We are Community Arts North West, but you might know us better as CAN. We work with urban communities in Greater Manchester to create access to cultural opportunities where people can stand up, speak out, challenge social justice issues and inspire change.

Take a look at our current projects and upcoming events.

A group of six Vietnamese people taking part in an arts workshop.

At the tail end of last year, in a pilot project – Building Bridges – CAN’s Creative Director, Anna Vu Thompson, brought together a group of Vietnamese creatives and members of the local Vietnamese community to explore their heritages

Read more
A drumming workshop using African drums at HOME during the Exodus Festival.

We are delighted to announce the launch of our report showcasing CAN’s significant successes throughout 2024–2025.

Read more
An audience of young people with their hands in the air at a CAN performance at Contact.

We wrapped up the end of our exciting 2025 programme for CAN Young Artists with a sharing of their latest project, Sonic Stories, for friends, families and our supporters with at Saturday 6 December at Contact

Read more

CAN is supported by