Barcelona’s bright bold architecture, colourful markets and Gaudi inspired parks make it hard to imagine any similarities between Manchester’s quiet old industrial buildings, grim back streets and blanket of grey sky. However, designer Dave Sedgwick argues that both cities are culturally connected; both second cities are developing under the shadow of a capital city, with a growing graphic design scene in which they share a ‘CAN DO’ attitude. Curating his first exhibition, BCN:MCR in Manchester, Sedgwick showcases the work of his favourite Barcelona design agencies.

So we took the journey up north for our first encounter with the Spanish design studios, finding the exhibition venue 2022NQ tucked away down a little side street greeting visitors with a modest A board outside of a darkened entrance. A neon blue light lead the way down some stairs to a set of heavy white doors, and pushing through opened into a white tiled basement bar…