Alison Goldfrapp is to be namedas the first curator of an annual exhibition at the Lowry in Salford, in which performers are given space to choose art that inspired them.

The singer and songwriter, one half of the duo that bears her name, has selected works by artists ranging from the surrealist painter Leonora Carrington to the photo-collagist John Stezaker and children's illustrator Jan Pienkowski. Drawn from national and international collections, the works will form an exhibition to be held from 19 October to 2 March next year.

The "performer as curator" project is aimed at bridging the gap between performing and visual art. The Lowry's head of visual arts and engagement, Michael Simpson, called it "an exciting new venture" with more collaborations planned. "The Lowry is a unique venue that combines major theatres and galleries under one roof and we value working with dancers, musicians and actors in our galleries and artists in our theatres. Alison Goldfrapp was a natural first choice for us, given her remarkable synthesis of music and visual imagery," he said.

The Lowry said Goldfrapp's choices would show her fascination with the darker side of fairytales and explore themes of transformation, metamorphosis and identity.