MANCHESTER.- Andy Warhol’s iconic artworks have been brought to Rochdale on Thursday 13 August for a unique one-day-only art experience inside a specialist fine art transport vehicle on Rochdale Town Hall Square. Touchstones Rochdale have joined forces with ARTIST ROOMS - Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland’s touring collection of modern and contemporary art – to bring the masterpieces to the town for its annual Side-by-Side Festival.

The collaboration between the galleries aims to make artworks accessible in a memorable way, bringing art to communities outside of the gallery walls. Visitors had a chance to get up close to a selection of Warhol sketches, prints and photographs including Self-Portrait with Skull 1978 and Self-Portrait with Platinum Bouffant Wig 1981.

ARTIST ROOMS is Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland's flagship programme for touring the best modern and contemporary art around the UK, collaborating with partners across urban and rural communities. The project to bring Andy Warhol’s artworks to Rochdale in this distinctive way, outside of a traditional gallery setting, is emblematic of their commitment to ensure world-class art reaches people where they live.

Alongside the pop-up display, visitors could take part in creative workshops inspired by Warhol, while his early drawing Ice Cream Dessert 1959 inspired a range of activities, including free ice creams available from Side-by-Side's ice cream van. An outdoor exhibition on show throughout August features Warhol-inspired art created by Middleton-based group The Aloe Veras.





The one-of-a-kind experience previews a larger-scale collaboration between ARTIST ROOMS and Touchstones who have been working on an exhibition co-curated with The Aloe Veras, which will take place in the newly re-developed Touchstones building when it re-opens to the public in 2027.

The Aloe Veras, who meet fortnightly in Middleton to try new arts and crafts, led by artist Erica Matthews of Creative Health, have been working with Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland to select works from the ARTIST ROOMS collection as part of an exciting exhibition bringing work by world-renowned artists to Rochdale.

Mark Doyle, Director of Arts, Heritage and Wellness at Your Trust/Touchstones Rochdale, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for the people across Rochdale Borough to experience world-renowned art right on their doorstep. Thanks to the generosity and cooperation of the National Galleries of Scotland, Tate and Touchstones, this project offers a glimpse of the exciting future ahead as Touchstones reopens.

We’re excited to present the community co-curated exhibition when Touchstones reopens with The Aloe Veras. At its heart, it’s about making culture accessible to everyone and demonstrates our commitment to ‘opening culture to all’. We’re delighted to bring it into the Touchstones Side-by-Side community programme and festival so that people of all ages can come together, take part and enjoy inspiring cultural experiences.”

Ceri Lewis, Senior Curator, ARTIST ROOMS, said: Our national collections of art exist for the benefit of everyone, and we are passionate that they be seen and shared right across the country. That’s the mission of ARTIST ROOMS, to bring world-class art to people. Its collection travels to reach communities far beyond our capital cities, and each year we collaborate with venues large and small to do so. Today we’ve been able to go that extra mile, driving right into the heart of Rochdale to bring Andy Warhol’s work to the festival - with a unique way to experience works by one of the world’s most famous artists. This partnership with Touchstones is a taster of much more to come, with an ARTIST ROOMS exhibition that’s been developed with local people for their reopening next year.

Touchstones’ Side-by-Side Festival continues until Saturday 15 August.