives, museums, cultural heritage and domestic histories
  • — power, politics, protest, site and communities
  • — arts and health, social practice, policy and law
  • — simulation, materiality, identity, fiction of the image
  • — composition, dramaturgy, laboratory training
  • — embodiment, gender and histories of practice

Selected Projects

British Ritual Innovation under COVID-19 (BRIC-19)
Josh Edelman

Understanding how Britains religious communities adapted during — and responded to — the COVID-19 pandemic.

SAFEDI
Amanda Ravetz

Improving equality, diversity and inclusion in partnership with social artists, audiences and policy makers.

Asia Triennial Manchester
Alnoor Mitha

Exploring and celebrating Asian cultures in Manchester and beyond through a community of international artists and events.

Bunker Talks
Michael Pinchbeck

A space for critical encounters, presentations, provocation and dialogue.

Members and Associate Members


Exhibitions & Publications

Exhibitions

Simpson, E., White, B., 2025. Please Destroy All Previous Lists, TBC.

Hunt, A., 2025. Sue and Terry Atkinson ' Recent Work', Moon Grove, 28/2/2025 - 11/4/2025.

Hunt, A., 2025. Tris Vonna-Michell 'The Art of Clockmaking', Moon Grove, 25/4/2025 - 27/6/2025.

Osbaldeston, D., 2024. A Pastiche of Different Techniques, Glasgow Print Studio, 5/4/2024 - 25/5/2024.

Hunt, A., 2024. Allan Rand 'Machine Breakers', Moon Grove, 23/2/2024 - 5/4/2024.

Mitha, A., 2024. Asia Triennial Manchester festival (ATM18), Multiple venues across Greater Manchester.

Lewis, C., Pettican, A., Mojsiewicz, K., 2024. Brass Art:Rock,Quiver and Bend, HOME Manchester, 1/6/2024 - 1/9/2024.

Hunt, A., 2024. Dean Hughes 'Felt Tip Drawings', Moon Grove, 31/5/2024 - 27/7/2024.

Hunt, A., Grant, S., 2024. Karen Barbour 'Where the Fruits of the Trees Are Jewels', Moon Grove, 18/10/2024 - 7/2/2025.

Biswas-Rodgers, S., 2024. Mixed Bathing World 2015 Triennial.

Ali, L., 2024. Tampered Surface Six Artists from Pakistan : an Exhibition of Sculpture, Painting, Printmaking, Photography and Mixed Media.

Singleton, H., Barber, F., Lineham, M., Kennedy, R.M.C., 2024. The Stones Project: ancient stones and contemporary art, Victoria Hall, Glossop, 19/7/2024 - 21/7/2024.

Hunt, A., Vonna-Michell, T., 2024. Tris Vonna-Michell 'Vonna-Michell's House', Badischer Kunstverein, 20/9/2024 - 1/12/2024.

Lewis, C., Pettican, A., Mojsiewicz, K., 2024. Ventriloquism: The Lost Voice Spoken by others, The Whitaker Museum and Art Gallery, Rossendale, 24/8/2024 - 10/11/2024.

Bal, G., 2023. Curatorial: Power as the Basis of Right, MuseumsQuartier Wien, 12/11/2023.

Hunt, A., Casser, A., Balgiu, A., 2023. Ilse Garnier: a e i o u / Concrete Experience, Badischer Kunstverein, 10/2/2023 - 16/4/2023.

Hunt, A., 2023. Louise Giovanelli 'Always Different, Always the Same', Moon Grove, 23/2/2023 - 16/4/2023.

Hunt, A., 2023. Natalie Curtis 'Because I Want Nothing', Moon Grove, 2/11/2023 - 23/12/2023.

Hunt, A., 2023. Patrick Hartigan 'A Clay Hand', Moon Grove, 11/5/2023 - 8/7/2023.

Lacon, A., 2023. Sala Taller, Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo, 3/4/2023 - 30/6/2023.

Artefacts

Brown, J.K., 2024. '3D Colour Printing', Mcor Technologies.

Copsey, R., 2024. 'Erosion 3', UK.

Brown, J., 2024. 'Exploring novel ways to articulate geometry and colour in multidimensional virtual environments.'.

