Something To Aim For

Something To Aim For Supporting Artists & Communities. Interests: & driving The Sick of the Fringe.

Hub: www.staflive.com
Supporters Wellcome & Arts Council England
Cover image by .jpg - Carnival Pride

STAF x UNIVERSITY CAMPUS OLDHAM CASE STUDYSTAF gives talks and presentations in collaboration with artists who have live...
05/10/2026

STAF x UNIVERSITY CAMPUS OLDHAM CASE STUDY

STAF gives talks and presentations in collaboration with artists who have lived experience of working in the arts and cultural sector to benefit people at any stage of their careers. We put together a talk for the students of University Campus Oldham around sustainable success in the Graphic Design sector. Based on these talks and questions from the attendees, we created a resource for aspiring Graphic Designers!

Kevin Darton led the session

Engaging the students to think of their post-graduation steps to be:

Create:
ONE KEY IDEA

Plan:
THREE BIG MOVES

Finally he offered:
THREE TOP TIPS

Check out our Case Study and Resource of quick links via our LinkTree!

GM ARTS CASE STUDY FOCUSED ON STAF PROGRAMME*Read full case study via LinkTree in bio!*When Something To Aim For (STAF) ...
28/09/2026

GM ARTS CASE STUDY FOCUSED ON STAF PROGRAMME

*Read full case study via LinkTree in bio!*

When Something To Aim For (STAF) took on the task of setting up the Manchester Artist Network and Bursary in 2024, they began with some straightforward questions:

- What does it actually take for working‑class and under‑represented artists in Manchester to feel like they belong in the city’s cultural life?

- How can networking spaces feel genuinely welcoming, rather than intimidating or extractive?

- What small, targeted resources would make a real difference to people’s ability to keep making work?

“As working‑class creatives in Greater Manchester, we often feel like there are invisible walls between us and creative opportunities… It can be intimidating to step into rooms where you don’t see yourself represented.”

Manchester Artist Network (MAN) grew out of this listening. It is a partnership between GM Arts Spirit and STAF that combines a new kind of networking offer with small, targeted Access Bursaries, designed to meet artists where they are – geographically, financially and emotionally.

STAF PRACTICAL DREAMING GROUP WORKSHOPS!Piloted in July with Greater Manchester creatives, the Practical Dreaming Worksh...
21/09/2026

STAF PRACTICAL DREAMING GROUP WORKSHOPS!

Piloted in July with Greater Manchester creatives, the Practical Dreaming Workshop adapts STAF’s bespoke support for a small-group setting. It brings artists and creative leaders together to explore how they can continue doing the creative work they care about in a more sustainable way.

Across 2 three-hour sessions:

- Participants looked at their creative journey so far

- Took stock of their current circumstances and considered where they would like to be in three years.

- Created space to think honestly about the realities of a creative career, including money, time, access and wellbeing.

- Rather than working towards a generic model of success, participants considered what sustainable success meant for them.

- They then developed a Creative Canvas and identified possible next steps.

"Tian and Joe listened to what I had to say patiently and gave me ideas and suggestions on how to move forward." — Workshop Participant

Link to read more in our LinkTree.

Get in touch with us if you think our Practical Dreaming workshop would be beneficial for your artistic team, group of artists or participants.

With thanks to:
Photography by
Space offered by

"As performers, we need to continue to disrupt spaces and nurture environments for q***r performances to grow. We have t...
16/09/2026

"As performers, we need to continue to disrupt spaces and nurture environments for q***r performances to grow. We have to continue the legacy of Q***r Up North, the Green Room and many other venues that have been before, and take up space when we feel too radical to contain.”

And finally, we have our concluding Listener piece of writing by Ben Hodge Ben Hodge | COMEDIAN, PRESENTER, PERFORMANCE ARTIST taking us through a journey of q***r performance and drag. The spaces that have come and gone that were fantastic testing grounds for often inherently subversive work. What will be the new spaces for this new generation of q***r artists to surprise audiences?

Have a read of Ben's piece, link in our bio LinkTree

***rperformanceanddrag

“There is a collaborative spirit to the Greater Manchester area. Creative organisations here nourish and represent the c...
20/08/2026

“There is a collaborative spirit to the Greater Manchester area. Creative organisations here nourish and represent the communities and demographics they exist within, prioritising the grassroots approach to harnessing the arts.”

Next up in our Listening Programme we have Lexington Wilks' Lexington🌺 📚 journey through the Community Arts Events and Festivals around Manchester! A wide ranging set of experiences which can also be the way new and emerging artists can get early platforms for their work or more established artists can be close and connected to their communities.

Have a read of Lexington's piece, link in our bio LinkTree

"Good infrastructure should not require heroics simply to keep functioning."A brand new blog post reflection from our CE...
17/08/2026

"Good infrastructure should not require heroics simply to keep functioning."

A brand new blog post reflection from our CEO Janet Tam about infrastructure in the cultural sector and and how STAF looks to support innovation so that it's more than just functional.

Link in Linktree

Another listening trip occurred at Moss Side Together Festival last weekend -"The Manchester creative scene is a bit of ...
28/07/2026

Another listening trip occurred at Moss Side Together Festival last weekend -

"The Manchester creative scene is a bit of a spider web of those with deep roots to the city, whether familial or professional ties. The Council's 'Pride in Place' investment seems to have captured the hearts of musicians and music mixers. This festival was the first 'professional' gig of two performers; both having got their start in a program called Raise the Bar. These hyper-local programmes provide a conduit from amateurs to performers with professional branding.

The Moss Side Together definitely offered 'something for everyone'; there were activities and tokens suited for both children and adults, like first aid sessions, climbing wall, and face-painting. It felt like the organisers prioritised the performances in the afternoon as the speakers had enough bass to rattle the trachea."

- STAF Listener

Our Listening Programme is officially back for 2026 with 'Spaces to be Preserved' by Rose Condo! Rose has been attending...
08/07/2026

Our Listening Programme is officially back for 2026 with 'Spaces to be Preserved' by Rose Condo! Rose has been attending as many old and new open mic poetry spaces across June!

In case you didn't know, our Listeners have been getting out and about across Greater Manchester to see the journeys of making emerging work and surviving on the fringes. How artists are growing their practice in the grassroots and temporary spaces.

The Listeners then send us in their blogs with which we hope to map the lay of the land and improve the knowledge of how to support artists at their very beginnings.

Check out Rose's piece, link in our bio LinkTree!

Our Listener went to Torso by at SEESAW | where creatives work and was thinking about:"Ive seen exhibitions and perform...
29/06/2026

Our Listener went to Torso by at SEESAW | where creatives work and was thinking about:

"Ive seen exhibitions and performances at SeeSaw, its such a good canvas to create against. The room consists of some plain and brick walls, pairing the blank canvas to the possibilities of construction and creation.

Q***r live art is a display of what it means to feel both connection and disconnection to the body, environment, and identity. Torso embodied something greater that cannot be contained in our flesh." - STAF Listener

Our Listener attended Pull Up Speak and Sing Pull Up® Bar Cafe and was thinking about:"Poetry was literally pulling peop...
29/06/2026

Our Listener attended Pull Up Speak and Sing Pull Up® Bar Cafe and was thinking about:

"Poetry was literally pulling people in off the street. The cafe’s performance space was set up by the wide-open front doors, and the voices on the mic caught the ears of passersby. Everyone who came in, whether for poetry, music, food or vibes, was greeted warmly by Sharon at some point in their visit. Her joyful presence was a reminder of the importance of welcoming people into a poetic space. Fostering feelings of belonging can help to cultivate confidence and creativity!" - STAF Listener

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Manchester

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Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm

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