Collections
Salford has a rich collection of artworks and archives relating to life in the city – from contemporary art in a range of media to historic paintings, drawings and photographs. Find out more and browse online resources below:
University of Salford Art Collection
Modern and contemporary collections, founded c1968. The Collection includes painting, print-making, sculpture, installation, digital and new media artworks, acquired under three key areas: From the North, About the Digital, and Chinese Contemporary Art.
The Collection is stored and displayed on campus as well as through loans to regional, national and international partners, and a selection of works are available to view online.
Salford Museum & Art Gallery
The collection mainly includes social history reflecting the lives of people in Salford, in addition to a Victorian Art collection and small but representative collection of British modern art. The Museum also houses a large collection of Pilkington Ceramics, including the factory archive.
Digital Salford – Photograph Collection
The Salford Local History Library holds over 70,000 photographs documenting the streets, buildings and communities that make up the city. Since 2014, a team of volunteers have been digitising and uploading the archive to the Digital Salford website.
University of Salford Archives
The University of Salford Archives includes material relating to the history of the University, from its foundations in 1896 up to the present day. This rich and diverse resource supports academic research, teaching and learning, while also being of wider interest to local historians, genealogists and anyone with an interest in historical research.
https://www.salford.ac.uk/library/archives-and-special-collections
The Lowry
The Lowry is named after Laurence Stephen Lowry (1887 – 1976) an artist who spent much of his life in Salford and whose work is strongly associated with the city. He is perhaps best known for his mill scenes and industrial landscapes.
The charity holds a large collection of his works, as well as an extensive archive of photographs, press cuttings and exhibition catalogues. The collection was acquired by Salford Museum & Art Gallery, and was transferred to The Lowry upon its opening in 2000.
Publications
Exhibition Brochure
View a digital copy of the You Belong Here exhibition brochure, including a background to the project and information about our new commissions – including new writing in response by locally based writers.
The Storm Cone Brochure
Selected writings about, and in response to, The Storm Cone by Laura Daly. With a foreword by Curator Lindsay Taylor, new poetry by former University of Salford Chancellor Jackie Kay, and writing by Nicholas Blincoe and Jacky Bowring. Click here to view.
Other Resources
A growing list of resources, links and research on parks, green spaces and local history:
- Review: Manchester based writer and researcher Natalie Bradbury reviews the exhibition for Corridor 8, an online contemporary visual arts platform covering the North of England.
- Article: Musings from a Park Bench – Writer Sara Jaspan explores Salford’s radical history and the development of local green spaces for the Fourdrinier magazine, inspired by Lizzie King’s new artwork.
- Publication: The Greening of the City: Urban Parks and Public Leisure, 1840-1939
by Carole O’Reilly, Senior Lecturer in Media and Culture Studies, University of Salford - Talk: The Greening of the City – Carole O’Reilly with the Working Class Movement Library.
- Activity: The Tree Trail – Explore three route maps around Peel Park campus and find out about the variety of local species. Staff, students and the local community all welcome!
- Resource: Peel Park – Visit the council website for information on the park’s heritage – as well as links for what’s on, and volunteering opportunities