Brown, J., 2024. 'Exploring novel ways to articulate geometry and colour in multidimensional virtual environments.'.

Copsey, R., 2024. 'Paintscape 20'.

Copsey, R., 2024. 'Paintscape20', UK.

Copsey, R., 2024. 'Untitled 2014'.

Copsey, R., 2024. 'Untitled2014', Moldova.

Lewis, C., Anneke, P., Kristin, M., 2023. 'Terrain Erratique (2023)', Manchester Museum and online to University of Lancaster and Seoul.

Performances

Simpson, E., White, B., 2025. 'All or Together', TBC.

Pinchbeck, M., 2023. 'Another Way of Telling (Performance)', 26/9/2023 - 28/9/2023.

Books

Pinchbeck, M., Babbage, F., 2026. 'Ways of Staging: The Berger and Mohr Trilogy', Intellect.

Hunt, A., Osbaldeston, D., 2025. 'A Pastiche of Different Techniques', Slimvolume.

Reason, M., Conner, L., Johanson, K., Walmsley, B., 2025. 'Routledge Companion to Audiences and the Performing Arts', Routledge.

Barber, F., Cullen, F., 2025. 'The Routledge Companion to Irish Art'.

Hunt, A., Karimi, B., 2024. 'Behrang Karimi: Rotpeter: Bild eines zur Dressur gezwungenen', Slimvolume.

Steadman, C., Coffin, J., 2024. 'Consuming Atmospheres: Designing, Experiencing, and Researching Atmospheres in Consumption Spaces', Routledge, London.

Pinchbeck, M., Smith, O., 2024. 'Following the Score: The Ravel Trilogy', Intellect, Bristol.

Mitha, A., 2024. 'Kissing the Dust - Contemporary Artists working with Collections'.

Hunt, A., Curtis, N., 2024. 'Natalie Curtis 'Because I Want Nothing'', Slimvolume.

Hunt, A., Iversen Kristiansen, S., Vonna-Michell, T., Verwoert, J., 2024. 'Silje Iversen Kristiansen: Weekly Planner I', Slimvolume.

Hunt, A., Iversen Kristiansen, S., Vonna-Michell, T., Verwoert, J., 2024. 'Silje Iversen Kristiansen: Weekly Planner II', Slimvolume.

Edelman, J., Szabó, A., Toome, H.L., Wilders, M.L., Zijlstra, A., 2024. 'Studying European Theatre Audiences: The STEP City Study', Routledge, London.

Hunt, A., Sophie, K., Cornish, S., Bax, O., Patterson Kelly, W., 2024. 'These Mad Hybrids: John Hoyland and Contemporary Sculpture', Slimvolume / Ridinghouse.

Hunt, A., Verwoert, J., Verwoert, W., Vonna-Michell, T., 2024. 'Voice Pieces - Wo soll das Lachen übernachten? / Where shall laughter spend the night?', Slimvolume.

Hunt, A., Power, J., 2023. 'Jess Power 'UFOs'', Slimvolume.

Hunt, A., Chilver, J., 2023. 'Journal of Contemporary Painting Volume 8 Numbers 1 & 2. Special Issue 'Minor Painting: Outsiders and Outliers'', Intellect Journals.

Hunt, A., Giovanelli, L., 2023. 'Louise Giovanelli 'Always Different, Always the Same'', Slimvolume.

Hunt, A., Buchler, P., 2023. 'Pavel Büchler Variable Pieces: Letterpress prints 2011-2023', Slimvolume.

Jurack, B., 2023. 'Pull Clay', Bluecoat Centre for Contemporary Art, Liverpool.

Hunt, A., 2023. 'Rick Buckley Under a grey blanket Berlin, 9.-19.11.1984 Old World Apes', Slimvolume.

Book Chapters

Barber, F., 2025. 'Hidden in plain sight: Estella Solomons' portraits'. In The Routledge Companion to Irish Art, pp. 436-447.

Barber, F., Cullen, F., 2025. 'Introduction'. In The Routledge Companion to Irish Art, pp. 1-6, Routledge.

Retallick, M., 2025. 'Irish artists in West Cornwall'. In Barber, F., Cullen, F. (eds.) The Routledge Companion to Irish Art, 11, Routledge.

