Culture Guides
Destination Guides
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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Victoria Baths Guided Tour
Visit the stunning Victoria baths now that the building has reopened for Summer. Get to know the stories of bathers and activists whose continuing work could one day lead to the baths reopening as a working swimming pool.
Derek Jarman: PROTEST! at Manchester Art Gallery
Derek Jarman: PROTEST! is a major retrospective of one of the most influential figures in 20th century British culture including many works which have never been seen in public before.
A Walking Tour Of The Ruins Of Pontefract Castle
Explore the ruins of Pontefract Castle with local expert Ian Downes as he leads a relaxed walking tour through the grounds.
Eliza Carthy: Restitute Live at The Stoller Hall
One of the most prominent figures in the English folk revival, Eliza Carthy is bringing her brilliant solo album Restitute to The Stoller Hall this April.
ATL + Super Electric: Wild Combination (Arthur Russell Special)
Above the Line and Super Electric are joining forces for a night dedicated to the life and work of musical visionary, Arthur Russell.
Our Collections at Castleford Museum
What are collections and why do museums have them? Find out by exploring Castleford Museum’s collections this April.
Snakes and Ladders at The Piece Hall in Halifax
Head to Snakes and Ladders – a free day of large-scale outdoor board game making and playing – at The Piece Hall in Halifax.
The Grahams at The Stoller Hall
With guitars and whiskey in tow, travelling troubadours The Grahams are laying down their hats at The Stoller Hall this April.
Thundercat at Manchester Academy
A week before he drops his highly anticipated fourth album, funk-soul-jazz bass extraordinaire Thundercat will perform at Manchester Academy.
Secondhand book sale at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House
‘Possibly the best secondhand book sale in Manchester’ takes place every second Sunday of the month in the Servants Hall of Elizabeth Gaskell’s House on Plymouth Grove, a short walk from the city centre.
Poetry Walk at The Reader in Liverpool
Every Tuesday morning you’re invited to join the Poetry Walk with The Reader in Calderstones Park. Get into the great outdoors and escape the everyday, while exploring poetry and making the most of the beautiful surroundings.
BBC Philharmonic: Brahms/Mahler/Hindemith at The Bridgewater Hall
This BBC Philharmonic concert features two gleaming works by Hindemith and Brahms, as well as a selection of songs from Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn.
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs at Gorilla
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs mix acid rock, psych metal, and stoner influences into a thick sludge of riffs and menacing bellows.
People Play Artist Led Workshop with Alice Irwin at The Piece Hall in Halifax
Join Alice Irwin – the artist behind People Play at The Piece Hall in Halifax – to learn more about what inspires her work.
Open to all ages.
West Side Story at the Royal Exchange
Powerful and fast-paced and heart-breaking, we’re thrilled to hear that West Side Story will return to the Royal Exchange next spring.
Hilary Mantel at RNCM
Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with the Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester present An Evening with Hilary Mantel, hosted by author Kamila Shamsie.
BADA ft Anna Von Hausswolff at Soup Kitchen
Featuring the excellent Anna Von Hausswolff, Swedish collective BADA are bringing their cinematic drone/noise rock to Soup Kitchen this April.
DNA Day Screening: Jurassic Park at Manchester Museum
Come experience Steven Spielberg’s classic Jurassic Park in the atmospheric surrounds of Manchester Museum’s fossil gallery.
Wobbly Town – Wet Felted Panel Workshop
Join artist and expert felter Charlotte Bain as she hosts a day of wet felting wobbly town making in the picturesque town of Saltaire.
Amp Fiddler at Band on the Wall
Among a sea of beige imitations, Joseph ‘Amp’ Fiddler makes authentic funk straight from the heart of Detroit.
Week 53 Festival 2020
From interactive poker games, aerial performance and Street Culture, Week 53 celebrates bold and brilliant contemporary performance.
Introduction to Screen Printing at the Artworks in Halifax
Taking inspiration from Alice Irwin’s stunning print exhibition (part of People Play at The Piece Hall in Halifax), artist Harriet Lawton will lead this beginner’s workshop at the Artworks.
Dino Ranger Day at World Museum Liverpool
Live out your long lost palaeontologist dream by being a Dino Ranger for the day! Surely the best thing about having kids is getting to attend events like this?!
