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April is here, meaning that summer is close. Here are our most recommended things to do throughout April in Manchester and the North. This list includes: unique exhibitions, stand out live music and excellent food/drink.
Things to do in April
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Ad Minoliti at BALTIC in Gateshead
Argentinian artist Ad Minoliti’s immersive exhibition draws upon queer and feminist theory to offer new understandings of the world around us.
The Hallé – Shostakovich’s Dazzling First
The Hallé performs a varied programme of Grazyna Bacewicz, Aaron Copland and Dmitri Shostakovich under the baton of new Assistant Conductor, Delyana Lazarova.
Minari – Streaming via Altitude
Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream.
Curator’s Tour: Grayson’s Art Club
Join Natasha Howes and Fiona Corridan for a curator’s tour of Grayson’s Art Club, with some of the pieces that didn’t make it on T.V.
Rose: A Love Story – Streaming on Modern Films
Rose is a chilling, deeply moving and critically-acclaimed horror thriller starring Sophie Rundle (Peaky Blinders, Jamestown, Bodyguard) and Matt Stokoe (Cursed, Jamestown, Misfits).
Art Classes in Didsbury with ColourWheel
Learn new skills, refine techniques and explore different medias with ColourWheel Art Classes in Didsbury.
Women and Girls Skate sessions at Projekts
Join Projekts skate park for exclusively women and girls skating, every Thursday from 7 – 9 pm. Be warned the sessions are very popular so book in advance to avoid disappointment.
Undine – Streaming on Curzon Home Cinema
German auteur Christian Petzold leans into fantasy and folklore, as historian and museum guide Undine (Paula Beer) falls for industrial diver Christof (Christof Rogowski).
Whodunnit at the Coliseum?
Can you figure out whodunnit? Take part in this interactive online murder mystery at Oldham Coliseum.
Band on the Wall: Live-ish from fivefourstudios
This April, Band on the Wall are broadcasting full sets by emerging artists from Manchester, recorded at fivefourstudios, Salford.
Book sale at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House and award-winning garden is a must-see, with the famous book sale back on 18 April and scheduled thereafter for 9 May, 13 June, 11 July, 8 August, 12 September, 10 October, 14 November and 12 December 2021, 11am-4pm.
Totally Roarsome
Head over to Mottram Hall where, in the depths of stunning Cheshire woodland, you’ll discover an immersive walking trail. Totally Roarsome promises to excite your little ones with huge figures of animals – from the Jurassic to the mythical.
Novel Voices online with Ellah Wakatama
Novel Voices is a five-part online series featuring Canongate Editor-at-Large Ellah Wakatama in conversation with 10 debut authors who are helping to shape 2021’s literary landscape.
The Hallé – Trail-blazing Hallé
The Hallé is joined by Stephen Hough for Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, before the world premiere of Huw Watkins’ Second Symphony.
MINDSCAPES: Streets Of Poetry – Elten Kiene and Sjaan Flikweert with Young Identity
Streets Of Poetry is produced by Young Identity, Manchester’s spoken word and arts organisation, bringing together poets and communities to create new work written on the pavements of Moston, Harpurhey and Manchester city centre.
MINDSCAPES: While Waiting, Wait Here – Merel Smitt
Created in collaboration with service users and staff, this online interactive game explores the benefits system and the process of applying for Universal Credit.
MINDSCAPES: //OUTSIDEIN// – Theater DEGASTEN
A brand-new online work, by Amsterdam-based Theater DEGASTEN, exploring the connection between mental health and where we live.
MINDSCAPES: Manchester Mood Drawings at Manchester Metrolink Stations
A unique city-wide project, presented across Greater Manchester Metrolink poster-sites exploring mental health and the places we live.
MINDSCAPES
Created by SICK! Festival, MINDSCAPES is a collection of five inspirational brand-new artworks and online events happening in Manchester for free this spring.
MINDSCAPES: Soundpaths – Yonatan Collier with Brighter Sound
Experience Moston and Harpurhey in a brand-new way through an app on your phone.
Horatio Clare and Beth Underdown online with Creative Manchester
Centre for New Writing lecturer Beth Underdown talks to acclaimed travel and nature writer, memoirist, broadcaster and children’s author Horatio Clare about his recovery from a catastrophic mental breakdown at the end of 2018, as told in his new book, Heavy Light.
WELCOME TO MY WORLD
Four film-makers, two from Manchester and two from Rotterdam, explore the neighbourhoods they grew up in and the streets where they live now.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds at Manchester Arena CANCELLED
One of the world’s great live acts, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds are returning to Manchester next year in support of their extraordinary album, Ghosteen.
Sustainable Producing with HOME
Josie Dale-Jones the powerhouse behind ThisEgg will be encouraging theatre makers to find climate friendly ways of working with sustainable producing.