Edelman, J.A., 2025. 'Occupation and Sacred Space in a Post-Secular Society''. In Battista, S. (eds.) Sacred Places: Performances, Politics and Ecologies.

James, S., 2024. ''Montage as Marxist Time-Travelling & the Continual Returns of Brecht','. In BRECHT FRAGMENTS, pp. 51-70, Raven Row Books.

Egan, K., 2024. 'A Score of a Score of a Score: examining concerto through Ravel's composition'. In Pinchbeck, M., Smith, O. (eds.) Following the Score: The Ravel Trilogy, pp. 95-122, Intellect, Bristol.

Pinchbeck, M., Smith, O., 2024. 'Bolero'. In Pinchbeck, M., Smith, O. (eds.) Following the Score: The Ravel Trilogy, pp. 25-55, Intellect, Bristol.

Pinchbeck, M., Smith, O., 2024. 'Concerto'. In Pinchbeck, M., Smith, O. (eds.) Following the Score: The Ravel Trilogy, pp. 73-94, Intellect, Bristol.

Pinchbeck, M., Smith, O., 2024. 'The Development'. In Pinchbeck, M., Smith, O. (eds.) Following the Score: The Ravel Trilogy, Intellect, Intellect.

Pinchbeck, M., Smith, O., 2024. 'The Exposition'. In Pinchbeck, M., Smith, O. (eds.) Following the Score: The Ravel Trilogy, Intellect, Bristol.

Pinchbeck, M., Smith, O., 2024. 'The Recapitulation'. In Pinchbeck, M., Smith, O. (eds.) Following the Score: The Ravel Trilogy, pp. 199-216, Intellect, Bristol.

Barber, F., 2024. 'Women in Long Kesh/Maze prison: We Were There (2014), memory and visuality'. In McAtackney, L., Ó Catháin, M. (eds.) The Routledge Handbook of the Northern Ireland Conflict and Peace, pp. 277-288, Routledge, London.

Lineham, M., 2023. 'Between Illumination and Darkness: Blackpool's Contemporary Amusement Arcade Atmosphere'. In Steadman, C., Coffin, J. (eds.) Consuming Atmospheres: Designing, Experiencing, and Researching Atmospheres in Consumption Spaces, pp. 107-121, Routledge, London.

Media

Pinchbeck, M., 2024. 'Breathturn'.

Pinchbeck, M., 2024. 'Breathturn - audio'.

Pinchbeck, M., 2024. 'The Willows'.

Pinchbeck, M., 2024. 'The Willows - Audio'.

Internet Publications

Lineham, M., 2024. ''Seaside Pleasures', Exhibition catalogue essay for 'Super Fun Tyre' by Stuart Robinson.', https://stuartrobinson.net/super-fun-tyre-catalogue.

Journal Articles

Pinchbeck, M., Smith, O., 2025. 'Between an Ellipsis and an Ouroboros: Reflections on, and repetitions of, The End', Performance Research: a journal of the performing arts, 29 (8).

Singleton, H., 2025. 'On the Hill: Representations and retellings of the Pendle Witches' history within the rural landscape of Lancashire, England', Revenant, TBC (Forthcoming).

Pinchbeck, M., Jones, R., 2025. 'Somewhere Between Breathing In and Breathing Out: Making immersive audio work about Long Covid', Performance Research.

Hunt, A., 2024. 'Atiéna R. Kilfa', Artforum International, January 2024.

Faulkner, S., 2024. 'Introduction: Visibility, images, Palestine/Israel', Visual Studies, 39 (3), pp. 351-357.

Faulkner, S., 2024. 'Invasion Images and Seeing Gaza', Visual Culture in Britain, pp. 1-5.

Hunt, A., 2024. 'John Russell', Artforum International, April 2024.

Hunt, A., 2024. 'Kaye Donachie', Artforum International.

Hunt, A., 2024. 'Stephen Willats', Artforum International.

Barber, F., Gilson, J., 2024. 'Stormy Weather: textile art, water and climate emergency', Textile: the journal of cloth and culture, 22 (3), pp. 515-527.

Babbage, F., Pinchbeck, M., 2023. 'Acts of Unsettling: An Immersive Adaptation of Berger and Mohr's A Seventh Man', Arts, 12 (2), pp. 50-50.