Braids at Soup Kitchen
Montreal-based art rockers Braids are playing Soup Kitchen days after the release of their anticipated fourth album, Shadow Offering.
Leeds International Festival 2020
Leeds International Festival, the UK’s leading metropolitan festival of new ideas and innovation, is back for its third year.
BBC Philharmonic: Strauss/Schnittke/Shostakovich at The Bridgewater Hall
From the dread of Schnittke to the playfulness of Strauss, this wide-ranging BBC Philharmonic programme is guaranteed to thrill.
Still showing this month
Liverpool Biennial Northern England Tour
Whether Liverpool Biennial 2018 passed you by or you diligently ticked-off every last one of its multiple offerings (if so; bravo), the Liverpool Biennial Northern England Tour seems unlikely to disappoint.
Poulsen Arc Dream Radio at Storyhouse in Chester
What does it mean to be transported into another person’s memories? Step into a new digital art commission at Storyhouse in Chester to find out.
Louise Giovanelli at Manchester Art Gallery
Manchester Art Gallery prepares to present a series of new paintings by artist Louise Giovanelli, alongside rarely-seen early Renaissance panel paintings.
Holly Hendry / Taus Makhacheva at The Tetley
As part of the Liverpool Biennial touring programme, The Tetley is hosting works by artists Holly Hendry and Taus Makhacheva.
Maddi Nicholson: a place lived at Hardman Square in Spinningfields
‘a place lived’ by Maddi Nicholson is a new public artwork that delves into the near-forgotten history of Manchester’s thriving financial district.
Unreformed: Wallpaper and Design Diversity at the Whitworth
Unreformed: Wallpaper and Design Diversity at the Whitworth examines the powerful the voices of the Design Reform movement.
The Hallé 2019-20 Season
From a brilliant range of symphonies, concertos, vocal works, operas and more, we select our five top picks from the Hallé’s 2019-20 season.
BBC Philharmonic 2019/20 Concert Season
An outstanding orchestra live in a world-class concert hall – read about the BBC Philharmonic’s 2019-20 season at The Bridgewater Hall.
Technical Tours at the National Coal Mining Museum
Get into the the heart of the machinery with technical tours of the mines at the National Coal Mining Museum.
A Healthy Profit at Quarry Bank
A Healthy Profit at Quarry Bank offers an important look at one chapter in the continuing story of capitalism’s impact on the human body.
Northern Chamber Orchestra 2019/20 Season
Northern Chamber Orchestra’s 2019/20 Season features the likes of violinists Chloe Hanslip and Anthony Marwood; pianist Martin James Bartlett; percussionist Colin Currie; and their President, cellist, Raphael Wallfisch.
Judy Chicago at BALTIC, Gateshead
One of the most important feminist artists of the last half-century, Judy Chicago is about to receive her first major survey exhibition in the UK, staged at BALTIC in Gateshead.
Animalesque / Art Across Species and Beings at BALTIC, Gateshead
‘Animalesque / Art Across Species and Beings’ at BALTIC in Gateshead invites visitors to rethink the human position in the world.
Theaster Gates: Amalgam at Tate Liverpool
Marking his UK debut, Theaster Gates responds to the little-known history of Malaga – a small island off the north east state of Maine, USA.
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.
Ian McKay: Collier Street Baths at Salford Museum and Art Gallery
This December, Salford Museum and Art Gallery presents a new exhibition by local artist Ian McKay based on the architecture of Collier Street Baths
Rock and Goal Tour
Join Joe Feeley a Mancunian through and through, who guides you into Manchester’s two pillars of cultural excellence with his Rock and Goal tour.
Sunday Night Waves 5Rhythms Drop In
Embrace the effervescent energy of Sunday Night Waves, a 5Rhythms dance class where you can move with the flow of your own body and explore.
Toddler Tuesdays at Castleford Museum
These lively mornings of crafts and singing are fun, creative sessions for toddlers.
Talking Sense: The changing vocabulary of mind and brain at The Portico Library
Talking Sense at The Portico Library aims to open up a space for helpful conversations around the future of care.
