Based in an old textile warehouse formerly known as Manchester House, SEESAW is an arts and workspace venue at 86 Princess Street. It’s a space for creatives, for artists, for people who like to think more curiously. The space sells itself, restored respectfully with provoking original features that capture your eye.

The views accentuate the historic skyline and railway line across Oxford Road, which features the Kimpton Clocktower and other architectural gems, and stretch toward the Peak District, visible from their rooftop and café space. SEESAW is turning its head towards sustainability through its rooftop gardening clubs and beehives.

Serving super tasty specialty coffee, SEESAW’s café sits in the heart of the building offering a comfy communal space for some R&R. House roaster Red Bank Coffee, based in the Lake District, provides stellar espresso and filter options which are changed up monthly to keep things fresh, with more local roasters on the guest coffee suppliers list. To accompany your beverage, they also sell a range of snacks, pastries and seasonal bakes on the counter, all baked locally by Pomelo Bakes.

The café’s partnership with craft beer brewery Deya, who also work in their co-working space, ensures the freshest brews are on tap or in the fridge to serve with their events offering. Beer not your thing? A selection of natural wines (expertly sourced by Modal Wines), top-tier spirits and plenty of alcohol-free options are on offer too.

The workspace houses an array of small businesses, arts organisations and freelancers, providing a better alternative to your spare-room office space with a creative community to pair. A real sense of belonging is apparent within the people who make up Seesaw, and we’re not just talking about the team that makes it what it is. The people in the workspace and studios are collaborative in their fostering of its cultivated community. Want a rebrand? You’re sitting next to a graphic designer. Looking for a haircut? Shade hair salon is on-site. Need some advice on a project? Have a chat with someone who’s done it before. Need a dose of wellbeing? Try out the Yoga Club. Don’t do it by yourself — do it with others.

Seesaw plays host to many arts-adjacent small businesses and concepts, one of them being Catalog — an independent bookshop on a transformed cargo bike. The idea was born through their love for the printed world in 2020. Pete Tzouanos, founder of Catalog, explains: “Having been a bookworm since childhood, I’ve always had the desire to create a space where people from all walks of life come together, communicating their ideas, needs, interests and their quirks. In a world where we’re constantly stuck to screens, it’s refreshing and comforting to step into a quirky bookshop, to browse through its titles, pick up a piece, sample it and head home with a new discovery in hand.” Catalog thrives on the concept of being an Aladdin’s cave of independent magazines and journals — an oasis for lovers of the printed page.

SEESAW’s event programme is deliberately curated to showcase what the Manchester art and creative scene is all about, taking form through exhibitions, poetry nights, zine launches, artist socials, talks and workshops. They have a space to suit every kind of event — all disciplines are accentuated and appreciated here.

They host Other People’s Poetry, a spoken word night built on an appreciation for poetry that inspires poets. Hosted by Joseph Conway of The Lemming in collaboration with Seesaw, the main focus of this night is to make literature accessible to all through people who know what they’re talking about. “Other People’s Poetry tells us that everything is other people’s, that poetry is not just written by other people, but in fact belongs to other people. That poetry is not yours but someone else’s. We always see great spoken word around the city, but what works actually inspire these artists to write their own?” This is a pay-as-you-feel event, with all the money distributed between the performers, supporting accessibility too. If you want to get into poetry but don’t know where to start, this is a good place to.

SEESAW proudly offers a rotating schedule of exhibitions, all organised by their own team of curators. Displays are refreshed monthly, making sure no two visits are ever the same. They have showcased art across all mediums, whether it be painting, photography, animation or sculpture. Between the beautiful architecture of the building and the abundance of natural light, the venue’s gallery space is unconventional and creates a visually stunning backdrop that elevates any piece of work within it.

Firmly believing in the importance of supporting both emerging and established artists, SEESAW aims to provide an affordable space to foster valuable relationships between the people that make up the North West’s creative sector.

Follow Seesaw on Instagram @seesawspace.