Aviva Studios under fire over free chips and gravy event for the 'working class'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Manchester's Aviva Studios has been criticised for putting on an event for the 'working class' with 'free chips and gravy'. The £241m arts centre is hosting the Working Class Creative Exchange event later this month, for people to 'get to know fellow working class creatives with an evening of music, stalls and discussion'.

But an advert for the event, urging people to 'get down early for free chips and gravy' has sparked anger for being 'patronising' and 'tone deaf'.

The place has already proved controversial, with people questioning the spiralling costs and the type of events being offered there. Read more: We can't afford Bonfire Night, but spent millions on an arts venue most people won't visit Only last month we revealed how the arena’s operators Factory International (FI) need another £2m from Manchester City Council sooner than planned after a ‘challenging’ opening year.

Community campaigner Jeremy Hoad says using 'free chips and gravy' to promote the event is 'tactless at best' and just another example of venue bosses 'getting things wrong'. "The 'chips and gravy' bit of the event description gives the impression of gatekeepers pandering to working class stereotypes and is misplaced and patronising," he said.