Hunt, A., 2023. 'Hannah Starkey', Artforum International, April 2023.

Pinchbeck, M., 2023. 'Leaving a space to listen: working with John Berger on Another Way of Telling', Études Britanniques Contemporaines, 65.

Hunt, A., 2023. 'Pam Glick', Artforum International, November 2023.

Boll, J., Edelman, J., 2023. 'The Affective Underpinnings of British Toryism: Nostalgia, Futurity, and the Performativity of the Commons', Coils of the Serpent: Journal for the Study of Contemporary Power, 12, pp. 52-73.

Jurack, B., 2023. 'You Look at Me Looking at You Looking at Me', Arts, 12 (2), pp. 73-73.

Non-Peer Reviewed Articles

James, S., 2024. ''Ashley Holmes: Skylarking'', Art Monthly, NO. 475,, pp. 40-41.

James, S., 2024. ''Taking a Stand'', Art Monthly, 473, pp. 4-16.

James, S., 2024. 'The Exhibition as Peformance', Art Monthly, 479:, pp. 6-10.

James, S., 2023. ''Letter from Berlin',', Art Monthly, no. 469, pp. 43-44.

James, S., 2023. ''Liverpool Biennial',', Art Monthly, No. 469, pp. 31-32.

James, S., 2023. 'The Crisis in Art Education', Art Monthly, 468.

Conference Papers

Pinchbeck, M., 2025. 'Audiovisual Storytelling and Collective Memory of Chinese Immigrants: Case studies of Our Stories and Talking Trees / ??/?? in the UK', Besides the Screen Ningbo 2025: Collaboration, Co-Production & Translation, University of Nottingham - Ningbo, China, 5/6/2025 - 7/6/2025.

Singleton, H., 2025. 'Lancashire's Corpse Path: memorialising the trial and executions of the Pendle Witches within and through the landscape', Gothic Crossroads, Manchester Metropolitan, 25/6/2025 - 27/6/2025.

Pinchbeck, M., 2024. 'Border crossings: representing migrant labour in Berger and Mohr's A Seventh Man and its performance adaptations', Northumbria University, 3/9/2024 - 6/9/2024.

Lineham, M., 2024. 'Let it WIP! Foundational Atmosphere', Foundational: Exploring the Legacies and Impacts of Foundation Art & Design Education, Royal College of Art, London, 29/8/2024 - 30/8/2024.

Pinchbeck, M., Babbage, F., 2024. 'The language of appearances: adapting Berger and Mohr's Another Way of Telling', University of Birmingham, 3/6/2025 - 3/6/2025.

Lineham, M., 2023. 'Between the floors: art school atmospheres', GLAD (Group for Learning in Art and Design Higher Education) Symposium 2023: Gathering Ourselves, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, London, 8/9/2023 - 8/9/2023.

Warstat, A., 2023. 'Seeing Nothing - Empathy and Invisibility (Or "Blackness is the site where absolute nothingness and the world of things converge")', Hasselt University, Belgium, 16/11/2023 - 15/12/2023.

Presentations

Lineham, M., 2024. 'The (Amusement) Arcades Project: Lit places at the land's edges', Institute of Place Management, Manchester.

Lewis, C., Pettican, A., Mojsiewicz, K., 2024. 'Ventriloquism: The Lost Voice Spoken by Others- Panel Talk', The Whitaker Museum and Art Gallery, Rossendale.

Other Outputs

McLeer, B., 2025. 'The Triumph of Crowds'.

Pinchbeck, M., 2025. 'Ways of Staging: A Fortunate Man and A Seventh Man'.

Biswas-Rodgers, S., 2024. 'Flights of Passage by Sutapa Biswas. Part of RadioCity2014/15, Tate Britain'.

Lacon, A., Cornford, M., Cross, D., Morgan, E., 2024. 'Plane Materials: Cornford & Cross and Andrew Lacon'.

Lewis, C., Anneke, P., Kristin, M., 2023. 'Terrain Erratique, Rocky Futures Symposium contribution:'.

White, B., Simpson, E., 2023. 'Toward Usership: Collaborative data mining in an orchestra's record collection.'.

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