Reimagining futures with inspiring spring half-term activities at The Whitworth

During May half-term, The Whitworth was once again lively with colour, sound and creativity inspired by the vibrant and ever-evolving work of artist Malgorzata Mirga-Tas.

Known for her richly layered collages made from scraps of fabric, Mirga-Tas’s art speaks to transnational solidarity, challenges stereotypical representations of Roma communities, and reimagines better futures for all - themes that have shaped every element of our collaborative half-term programme.

Children and families were invited to dive into two options for arts and crafts: building their own Roma-inspired paper wagon to take home, and contributing to a large-scale community collage, all influenced by Mirga-Tas' first solo exhibition, and who currently has over 20 textile-based works and three selected pieces chosen by the artist herself from the Whitworth’s own collection.

Take a look below to see our wagons and collage come to life!

Loren, one of our art facilitators, shared:

‘I always worry whether the activity will work out, especially when it’s a bit more experimental, but there’s been a great connection for our visitors between the wagon you can take home, and the community collage element.’

But everything came together as visitors embraced the playful, open-ended approach embodied by the Mirga-Tas, with emphasis on 'process over product', and everyone was able to experience the joy of textures, colours, and community rather than aiming for a perfect result.

Here are a few snapshots of Mirga-Tas' amazing collage pieces on display in the gallery:

The ground floor also reverberated from floor to ceiling with music and stories as our workshops fused African drums, violin, and storytelling as a nod to Mirga-Tas’s belief in the power of mixed media and cultural expression - check out the dance and music below:

Ultimately, this spring half-term wasn’t just about making art, it was about building connections, imagining futures, and sharing human stories.

And just like Mirga-Tas’s work, it was blazing with colour, full of texture, and brimming with heart.

Find out more about The Whitworth by visiting their website.

And you can help reimagine a better future for Manchester’s global majority, one scrap, one sound, one story at a time – find out how to support our work here.