Readers of the Manchester Evening News have had their say on the growth of the city following the launch of an artistic project designed to act as a cautionary tale for the future.
The project, called We Cut Through Dust, will allow ticket-holders to follow a guided tour around Castlefield, and is an event in this year’s Manchester International Festival. The creators, Manchester Street Poem (MSP) and Blast Theory, say they want people to ‘confront people’s perspective about what the city could be’.
The motivation for the project came from a feeling that ‘a lot of Mancunians feel like Manchester is not for them anymore’, according to MSP’s Simon Leroux. He added: “We talk about Mancunian culture and I wonder if the Manchester of today could sustain the culture of tomorrow. Would Shaun Ryder live on the dole or find somewhere to live before he was discovered?”
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Now, following an M.E.N. preview of the event, a lively debate has been had among readers on how they think the city has changed over the past few decades. While some were positive, others think the new look and feel of the second city lacks character.
“Having toured the Far East a number of times — last being 2018 — the buildings in the cities, particularly Hong Kong and Singapore, are amazing designs and futuristic looking,” user Hereitis said. “Many have floors dedicated to nature with gardens and trees. The buildings themselves are almost tourist attractions and works of art.
“If Manchester is going to go that way the architects need to get on a plane and see how it is done. The ones in our city look dull, uniform, and [have] no innovation.”
Eric50 had a similar thought, adding: “If you compare the grey square blocks being built here with other cities in the world it’s embarrassing, no innovation, imagination or thought.”
However, Lenny68 — who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, thinks the city has radically improved. They explained: “As a born and bred Mancunian I still feel very much at home in my city. Manchester has changed radically in the last 30 years, the city I grew up in the 70s and 80s was small, grey and rundown, [it’s] miles better now.”
Tonyred agreed: “I am in my 60’s and love going into Manchester.”
You can get tickets to We Cut Through Dust and other MIF events here.
