Culture Guides
Destination Guides
Unmissable things to do in Manchester and the North
Discover acclaimed music and stand-out exhibitions, groundbreaking theatre, family, cinema and literary events in Manchester and the North.
Our top picks
Happy Days at the Royal Exchange
Following the success of Hamlet, The Skriker and A Streetcar Named Desire, Sarah Frankcom and Maxine Peake continue their creative collaboration with a revival of Beckett’s surrealist masterpiece, Happy Days.
Kindertransport at Manchester Opera House
Marking the 80th anniversary of Kindertransport, Diane Samuels’ deeply stirring play depicts one woman’s struggle to accept her past.
RNCM Summer Season 2018
Featuring classical, sacred and jazz music, as well as poetry, theatre and dance, the RNCM’s Summer Season looks set to both inspire and surprise. Read our picks for the months ahead.
Leeds International Festival 2018
Leeds International Festival, the UK’s leading metropolitan festival of new ideas and innovation, is back for its second year, this time featuring more than 50 events and 40 speakers over 15 days.
Spring Awakening at Hope Mill Theatre
Spring Awakening combines an electrifying rock score and genre-defying writing to tell the story of sexual and adolescent discovery.
A Clockwork Orange at Liverpool Everyman
The award-winning Everyman Company let loose with an astonishing adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ dystopian novel, A Clockwork Orange.
¡Viva! Spanish & Latin American Festival at HOME
For its 24th edition, ¡Viva! returns with a HOME-wide celebration of film, theatre and visual art from across Spain and Latin America.
The Good Life Experience 2018 at Hawarden Estate
Exclusive 10% discount for Creative Tourist readers. Co-founded by Cerys Matthews, The Good Life Experience returns for its fifth outing, in the shadows of two castles on the Hawarden Estate in Flintshire. The festival features music from the likes of Gwenno, Bill Ryder-Jones and Norman Jay, as well as campfire cooking, spoken word, a 1930s fairground and dozens of activities for all ages.
The National Festival of Making 2018
The practical act of DIY, hands-on making is full of benefits, and rapidly becoming a growing trend. Head to the National Festival of Making in Blackburn to unlock your hidden talents and discover your untapped creative potential.
Motionhouse: Charge at MediaCityUK
For one night only, Quays Culture will host an exclusive FREE outdoor performance with the absolutely electrifying world-class dance-circus company, Motionhouse.
Syria: A Conflict Explored at IWM North
IWM North launches a season of exhibitions and events that attempt to cut through the complexity surrounding the Syrian crisis, and offer a human account of what’s happening in the country today.
Lakes Ignite 2018, The Lake District National Park
A giant, fluorescent pink and orange striped inflatable, a shoal of Ice Age fish, and a VR encounter with the depths of the earth; six contemporary artists explore the less commonly-observed wonders of the Lake District.
RNCM Symphony Orchestra at the RNCM Concert Hall
The RNCM Symphony Orchestra’s first outing of this summer season sees the ensemble perform contrasting works by Bartók, Saint-Saëns and Brahms – all for just £5.
Anthony McCall: Solid Light Works at The Hepworth, Wakefield
The world premiere of three new immersive, interactive ‘solid light’ installations by Anthony McCall opens at The Hepworth Wakefield, as part of a major survey of the artist’s work.
Vivaldi Rocks at The Stoller Hall
Hugo Ticciati combines Vivaldi Concertos with arrangements of music by Muse, Metallica and Dream Theatre – demonstrating that the Baroque composer’s work was just as raucous during his lifetime as anything today’s rock stars can offer.
Culture Guides
Exhibitions
Featuring a giant ‘art hammock’, the mesmerising photographs of Vivian Sassen, and a unique exploration into the use of digital technology by indigenous communities in north east Brazil; check out or latest exhibition highlights from across the North West.
Literature
It’s raining poetry and prose this April in the Rainy City, and there’s plenty to catch from both established and emerging writers. Fill your wellie boots – and your mornings, afternoons and evenings, weekdays and weekends.
Destination Guides
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