Natalie Diaz and Mary Jean Chan online at Manchester Literature Festival
For the very first time, poet Natalie Diaz presents Radixes and Formations, a brand-new commission written especially for Manchester Literature Festival, and talks to Costa Book Award for Poetry winner Mary Jean Chan.
Comma Press and Manchester Metropolitan University Publishing Conference 2021
Comma Press and Manchester Metropolitan University present a two-day online Publishing Conference for aspiring and early-career publishers.
Artist Talk with Suzanne Treister, Castlefield Gallery
Castlefield Gallery have a talent for attracting some of the most exciting minds in art to take part in their artists talks and Suzanne Treister is no exception.
POSTPONED: Peppa Pig’s Best Day Ever
It’s Peppa’s Best Day Ever! Join Peppa Pig and all her friends and family on as they embark on fun-filled day long adventure. With all the familiar faces, and plenty of chuckles, chortles and trademark snorts this show will have your little ones captivated.
The Hallé – Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale
Sir Mark Elder conducts a staged performance of Stravinsky’s 1918 masterpiece The Soldier’s Tale, directed by Olivier Award winner Annabel Arden.
Nathaniel Hall – My Life, My Story Workshop
As part of Queer Contact Nathaniel Hall will be leading a workshop about telling your own story in written and performative contexts.
Queer Contact Festival 2021
Bringing an online celebration of art and creativity in the LGBTQ+ community, we’re thrilled that Queer Contact Festival will return for 2021.
Queer Contact 2021: Mark Croasdale – Spilling The Tea
An explosive performance about coming out, finding ways to belong and fitting in. A film premiere and Q&A.
Global Pandemic, Global Artists with HOME
Join HOME and panel host Chanje Kunda for Global Pandemic, Global artists, an international conversation about creatively communicating in a pandemic world.
Psappha: Black Milk livestreamed from Hallé St Peter’s
Black Milk, a highlight of Psappha’s 2020-21 season, features a world premiere by Mark-Anthony Turnage plus works by exciting young composers.
The Untold Orchestra: Four Women
Four Women is a cross artform collaborative piece between The Untold Orchestra and some of Manchester’s finest creatives, exploring the experiences of black women within the creative industries and society at large.
Queer Contact 2021: Roma Havers: LOB
Written and performed by Roma Havers, LOB is a tennis and poetry theatre piece that explores moving through sporting spaces as a queer body.
Queer Contact 2021: Gully Queens: Oscar Marchock and Deanz
Oskar Marchock ( House of Noir) talks to musician Deanz about his journey into dancehall music culture.
Queer Contact 2021: Mandla Rae – As British as Watermelon
An exploration of memory and healing, As British as a Watermelon is a brand new film by writer, performer and curator Mandla Rae.
Queer Contact 2021: Russell T Davies in conversation with Nathaniel Hall
In this first event for Queer Contact 2021, screenwriting legend Russell T Davies will join award-winning theatre-maker Nathaniel Hall to discuss depictions of HIV and AIDS on stage and screen.
Still showing this month
Online Meditation with the Manchester Buddhist Centre
As we learn to live with uncertainty now is a better time than ever to explore meditation, let the friendly community at Manchester Buddhist Centre help you on this journey.
Trading Station: how hot drinks shape our lives at Manchester Art Gallery
Trading Station at Manchester Art Gallery charts the history and changing social role of hot drinks in our lives.
These Lancashire Women are Witches in Politics with The Turnpike
A collaborative project that takes inspiration from the history of the Leigh Female Reformers of 1819 and the monstrous representations of them in the media of the time.
The Little Library in Spinningfields
Take your pick from The Little Library’s carefully curated collection of classics and new releases, adding a recently read book of your own as a replacement.
Posters from the Irish civil rights era – Online with the Working Class Movement Library
Working Class Movement Library presents an online exhibition of powerful posters made by young activists fighting for civil rights in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
What it is to be here: Colonisation and Resistance – Online at The Portico Library
The Portico Library marks 250 years since British explorer James Cook first landed on the shores of what we now call Australia with an online exhibition that explores the history of violence and resistance that followed.
Homemakers
NOW EXTENDED: HOME have invited theatre and live art makers to create new works at home, for an audience who are also at home.
The Gardener Digs in Another Time – Online at the Whitworth
the Whitworth in Manchester invites you to step into the garden as subject with an online version of its 2016 exhibition, The Gardener Digs in Another Time.
Life Drawing Manchester Online Classes
The popular Northern Quarter community, Life Drawing Manchester, have migrated to zoom, opening up their classes to models and artists from all over the world.
Everything that rises must dance with HOME
Produced by Complicité for Homemakers: Join a virtual gathering of women for an online dance project celebrating female movement throughout history.
