© Jason Lock Photography

“I was here six months ago and – I have to be honest – I did think there was no way it would ever be ready,” said Danny Boyle as HOME opened its doors for the first time in May 2015, impressively on time and within its £25 million budget.

What a difference a decade makes.

Since that ribbon-cutting, HOME has welcomed over seven million visitors to its two theatres, five cinemas, art gallery and restaurant. Around this shiny wedge of creativity, nestled between Oxford Road and Deansgate stations, a whole new neighbourhood has sprung up. First Street is now home to restaurants, apartments, state-of-the-art office spaces and even a Soviet-era statue of Engels — all watched over by an ever-growing cluster of skyscrapers.

Dave Moutrey and Danny Boyle tour the HOME construction site. © Chris Payne.

“The artistic vision of the place is that it will be something for Manchester as well as being internationally important. It will kickstart the urban regeneration of the area,” predicted then-CEO Dave Moutrey back in 2012. At the time, First Street was little more than hoardings and grass, with promises that might have felt overly optimistic. In hindsight, it was prophetic. HOME proved to be the starting gun on a transformation that has since shifted the city centre out to the edge of the Mancunian way.

It was born from the merger of two beloved Manchester institutions: Cornerhouse and the Library Theatre Company.

Cornerhouse opened in 1985 on the corner of Oxford Street and Whitworth Street and was a vibrant hub for contemporary visual arts and independent film. Housed in a former adult cinema and furniture showroom, it became known for bold, cross-artform programming that brought artists and filmmakers into close connection with its trendy audience.

The Library Theatre Company had an even longer legacy. Based beneath Central Library, it launched in 1952 as a pioneering force in municipal theatre. Over the decades, it earned acclaim for UK premieres of Sondheim musicals and classic productions by the likes of Neil Simon and Bertolt Brecht. Its stage helped launch the careers of actors including Janet Suzman, Alison Steadman, Anthony Hopkins, Patrick Stewart and Alan Rickman, shaped by the vision of directors such as David Scase and Chris Honer.

Magnus Hagdorn via wikicommons

There was sadness at the passing of these two great institutions, but also a palpable sense of optimism for Manchester’s cultural future. HOME’s opening came shortly after the award-winning transformation of the Whitworth and just before plans were announced for a new £75 million arts centre, then known simply as ‘The Factory’.

With its sleek, purpose-built cinemas, HOME quickly won over the cinephiles who had long cherished Cornerhouse — though few missed the latter’s leaky auditoriums and flat seating, a remnant of its past life as an adult cinema. “It’s going to be quite a novel experience for our customers to read the subtitles without having to dodge someone’s head,” Moutrey joked at the time.

HOME has since cemented itself as Manchester’s go-to destination for arthouse and independent cinema, honouring Cornerhouse’s legacy with long-running traditions like the ¡Viva! Spanish & Latin American Festival and cultivating a strong sense of community in its darkened screens. The summer-long David Lynch takeover for Manchester International Festival (MIF) was a particular highlight, as was the near 13-hour screening of Jacques Rivette’s Out 1, shown over two days and remembered just as much for the long-lasting friendships it forged in the audience.

Guests have included Asif Kapadia, Terrence Davies, Thelma Schoonmaker, Ken Loach, Lynne Ramsay and Whit Stillman, with standout seasons such as Hong Kong Action, Japan ‘70: Cinema on the Edge, Nicolas Winding Refn’s curated programme, and Pop Stars on Film.

HOME also inherited and expanded Cornerhouse’s visual arts programme, shifting to a larger scale while continuing to focus on ultra-contemporary and digital art. Artists such as Emma Smith, Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, and Rachel Maclean have featured, with the programme gradually broadening to support cross-artform experimentation and under-represented voices.

Simon Liddiard – Rachel Maclean: Wot u :-) about?

More recent highlights include A Fine Toothed Comb, curated by Lubaina Himid and focused on uncovering hidden layers within Manchester, and Poet Slash Artist, a critically acclaimed MIF exhibition co-curated by Lemn Sissay that brought together over 20 artists from across cultures and generations.

Its biggest success has been The Manchester Open, HOME’s flagship community art initiative which invites submissions from anyone across Greater Manchester — regardless of age, background, or experience. It’s a true celebration of local creativity, where first-time artists, schoolchildren, professionals, and amateurs exhibit side by side.

HOME’s theatrical life began with two ambitious off-site productions: the haunting, immersive Angel Meadow in a derelict Ancoats pub, and a spectacular Romeo & Juliet staged in Victoria Baths. Under Artistic Director Walter Meierjohann, HOME delivered acclaimed productions such as Kathryn Hunter’s riveting performance as Haile Selassie in The Emperor, and Andrew Upton’s adaptation of Uncle Vanya.

Romeo & Juliet Victoria Baths © Graeme Cooper

Post-COVID challenges have made it harder for HOME to define a consistent in-house theatre identity, but it has remained a vital co-producer of new work and a key space for touring productions, new writing, and emerging talent. Companies like Kneehigh, Figs in Wigs, Bourgeois & Maurice, and Wise Children have made it a regular stop. The annual PUSH Festival continues to champion North West talent, while collaborations with MIF have delivered moments both exceptional — All Right. Good Night. and The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions at MIF23 — and controversial — Douglas Gordon’s infamous Neck of the Woods, which, after a critical nibble, saw the artist respond by taking a literal axe to the building.

Opened earlier this year, the HOME Arches signal the next chapter for the venue and the realisation of Moutrey’s vision of an arts centre deeply rooted in the city. Transforming three railway arches on Whitworth Street West into free-to-use artist development spaces, the initiative will provide 5,000 hours of creative studio time annually, prioritising artists from underrepresented backgrounds. The arches, which were actually in HOME’s original designs, turn former urban dividers into artistic connectors, both physically and symbolically. It’s a bold statement about who gets to make art in Manchester and where.

Sophie Mahon, Afreena Islam Wright, Darren Pritchard, Courtney Hayles, Lisa Mattocks, Gherdai Hassell, Venessa Scott

Co-designed with HOME’s Artist Panel, the Arches will act as an “engine room” for the venue’s future — a space where experimentation, collaboration, and community remain central. By providing professional-grade resources, supported co-working, residencies, and technical expertise, HOME is not only investing in the region’s creative ecology but setting a national benchmark for inclusive artist development.

As artist panellist Loran Dunn put it, this is “a unique chance for artists to have ownership over a professional space to make, create and exhibit work,” ensuring the next generation of groundbreaking art is born right here in Manchester.

HOME’s autumn season is on sale now.