New Partnership Sends Thunderbolt of Excitement Around Manchester! Pokémon and Trafford Centre Collaborate to Reveal ‘Pokémon: Art Through the Ages’

London, United Kingdom – 26 September 2022 – Following an artistically inspired reveal at Trafford Centre on 25 September, The Pokémon Company International today announced “Pokémon: Art Through the Ages,” a special partnership with retail and leisure destination Trafford Centre Manchester.
A special, treasure hunt-style event will take place from 17 October until 13 November throughout Trafford Centre, where visitors will be able to discover hidden art of the 151 Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region. The Pokémon art will showcase a wide variety of artistic techniques and styles from across the ages, including cave paintings, stained glass and oil paintings for families and fans of all ages to enjoy free of charge.

Visitors who discover 10 hidden oil paintings and unscramble the secret code can visit GAME within Trafford Centre to collect a double-sided, limited-edition poster at no cost*. Additional activities will be offered within a booklet visitors can complete at their own leisure, and even more goodies will be up for grabs, including a certificate for finding all 151 Kanto Pokémon!*

Fans will also be able to hone their creative skills at the Orient Main Stage area where there will be special art workshops designed especially for children 6–11 years old**. Guests who want to take a break from art hunting can meet Pikachu at scheduled times or even watch Pokémon movies and episodes of the Pokémon animated series at the Orient Main Stage area*. Stay tuned for more details on the Trafford Centre website about schedules, bookings and availability for all of these activities!

Additionally, following the mysterious sightings from 21 September of Pikachu boarding a bus, Pikachu will make its way to Trafford Centre on the new Pokémon Bus to celebrate the event’s opening day on 17 October for one day only! Visit Trafford Centre for fantastic photo opportunities and the chance to see the new Pokémon Bus for the first time.

“We are thrilled to announce such a creative partnership with Trafford Centre,” said Peter Murphy, Senior Director of Marketing at The Pokémon Company International. “Exploration is an element which is key to Pokémon, and we can’t wait for kids and families to embark on their own journey to complete the Kanto Pokédex and see Pokémon depicted in such unique art styles.”

Bruce Gardner, Brand Experience Director at Trafford Centre, said: “When initially sourcing a suitable location for this fantastic event, the Pokémon team were inspired by the unique architecture that is iconic of Trafford Centre. We have worked collaboratively with Pokémon, our Partners such as Transport for Greater Manchester, Clear Channel and our Retailers to ensure Pokémon fans can escape the ordinary and experience a unique, memorable and fun-filled day out. On behalf of the centre, we’re delighted to welcome Pokémon next month.”

For more information, please visit https://traffordcentre.co.uk/pokemon

*Subject to availability, while stocks last.
**Space subject to availability. Booking required.

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About Pokémon
The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. For more information, please visit www.pokemon.co.uk.

About Trafford Centre
At the Trafford Centre we are passionate about creating compelling experiences that make our visitors smile, help our brands succeed and communities thrive. 
 
We welcome 30 million visitors every year to our 280 brands, including Selfridges, John Lewis, Zara, Next, Marks & Spencer and a 20-screen ODEON cinema
 
We are committed to our local communities, supporting over 10,000 jobs (representing about six per cent of the local retail workforce), and to operating with environmental responsibility.