Visage(s) d’Europe at Alliance Française
Fifty photos from Pascal Dosset’s international portrait of Europe, Visage(s) d’Europe, will be on display at Alliance Française. One photo per country.
Richard Bartle: Nomadic Tales at Millennium Gallery, Sheffield
Richard Bartle: Nomadic Tales at Millennium Gallery in Sheffield explores the modern-day city of Istanbul, viewed through a series of 14th-century miniature illustrations.
Local Leeds Food Tour
Fresh local produce is always on the menu of the Local Leeds food tour. Visit six pubs and restaurants serving up some of Yorkshire’s finest cuisine.
Leeds Street Food Tour
Eat your way through some of the best street food Leeds has to offer, with insights into the people and stories behind each bite. Try something new with the Leeds Street Food tour.
Ho Tzu Nyen: The Critical Dictionary of Southeast Asia Volume 10: N for Nameless at CFCCA
CFCCA presents Singapore artist Ho Tzu Nyen’s alternative ‘A to Z’ account of Southeast Asia, focusing on the region’s neglected histories.
Rae-Yen Song: *May-May Songuu* at CFCCA
An exhibition by artist Rae-Yen Song at CFCCA which explores British-Chinese identity through the prism of her own family history.
2020 Banner Display at People’s History Museum
Visit People’s History Museum’s 2020 display of political banners from across the years – including several that will go on public show for the first time.
The Stoller Hall Spring Season
Spanning a plethora of genres, from classical to folk to Americana, The Stoller Hall’s Spring season is an eclectic delight. Read about it here.
The People’s City at The Refuge, Manchester
Organised by the British Culture Archive, The Refuge in Manchester presents a remarkable selection of images that capture Britain from the 1960s onwards.
Utopias at the Whitworth
How have visions of utopia and the visual culture that helped form it impacted upon the Brexit debate? A new exhibition at the Whitworth explores.
Skyliner: Modern History of the Northern Quarter Tour
Join Skyliner for an alternative view of the Norther Quarter, learn about the area’s political happenings through it’s stunning public art.
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.
Bill Brandt / Henry Moore at The Hepworth Wakefield
This major exhibition at The Hepworth Wakefield brings together over 200 works by Bill Brandt and Henry Moore highlighting their shared interests.
Emii Alrai: The High Dam at The Tetley in Leeds
Combining demon lures and invented artefacts, ancient mythology and family lore, The High Dam at The Tetley in Leeds is the latest new work by upcoming artist Emii Alrai.
Taus Makhacheva: Hold Your Horses at The Tetley in Leeds
Taus Makhacheva’s new solo exhibition at The Tetley in Leeds explores the traditions of history-making and its encounters with experiences of everyday life.
Mark Making at Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre
Mark Making at Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre opens up fascinating new perspectives on humanity’s innate drive to leave its mark.
July Days at Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre
July Days by Aron Rossman-Kiss at Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre revolves around a single, blurry image taken around 1917.
Liverpool Beatles Walk and Ticket to Ride Tour
Immerse yourself in the world of John, Paul, George and Ringo as you walk in their footsteps through The Beatles’ home city in this six-hour extravaganza of a walking tour.
Two hour Beatles Guided Walk & Cavern Club
This Beatles Guided Walk & Cavern Club is the perfect way to learn more about The Beatles while discovering the city of Liverpool.
Little Lambs Toddler Sessions at The Piece Hall, Halifax
Visit The Piece Hall in Halifax for a series of People Play inspired early years mornings complete with songs, stories and a craft activity.
New Digital Experiences at People’s History Museum
Can cutting-edge tech bring us closer to the events of the past? People’s History Museum unveils a series of new digital artworks and experiences.
The Tiger Who Came to Tea and the Adventures of Mog the Forgetful Cat at Z-arts
In this immersive exhibition, children can let their imaginations go wild as they take centre stage alongside some of their favourite characters from beloved children’s author, Judith Kerr.
Simeon Barclay: Bus2Move at The Turnpike
Simeon Barclay: Bus2Move at The Turnpike is an exhibition inspired by the artists research residency at the internationally renowned Phoenix Dance Theatre.
