Polly Checkland Harding

Introducing our Advent Calendar – here’s the eighth post in a cultural countdown to Christmas. Today: Alien plants and handmade craft. Royal Exchange’s Christmas production isn’t festive in a traditional...

Introducing our Advent Calendar – the seventh post in a cultural countdown to Christmas. Today: Game-changing art and a sing off. It’s Castlefield Gallery’s 30th birthday – and we love...

Introducing our Advent Calendar – the sixth post in a cultural countdown to Christmas. Today: independent shops, Christmas markets and coffee. Today is Small Business Saturday – which means a...

This art exhibition in Manchester brings together the figures of the past with the artists of tomorrow – so, what does the future look like? Castlefield Gallery’s exhibition to celebrate...

Introducing our Advent Calendar – here’s the third post in a cultural countdown to Christmas. Today: three course theatre and social media. Happy hump day, friends. There’s something a bit...

Two festive film seasons kick off this month – don’t miss 1980s classics, the best of Tim Burton and a flashback double bill. Winter is the time to hibernate –...

Shift Festival takes over Contact Theatre for two days this weekend – dive into this mad, multi-faceted programme head first. There’s something unusual going on at Contact Theatre this weekend....

Introducing our Advent Calendar – here’s the second post in a cultural countdown to Christmas. Today: theatre and big hands. Tonight it’s White Rabbit, Red Rabbit at Contact, a play...

Introducing our Advent Calendar – here’s the first post in a cultural countdown to Christmas. First up: books and dawgs. Cornerhouse holds is annual art book sale today, and it’s...

Stuck for gift inspiration? We asked Magma to share their alternative Christmas shopping ideas – and they came up trumps. Magma is a bit of a one-stop shop for brilliant,...

Some of Stanley Spencer’s most celebrated works are coming to Manchester – still echoing the shapes of the incredible chapel they call home. A memorial, and a refuge of sorts....

Stuck for gift inspiration? Nook and Cranny share their alternative Christmas shopping ideas. There’s a knack to Christmas shopping: start early. But how often does that actually happen? To save...