Big Chip Awards 2010. We are the champions (but only if you help us).

Creative Tourist

Creative Tourist is shortlisted for three digital awards

The big news for us this summer is that we’ve been shortlisted for three prizes at the upcoming Big Chip Awards: Best Public Sector Project, Best Online Brand Development and the Tasty Website Award.

It means a great deal to us to be nominated. Why? Well, we know Creative Tourist isn’t the best-ever arts website in the world. We know there are things we should perhaps do that time, money and politics prevent us from doing. But we also know that Creative Tourist is nothing if not a labour of love. It is a blog dedicated to showcasing the culture of the city we call home, created by a talented bunch of people who quite often work in their own time (and often long into the night). It is supported by eight museums and galleries that should be applauded for their ability to ditch mainstream marketing and try something completely different. We hope it gives a much-needed platform to some of the artists, writers and creatives who make Manchester the wonderful, forward thinking and sometimes infuriating city we know and love.

Anyway, enough about us. The Tasty Website Award is won by public vote – which is where you come in. If you like our beautiful blog, please nominate us. Simply text ‘MMC’ to 80915 or click here for more details. Voting closes on Thursday 10 June. Wish us luck!

Culture Guides

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.

The Bull and the Moon at Instituto Cervantes

Families

With spring’s indecisive weather in mind, we’ve pulled together a whole load of fun indoor and outdoor family events and activities taking place in Manchester and the North.

Poet Helen Mort.

Literature

Spring is making an entrance in live literature land with some extra special festival events, writing walks, online launches and in real life readings from local writers as well as international talent.

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.

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.