Other Transmissions: Conversations with Outsider Art at The Whitworth
‘Other Transmissions: Conversations with Outsider Art’ is a collaboration between a group of six artists, with and without learning disabilities.
Phoebe Davies: Points of Rupture at Site Gallery in Sheffield
For her first solo exhibition, Welsh artist Phoebe Davies presents a new body of work inspired by her time spent with a group of teenage female wrestlers training in a local club on the outskirts of Oslo.
Back To The Future The Musical at Manchester Opera House
Turn your flux capacitor on and set your destination to the Manchester Opera House in the year 2020. Your future depends on it.
The Runaway Brewery – Tour & Tasting
One of Manchester’s up and coming breweries welcome you into their space to learn about the beer making process and, of course, sample the end products.
Eat The City – Scranchester Tours
Satisfy your hunger for knowledge as well as lunch with Scranchester’s food tours of the city centre. You may discover a new favourite hidden gem or learn a bit more about the cultural or historical significance of the food you eat all the time.
Adult Skateboard Lessons at Projekts MCR
Open skateboarding session for adults, all abilities are welcome. Discover the creativity of this urban sport.
People Play by Alice Irwin at The Piece Hall in Halifax
Artist Alice Irwin’s Matisse-esque friendly giants at The Piece Hall in Halifax embody an enchanting spirit of play, early innocence and imagination. Yet, they also have a more serious side to them.
Alice Irwin: People Play Trail at The Piece Hall in Halifax
Drop into The Piece Hall Welcome Centre and collect a sculpture trail map that will take you on a sketching and symbol spotting journey.
Joana Vasconcelos at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Yorkshire Sculpture Park presents the monumental work of celebrated Portuguese sculptor Joana Vasconcelos.
Rockets and Blue Lights at the Royal Exchange
Staged in a former cotton exchange, Rockets and Blue Lights is an award-winning play that confronts an ugly time in history head-on.
Frances Disley: Pattern Buffer at Bluecoat
Bluecoat prepares to present a new solo show by Frances Disley.
Jonathan Baldock: Facecrime at Bluecoat
Bluecoat in Liverpool presents artist Jonathan Baldock’s first solo exhibition, Facecrime.
Syd Shelton: Rock Against Racism at Gallery Oldham
Gallery Oldham presents a nationally touring exhibition of photographs by Yorkshire-born Syd Shelton capturing the legendary Rock Against Racism movement.
Edit. 06: Girl Gang Manchester – Everything I Know, I Felt at The Lowry
Everything I Know, I Felt at The Lowry will see Girl Gang create a collaborative and interactive space, celebrating the diverse emotional experiences of womxn.
Photorealistic drawing workshops at Galleria Quattro
Join Krystan-Grace Sharpe-Young for a double bill of workshops, in which, you’ll learn the skills needed, to create your own photorealistic artwork.
Soft Bodies at Castlefield Gallery
Soft Bodies at Castlefield Gallery will reference the body in relation to technology, politics, gender, race and sexuality.
Guided tour at The Bridgewater Hall
Explore the underbelly of Manchester’s largest concert hall learning about the acoustics and architecture which make it such a unique venue.
Suzanne Lacy: We Are Here at Manchester Art Gallery and the Whitworth
Suzanne Lacy: We Are Here marks the only UK stop of a major touring retrospective dedicated to the American feminist artist.
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Nightclubs in Manchester
Manchester today offers such a variety of venues at which to feel young and alive, you’d be a fool not to check out the city’s solid-gold after hours scene.
August Bank Holiday
Looking for things to do over the August Bank Holiday? Near fear, we’ve put together a handpicked list of things to do in Manchester and the North this August Bank Holiday weekend.
Father’s Day
This year’s Father’s Day is Sunday 16th June. Get out and about and spend some quality time with the old man in Manchester.
Music Venues in Cumbria
When the sun goes down and you’ve had your fair share of Cumbria’s great outdoors, head to the area’s music venues to catch folk and jazz sessions, as well as regular performances by touring musicians. We recommend some of our favourites.
Music Venues in Sheffield
Sheffield boasted a strong and varied musical heritage. We pick out some of the city’s music venues – from student clubs to community pubs, and even the odd classical venue – which continue to play their part in this success.
Things to do right now
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