Hamilton – Streaming on Disney Plus
Politically charged with a hip-hop soundtrack, there is no doubt that this filmed performance is one of the most eagerly anticipated releases of 2020.
What is Manchester Art Gallery? at Manchester Art Gallery
Manchester Art Gallery reopens with a thought-provoking new exhibition that delves into the history of the public institution and its role within the city.
Don McCullin at Tate Liverpool
Tate Liverpool presents a major retrospective of work by Don McCullin, widely considered to be one of the greatest photojournalists of our time.
Psappha 2020/21 Concert Season
Psappha’s 2020–21 season explores the sharpest and smartest sounds in contemporary classical music, presented in concert and streamed online for free.
Aid Workers: Ethics Under Fire at Imperial War Museum North
Aid Workers: Ethics Under Fire at Imperial War Museum North takes a close look at the moral dilemmas surrounding overseas aid.
The Sheffield Project at Weston Park Museum, Sheffield
Commissioned in the mid-1980s, The Sheffield Project focused a lens on a unique chapter in the city’s history, when it embarked on a journey of radical change.
Make Up – Streaming on BBC iPlayer
Cornwall has seldom seemed eerier than in Make-Up, the vivid first feature from director Claire Oakley.
Fun & Games: Playtime, Past & Present at The Portico Library and Online
Fun & Games at The Portico Library explores the evolution and traditions of games and play throughout the ages up to today.
#WELCOME? at the People’s History Museum
#WELCOME? at the People’s History Museum explores the wider impact of media coverage and changing immigration controls.
The Hallé Winter Season 2020/21
The Hallé returns to the stage for a streamed Winter Season packed with world premieres, Manchester originals, the familiar and the new.
Aliza Nisenbaum at Tate Liverpool
International portrait artist Aliza Nisenbaum will present a new painting at Tate Liverpool this winter, depicting members of the city’s key workers.
Postal Exhibition Print Programme from OUTPUT
OUTPUT in Liverpool launches a new programme of mail-based exhibitions, sending original artwork directly to your home.
Blackburn Open Walls
Over 3 years, forgotten walls of Blackburn were brought to life with the creation of a vibrant outdoor gallery, by international, national and local artists, who together over 2 weeks, created a collection of large scale murals and art walk trails for the residents and visitors of Blackburn to enjoy.
Pendle Hill Witch Experience Tours
Group tours of Lancashire in the area surrounding Pendle Hill. Through visiting the countryside and villages of Pendle, visitors learn all about the dark deeds and wicked plots surrounding the Pendle Witches in the 1600s.
Discover Buxton Tram Tours
Enjoy a journey through time on Discover Buxton Tour’s unique vintage tram.
Discover Buxton Character Tours
These colourful character guides offer unique and entertaining insights into the history of some of Buxton’s most iconic buildings.
Discover Buxton Walking Tours
Have your history delivered by expert guides whose passion for the heritage of Buxton spills into the unexpected.
Discover Buxton Roman Tours
Join local historian Brian Shepherd for a walk around the town and learn what Buxton may have looked like during Britain’s Roman occupation.
Discover Buxton Audio Tours
Discover Buxton’s audio tours of The Peak cover the area around Buxton and are designed to be enjoyed from the comfort of your own vehicle.
Pakui Hardware at BALTIC in Gateshead
Lithuanian artist duo Pakui Hardware presents an immersive art installation about the future and ethics of virtual health care.
Hardeep Sahota: Bhangra Lexicon – Online
The world’s first ‘visual dictionary’ of movements found within Bhangra, compiled by World Bhangra Day founder, Hardeep Sahota.
My First Protest Song with the People’s History Museum
My First Protest Song goes online. Round up the family and join Matt Hill for this live-streamed event full of toe-tapping tunes.
One Night in Miami – Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
One Night in Miami is a fictional account of one incredible night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown gathered discussing their roles in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 60s.
POSTPONED – AI: More than Human at World Museum Liverpool
Barbican’s major exhibition, AI: More than Human, comes to Liverpool, offering a tantlising look into the future.
Doodle Den: Playful Protests Online
Pick up a pen and encourage the whole family to explore the art of peaceful protest.
Vision & Reality: 100 Years of Contemporary Art in Wakefield at The Hepworth Wakefield
100 years of contemporary art in one sitting? Feast your eyes at The Hepworth Wakefield and discover the story behind its remarkable collection.
Science Learning at Home with Jodrell Bank
Science Learning at Home with Jodrell Bank is a perfect way to keep children (and their adults) busy while learning from home.
The Hallé – Movie Classics
Presented by the BBC’s Petroc Trelawny and conducted by Stephen Bell, the Hallé celebrates classical music on the silver screen.
