Salford schools selected for Therme Manchester’s art competition

Six Salford schools and two in Trafford are taking part in Therme Manchester’s Artists of the Future competition, set to inspire the next generation of young creatives.

Schools close to the development of the UK’s first urban wellbeing resort are creating artwork to appear on the Therme Manchester Outdoor Gallery. This large-scale community exhibition space will transform the hoardings around the construction site at TraffordCity. The initiative was unveiled at Manchester Art Fair where young visitors took part in hands-on creative workshops delivered by Gorse Hill Studios, offering a first look at the activity offered to local schools.

As part of its wider social value strategy, Therme Manchester are working with Trafford Council and Salford City Council to ensure that local impact and lasting change is delivered through the development in Trafford.  Therme Manchester will deliver jobs, apprenticeships, community projects and a wide range of initiatives through their social value ambitions for the development. 

Therme Manchester are providing all art materials for the competition with winners entered into a raffle for the chance to win a family trip to Therme Bucharest in Romania this Spring. Everyone taking part will be invited to a celebratory event focused on art, food, and wellbeing, at Gorse Hill Studios - a Trafford creative youth arts charity working with schools and youth centres across Salford and Trafford.

The Salford schools involved are Holy Cross & All Saints RC Primary School, Lewis Street Primary School, Beech Street Community Primary School, St Gilbert’s Primary School, Westwood Park Community Primary School and Arbour Academy Secondary School in Salford. Arts Let Loose CIC, the accessible, community-led creative space in Swinton, is also participating in the project along with Barton Clough Primary School and St Monica’s Primary School in Trafford.

Set to become the UK’s first urban wellbeing resort, Therme Manchester will include biodiverse gardens, immersive art, thermal experiences and family-focused leisure spaces, all centred around Therme’s mission to make wellbeing accessible for all.

Salford City Council’s Lead Member for Finance, Support Services and Regeneration, Jack Youd, said: “We’re committed to supporting other organisations to have a positive impact on the city and its people so it’s great to be working with Therme Manchester and other partners on this exciting art project. Artists of the Future is a fantastic opportunity for local children to be engaged in creativity during the early stages of this development. The winners will be thrilled to see their work on display for some time, bringing confidence and aspiration to young people. Their artwork on the hoardings will also be a positive and eye-catching addition to the construction site.”

Katie Mason, Inclusion and Disability Co-ordinator at Gorse Hill Studios said: "It’s fantastic to see young people being given opportunities like this right on their doorstep. Art can be a real confidence-builder and seeing children’s work celebrated publicly shows them that their ideas matter. Projects like Artists of the Future don’t just brighten up the area – they help young people feel proud of where they’re from and excited about what they can create.”

To help select the winning designs, which will be announced in February 2026, Therme has appointed a panel of three judges: Helena Worthington, AKSE-P19 and Roksanna Ciurysek-Gedir.  

Helena is a Manchester-based multidisciplinary artist with a creative practice specialising in sculpture and painting. Helena’s work blends craft, colour and storytelling, and she is passionate about encouraging young people to express themselves through art and design. Helena is also well-known as a TV critic.

AKSE-P19 is an internationally acclaimed street artist whose murals have become defining cultural landmarks across Greater Manchester and beyond. Known for his powerful, photorealistic portraiture, AKSE’s murals go beyond decoration - each piece is a reflection of the people, history and culture that shape the community they sit within.

Helena and AKSE-P19 will be joined by Roksanna who is representing Therme Art, Therme Group's global arts and cultural initiative dedicated to supporting creativity, community and the relationship between art and wellbeing. 

The young artists taking part in the Artists of the Future competition will be encouraged to explore themes central to Therme’s global ethos: nature, water, fun, and wellbeing. Winning pieces will be professionally reproduced as large-format artworks and showcased publicly on the site’s perimeter, turning the developing Therme Manchester location into a vibrant outdoor gallery celebrating local imagination and talent.

Rob Creber, Head of Social Value & Partnerships at Therme UK, said:
“Therme Manchester is about wellbeing, community and connection. Supporting us is our Therme Art team, who play a leading role in championing creative expression and highlighting the powerful relationship between art and wellbeing. The Artists of the Future competition allows us to celebrate young creativity and give local children the chance to inspire us all and leave their mark on one of the region’s most exciting developments. It’s a meaningful way to connect art, community and wellbeing, while giving something back to the neighbourhood that will help shape Therme’s future home.”