Northern Art Carbooty

About NAC/ Carbooty 

Northern Art Carbooty (NAC) is a developed project from local artist Tasha Whittle’s original and on-going ‘carbooty’ events.  Elizabeth Wewiora and Charlie Booth now  bring a new public realm focused Northern Art Carbooty project each year, across various locations in the North West.

NAC has taken up home across Manchester, Salford and Blackpool, including at venue partners Unity Radio headquarters in Ancoats, in partnership with Squirrel and Tiffin & LeftCoast at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, PLANT NOMA and Sadler’s Yard, and smaller carbooty events Islington Mill, Salford, Fred Aldous, Wonder Inn and most recently Artwork Atelier, Manchester/ Salford.  NAC acts as a new arena for local artists to come together and explore the idea of all things car boot. Artists and makers involved will also be encouraged to consider the social and often hidden world of such events where stories are shared, friendships are frequently forged and even shared experiences occur. The idea of the ‘affordable arts market’ as well as how value is attributed and commodity is defined, will be challenged.

Working within the remit of the traditional car boot fair, where bargains, trash, treasure and an exchange of personal objects and stories are shared, NAC brings together the best of local creative talent and shares it all at very reasonable price for the public. A long term collaborative engagement programme also sits within the overall NAC model, working each year with local craft group, Many Hands Craft Collective and wider residents from Northward’s social housing Victoria Square, an over60s residence based in Ancoats, Manchester. Elizabeth Wewiora continues to work with the group, and is currently photographer in residence creating a new body of collaborative work as part of her Masters By Research at Manchester School of Art, exploring the role of photography in socially engaged practice.

For more information please feel free to visit the NAC tumblr page or check our regular post blogs about the project as it develops on our site here!