The Manchester Academy of Fine Arts (MAFA) is a society established in 1859 to organise annual open exhibitions in Manchester City Art Gallery, formerly the Manchester Institution. Since the refurbishment of the art gallery, MAFA has endeavoured to maintain its profile by presenting exhibitions of painting, prints, drawings and sculpture in venues in Manchester and throughout North West England.
The society has been associated with a number of notable individuals, including Alfred Waterhouse, Ford Madox Brown, LS Lowry, Käthe Schuftan, Norman Adams and Anne Redpath. Past presidents include the artists William Knight Keeling, Charles Oppenheimer and Robert Crozier. Academy members have played a significant role in the Manchester art scene for over a century, including the design of several of its buildings and public works.
Membership
The academy consists of more than 100 elected members who are mainly professional artists practising not only in the North West of England but throughout the United Kingdom and in Europe. The objective of the academy is to promote the work of its members and other artists by organising exhibitions, workshops and talks.
In 2009–2010, MAFA celebrated its 150th anniversary through a series of exhibitions and a service at Manchester Cathedral in November 2009.