Sara Jaspan

Firm favourites in Manchester’s cultural calendar, the Manchester Art Fair and The Manchester Contemporary weekend are not to be missed.

‘Thick Time’ by South African artist William Kentridge at the Whitworth should prove to be both fascinating and mind-boggling in equal measure.

From street signs to ballot papers, architecture to food packaging; design plays a major, often insidious role in shaping – and altering – our lives. This year, Manchester’s annual design festival explores how the tools of its trade can be used to DISRUPT the system; channelling its pervasive influence as a force for good.

‘SUBI 수비’ at Castlefield Gallery explores the long process of cultural and generational exchange that underpins the art of pottery and ceramics – one of the world’s oldest crafts – as an integral part of the way that humans create and communicate the world in which we live.

The Bell Tree by award winning contemporary artist Serena Korda responds to England’s alternative history of fairy-tale folklore, the ancient forest at Speke Hall and the legacy of hidden rebellion that surrounds the historic Tudor home.

Featuring work by over 60 internationally renowned artists spanning 400 years, Heads Roll at Graves Gallery in Sheffield sets out on a remarkable journey to unpick one of the world’s most popular and enduring artistic genres: the portrait.

Featuring a number of pieces which have never been seen before in public, ‘Elisabeth Frink: Fragility and Power’ at Abbot Hall Art Gallery in Kendal delves into the life and work of one of the most widely-loved, exciting and individual sculptors of the 20th century.

Salford Museum & Art Gallery and Ordsall Hall delve into their collections to present a two-part exhibition featuring significant prints, drawings and sculptures by former Royal Academicians as part of a nationwide programme marking the institution’s 250th birthday.

Home to a wealth of world-class visitor attractions, award-winning museums, exceptional gardens, five Victorian parks and the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever to be found; Stoke-on-Trent (affectionately nicknamed The Potteries) is bursting with an inspired programme of cultural activity this summer.

Luke Jerram’s remarkable Museum of the Moon installation (recently profiled on BBC Radio 4) will be on show in Stoke-on-Trent for just nine days before the next stop on its international tour.

Lest We Forget marks the first instalment of a major new season of exhibitions, music, dance, talks and events at IWM London and IWM North exploring how the First World War has shaped society today. Free entry