The New Year edit: Creative Tourist’s Cultural Calendar 2016

Polly Checkland Harding

Our annual list of some of the best-looking arts events in the north in 2016.

One of our favourite jobs of the year is this: to call in favours and call up strangers, then sift through the press releases and information for a whole new year of culture across the north. The result? The Creative Tourist Cultural Calendar – our pick of the very best and most intriguing arts events in the coming year.

Our pick of the very best and most intriguing arts events in 2016

2016 is looking no less special than the rest: there’s an exhibition devoted to the world’s newest (and strangest) material, Graphene, a one-off from Manchester International Festival, art from the likes of Tracey Emin, Francis Bacon and KAWS, as well as the return of Wonder Women, Manchester After Hours, Glasgow International, Light Up Lancaster and more. And, thanks to our cultural round-up, you needn’t miss any of it. Get the very best events of the coming year into your diary, now.

Culture Guides

Jen Calleja

Literature

Books are most definitely back, with a whole host of live events by writers local as well as international, from pop-up performances to regular reading series, plus some hybrid festival specials and online launches allowing access wherever you happen to be.

Music

From Father John Misty to The Flaming Lips, The Waeve to Big Thief, here are the gigs on our radar for early spring.

Theatre in Manchester and the North

Theatre

You’ll find everything from work-in-progress scratch nights to multi-award winning musicals in this month’s theatre guide.

Classical Music

We preview the standout classical music events and venues in Manchester and the north.

Food and Drink

Get ready for spring and summer with the best restaurants and bars in Manchester and the North.

Cinema

Northern flicks, sci-fi masterpieces and some brand new film festivals feature in this month’s cinema preview.

Exhibitions

Spring weather might be dragging its feet a little, but the world of exhibitions isn’t slowing down with new shows popping up everywhere to greet the new season.

Families

With two weeks off school and the sun finally rearing it’s head, April is the month to have fun with family and friends and make some amazing memories in readiness for summer term!

Tours and Activities

From indie markets to bit-sized meditation, spoon carving workshops to gallery tours, here are the headlines in the world of tours and activities.