My Visit to the Lowry Centre

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I visited the Lowry Centre recently as part of a project for my English class.  I found that the easiest way to get there was to take the Metrolink from Piccadilly Gardens to Broadway which cost around £1.70, the trams run every 10 – 12 minutes.  The Lowry Centre is literally just around the corner from the Metrolink station and entrance is free.

The Lowry Centre is a large modern circular chrome and glass building by the side of the Manchester Ship Canal.  Inside is light, spacious and airy and is decorated in bright contemporary colours with acres of orange carpet.

There are several displays of artwork including one by Northern artist L.S Lowry along with information about his life and background.

As a cat lover I particularly enjoyed a display portraying cats in various settings which are available as postage stamps from Royal Mail. One picture I particularly liked was of a cat painted by Paul Housley, who trained at the Royal College of Art.  Paul’s paintings are “a celebration of popular culture, where portraits jostle with images of memorabilia, T-shirts, bags, badges, fanzines, cats, dogs, birds and everyday items.” I brought a poster of his painting of the cat to display in our classroom as a souvenir of my visit to the Lowry Centre.

I picked up several leaflets advertising forthcoming events such as concerts, musicals and plays, and headed for the snack bar for coffee and cake.  Be warned, the snack bar is quite expensive, for example a cup of tea is around £1 and a flapjack, £2.50!  There are also two very nice gift shops selling postcards of some of the artwork and related gifts, toys and souvenirs.

I toured the art galleries which are all free to enter, though there are some exhibits such as “Artworks” that charge an entrance fee of £3.75. The Artworks exhibit is billed as “interactive” and suitable for everyone “whether you are four or sixty-four”, and includes experiences such as “journey through a storm,” “walk on water,” and “compose music in space.”

I spent two hours at the Lowry Centre on my fact-finding mission.  It was my first visit, and although the productions are quite expensive, there were several I wouldn’t have minded seeing, including a hit  West End musical  called “Soul Train” and  a Bollywood extravaganza called “Fourteen Songs, Two Weddings and a Funeral.” 

Our English class are planning to visit the Lowry Centre after Easter.  As a point of interest, The Lowry Centre celebrates its 1^st birthday with a party on Saturday 28^th April, 12 noon  - 4p.m, fun guaranteed however old you are, and this event is free.  Poet John Siddique and local artists will be there, with a birthday cake, balloons, badges, lucky dip, and an opportunity to create birthday poems, party food and presents.

The Lowry Centre is a good day out, don’t miss it!