Away with the Faeries, Inside the Cocoon

Away With the Faeries, Inside the Cocoon: An Immersive Exhibition Exploring Transformation, Release & Self-Discovery

Join artist Katie Barley for a profound journey into the sacred space of personal metamorphosis. "Inside the Cocoon" is an immersive exhibition exploring letting go, transformation, emotional release, and awareness of our multiple internal selves.

The Experience: Step through time, moments, memories, change and catharsis in Kat's immersive journey mirroring her own metamorphosis. Through Kat's carefully crafted environments, you'll explore the vulnerable and complex space full of both loss and release, pain and lightness, stuckness and freedom between who we were and who we're becoming. Sometimes we have to surrender and be still enough to see where we're stuck to become free.

This isn't just an exhibition to observe – it's a space to experience. Whether you're navigating your own period of change or curious about the intersection of art and healing, this offers a unique opportunity for personal reflection and community connection.

The Narrative: You may already know the butterflies Come meet the caterpillars.

Walk through a story of Kat's lived experience told through live-action and abstraction. Engaging viewers' senses in new ways. This work explores how art can aid minds in storing, fragmenting and rewriting memories, particularly when parts of our stories are missing. It does this by examining dissociation caused by trauma from a neurodivergent perspective.

It's about taking back and rewriting the story, putting the pieces back together, and discovering new pieces and growing your wings.

Perfect for anyone interested in personal development, immersive art, mental health awareness, or exploring transformation through creative expression.

LAUNCH NIGHT: 24th October, 5-7pm

Opening night will feature:

• Live Music Performance by Katie Barley and James Gaskell
• 'Away with the Faeries' Film Screening
• Exhibition of community-created work
• The Immersive Room Reveal
  

EXHIBITION OPEN: 27th - 31st October
Time: various per day (Launch 5-7pm)
Venue: The Horsfall, 87-91 Great Ancoats Street, Ancoats, Manchester, M4 2PE
Tickets: Free entry or donation tickets available.

About the Artist: Katie Barley is The Horsfall's current artist-in-residence, creating work that celebrates neurodivergent experiences and explores healing through creativity and community.

Sometimes we must dissolve to become. Come explore what emerges.

About tickets and donations

This event is free to attend. You also have the option to place a donation booking for the event if you would like to support our ongoing work with young people.As a registered charity we are able to claim gift aid back for any donations provided, if you are happy to do so, please fill out the short form after you have placed your donation.

About our work

42nd Street is an innovative Greater Manchester young people’s mental health charity with over 42 years’ experience of providing free and confidential services to young people who are experiencing difficulties with their mental health and emotional wellbeing. 42nd Street’s vision is for inclusive, accessible mental health and wellbeing support and opportunities for all young people.Our shared mission is to support young people with their emotional well-being and mental health by offering a choice of effective, creative, young person-centred and rights based approaches. By demonstrating local impact with national significance, we drive meaningful change that makes a positive difference to the lives of young people. The Horsfall is our creative venue where we offer our creative programme to support emotional wellbeing and mental health:

We believe that everyone can be creative and that creativity has a profound benefit on mental health and wellbeing and so our bespoke gallery space and programme -curated by young people- offers unique opportunities for young people to work alongside established and emerging artists to explore and share their stories, challenge the status quo and express themselves.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher The Horsfall / 42nd Street