John Moores Painting Prize 2020 – Online and at Walker Art Gallery
The prestigious John Moores Painting Prize moves online for the first time, featuring the best in contemporary British painting.
Royal Photographic Society Science Photographer of the Year online exhibition – part of Manchester Science Festival 2021
Part of Manchester Science Festival 2021, this online exhibition showcases the stand-out entries to the Royal Photographic Society’s prestigious Science Photographer of the Year competition.
Don’t Touch My Hair with HOME
Fearless social activism meets unapologetic hip hop. A concentrated dose of Hot Brown Honey is just what we all need right now.
Hidden Winter
Round the family up and head outside for this wonderful story walk adventure from Stand and Be Counted Theatre. Perfect for livening up a lockdown walk.
Queer Treatment
To coincide with LGBT History Month, Heart of Glass launches Queer Treatment, a new animated short film by the amazing Amy Pennington. Queer Treatment is inspired by conversations with members of the LGBTQIA+ community and explores connection, identity, representation and celebrating queer icons past and present.
Digital Realness – Online with Site Gallery
This wide-ranging programme looks set to invite a fascinating closer look at the digital space in which so much of ‘real life’ now occurs.
PUSH Festival 2021 at HOME
Thrilling and challenging, HOME’s annual festival is a glimmering reminder that new performance continues to be developed, despite ‘you-know-what’.
Closed Hands with HOME
An interactive, experimental and political video game exploring the complex effects of extremism and radicalisation.
Online Making Workshops with The Turnpike
The Turnpike invites you to a series of online workshops as part of the ‘These Lancashire Women Are Witches In Politics’ project.
Unease by Grace Sharp – Online and at Manchester Craft & Design Centre
Unease is an exhibition of work by glass artist Grace Sharp.
Carve and Cast Workshop Kit with Wonderhaus
Have a go at designing your own jewellery with Wonderhaus’ Carve and Cast kits. You’re given the tools to carve your own designs in jeweller’s wax which will then be professionally finished and cast at Wonderhaus.
Online Gin Tasting for Two with The Spirit of Manchester
Learn about your favourite tipple directly from the makers and enjoy the perfect serve at home with The Spirit of Manchester Distillery’s gin tasting experience.
Electric Dreams – Online with Venture Arts
Venture Arts presents the first of three online exhibitions featuring new work made by learning disabled artists over lockdown.
Zoom Tours: Jonathan Schofield’s New Series
Join expert tour guide Johnathan Schofield as he travels chronologically and geographically through the culture, architecture and geography of Manchester.
The Hallé – Sibelius’s Third Symphony
The Hallé are joined by virtuoso pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason for Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto, plus Sibelius’s magnificent Third Symphony.
Liverpool Biennial 2021 – The Stomach and the Port
The 11th edition of the UK’s oldest and largest festival of contemporary visual art is about to open, with work by over 50 artists.
Liverpool Independents Biennial
Independents Biennial has revealed a packed programme that will celebrate Merseyside’s creative talent and cast a fresh eye on how we see, make and use art. The festival, which runs alongside Liverpool Biennial, puts the spotlight on the region’s grassroots creative community, many of whom have been hardest hit by lockdown.
Tony Phillips: 12 Decades at Bluecoat in Liverpool
Tony Phillips’ 12 Decades continues a survey of modern history that has occupied him over the last 40 years. The series will go on show at Bluecoat in 2021.
People’s History Museum Online Shop
PHM has launched its online shop, stocking a wealth of unique products that celebrate radical histories and ideas worth fighting for.
The Hallé – Paul Lewis performs Mozart
The Hallé will be joined by Paul Lewis, one of the country’s most distinguished artists, for a dazzling programme in which he directs from the piano.
Sound Stage
An exciting, new audio-digital venture, Sound Stage has been designed by theatre-makers and leading technologists, to give audiences a unique online theatre experience.
REMOTE WORK and Lubaina Himid: The Mourning Kangas at Grundy Art Gallery, Blackpool
Grundy Art Gallery reopens with two exhibitions wrapped inside one – REMOTE WORK and Lubaina Himid: The Mourning Kangas.
Tai Shani: The Neon Hieroglyph – Online with Manchester International Festival Virtual Factory
Turner Prize winning artist Tai Shani takes us on an LSD-inspired hallucinatory journey across time and space. Prepare to have your consciousness expanded.
Carcanet online book launches: Victoria Kennefick & Martina Evans
Join Victoria Kennefick as she talks to The Irish Times critic Martina Evans about her first full poetry collection, Eat Or We Both Starve, described as “daring” and out with Manchester’s Carcanet Press.
The Earth Asleep at HOME, Manchester
The Earth Asleep, a new film and original live score from creative duo Clara Casian and Robin Richards, premieres this spring at HOME.
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