Oldham-based Portraits of Recovery secures Arts Council England recognition

A unique Oldham arts organisation has been nationally recognised for the creative work it does with people in recovery from substance use.

Portraits of Recovery (PORe) was founded in Chadderton in 2011 by Mark Prest, himself in recovery.

The organisation, which works all over Greater Manchester, uses the arts to support people with their recovery from drug or alcohol use.

Also on its agenda is changing the conversation around addiction and challenging stereotypes.

PORe is now amongst a handful of arts organisations that have been chosen by national funder Arts Council England for the valuable impact they make.

Being hand-picked for three years of support means that PORe is now an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, or NPO.

NPOs are a select group of the creative and cultural organisations that carry out important work.

They receive regular funding to cover some, but not all, of their costs.

This year, a total of £446m was shared between 990 organisations in the UK, 282 of which are in the north - and only two in Oldham.

The new funding, which covers the period 2023-26, means PORe is now in a position to run regular programmes throughout the year - and to form new partnerships with other Greater Manchester arts and health organisations, raising awareness of issues around recovery throughout both sectors.

Amongst PORe's plans for the future are an annual recoverists' learning and engagement programme, which will see 10 people in recovery work with artists to increase their employability skills and to create an exhibition for a public space.

The Recoverist Culture Club will increase access to the arts for those in recovery and their friends and family via free or low cost tickets to exhibitions, shows, performances and film screenings.

A biannual recoverist artists’ film and cinema season is also in development, as well as a public programme of events, talks and workshops around Greater Manchester each September to mark and celebrate International Recovery Month.

A partnership with Whitworth Gallery in Manchester will provide career development opportunities for people in recovery and for a curator from a diverse background to explore the gallery’s permanent collections.

And four artists' commissions are planned in 2023/24, including a major work from Ghana-born British artist Harold Offeh, which explores conversations around chemsex.

The practice, which means using drugs as part of your sex life, is most common amongst gay and bisexual men.

Previous PORe work has introduced participants - who are usually people in recovery and their family and friends - to a number of different artforms.

In 2015, a project called Typecast saw people in the early stages of recovery work with clay, to create an exhibition at Manchester School of Art.

Whilst in 2017, young Asian men in recovery took part in workshops with British-Indian artist Sutapa Biswas.

The work resulted in the installation of a neon artwork called Out Of Place And At The Margin in Rochdale bus station.

The artwork is now on permanent display at Touchstones in Rochdale.

And in 2019, PORe participants explored the Japanese tradition of Kintsugi, a repair technique that transforms broken ceramic objects into new entities, leaving clear, bold, visible lines and gold to mark the scars.

The project ran in partnership with MMU, Manchester Craft and Design Centre and Boiler House community centre in Manchester's Moss Side.

Mark said: "Portraits of Recovery changes lives and there is no other organisation like us in the UK.

"Over 11 years, we have delivered award-winning projects with major arts organisations and leading national and international contemporary artists.

"People talk about the transformational power of the arts; PORe's work changes lives by telling stories that challenge the usual clichés surrounding addiction and recovery.

"Now, thanks to becoming an Arts Council England NPO, we can grow a larger, more sustainable organisation and provide a year round programme of events that supports emerging artists, offers cultural experiences to people in recovery and commissions challenging artworks for public spaces."

Dave Moutrey, CEO at partner organisation HOME and director of culture for Manchester City Council, said: "I am delighted that Portraits of Recovery has gained NPO status.

"It enables the organisation to take its vital and artistically exciting work into a new phase, importantly with the certainty and stability that is so essential to ensuring that this work has lasting impact. 

"This is a big vote of confidence in the organisation’s work and the leadership of director Mark Prest."

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