Culture Guides
Destination Guides
Seasonal Guides
It’s August, the sun’s shining (sometimes), and you’re on the hunt for reasons to get out and about in Manchester and the North. You’ll find plenty of those below, from fantastic exhibitions to live music, theatre to food and drink. And you’ll find more in our seasonal guides to the August Bank Holiday, Summer Festivals, Outdoor Art and Adventure Activities.
Still showing this month
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.
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.
At Home with the Pankhurst Family at the Pankhurst Centre
The Pankhurst Centre’s new permanent exhibition offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of the people behind the iconic Pankhurst name.
DJ Gym at Hatch
Learn some DJ and production skills with DJ Gym Manchester, based in the culturally infused surrounds of Hatch.
Sí Manchester Daily Tour
Sí Manchester’s daily tour is a brilliant way to get an overview of the city with tours running in both English and Spanish.
Daniel Arsham: Relics in the Landscape at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Daniel Arsham’s large-scale sculptures are making an appearance at Yorkshire Sculpture Park in his outdoor show ‘Relics in the Landscape’.
Nothing About Us Without Us at PHM
‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ at PHM explores the history of disabled people’s activism and their ongoing fight for inclusion with a wonderful collection of exhibits brought together for the first time,
Old Dock Tours, Liverpool
The Old Dock tour is a treat for younger and older visitors alike, fans of Liverpool’s maritime past, and anybody curious about local history.
Magic in this Country: Hepworth, Moore and the Land at the Hepworth Wakefield
Discover the organic inspiration behind the work of Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore and others in the new show at the Hepworth Wakefield.
Mary Barton season at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House online
The team at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House on Plymouth Grove has already celebrated the author’s famous novels Cranford and North And South, and in 2023 it’s the turn of Mary Barton: A Tale Of Manchester Life.
The Art of the Potter: Ceramics and Sculpture from 1930 to Now
‘The Art of the Potter: Ceramics and Sculpture from 1930 to Now’ at the Hepworth Wakefield celebrates the gallery’s growing collection of ceramics and sculpture.
(Un)Defining Queer at The Whitworth
Through a fantastic collection of classical and contemporary artists’ work, ‘(Un)Defining Queer’ examines the use of language, histories and narratives to explore what ‘queer’ really means today.
Interactive Music Tours at Old Chapel Music CIC
Old Chapel Music studio in Holdback, Leeds is offering an interactive historical music tour that opens its doors and ears to the public.
Manchester Food Tour From Canals to Canapés
Experience a food tour that will show you the remnants of Manchester’s industrial past in Canals and Canapés with Manchester Bites.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The Musical
Enjoy a deliciously delightful theatre experience with the family in the weirdest, most wonderful chocolate factory to ever exist!
Beatrix Potter: Passions in Paint at the Armitt Museum
Offering a brilliant blend of history, art and literature, this expanded exhibition at The Armitt, offers a revealing insight into the artist’s life and work.
To The Lakes! at Wordsworth Grasmere
Find out how the first tourists to the Lake District (a time before mobile phones, specialist clothing and TripAdvisor reviews) experienced the area, in this fascinating new exhibition.
Radical Reading Book Group at Left Bank Leeds
Join the Radical Reading Book Group every six weeks to discuss a book from The Reading Room Library – which you can find at Left Bank Leeds in collaboration with London-based independent radical publishers Pluto Press.
Leeds Kirkgate Market Heritage Tours
Every month Leeds Markets offer a FREE Heritage Tour with Rob Kilner, Workers Lunchtime.
Culture in South Lakes
Not only one of Britain’s most picturesque national parks, the Lake District is also brimming with culture. Here’s what’s on over the next few months.
Lindsey Mendick: Where The Bodies Are Buried at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
This spring, Yorkshire Sculpture Park welcomes Lindsey Mendick, a rising star of the contemporary art world, in an immersive solo exhibition.
Traces of Displacement at The Whitworth
See ‘Traces of Displacement’, the Whitworth’s major new exhibition which uses the gallery’s collection to explore the issue of forced displacement.
Julie Brook: What is it That Will Last? at Abbot Hall
Signalling a new direction for Abbot Hall, this major solo exhibition will include thirty years of work by renowned landscape artist Julie Brook.
Liverpool Biennial 2023 – uMoya: The Sacred Return of Lost Things
The 12th edition of the UK’s oldest and largest festival of contemporary visual art is back this year, bringing with it art focusing on ancestral knowledge, wisdom and healing.
MIF23: You, Me and the Balloons at Factory International
Yayoi Kusama’s You, Me and the Balloons celebrates three decades of Kusama’s spectacular inflatable artworks, which are brought together for the first time in this major exhibition. The first event to be announced for MIF23.
Factory International Opening Season
Prepare to fill that crisp new diary as we preview the Factory International Opening Season.
Related Guides
Winter in Spinningfields
Spinningfields has grown into one of Manchester’s standout districts in recent years and here’s what’s happening there this winter.
Winter Entertainment in Spinningfields
Spinningfields always pushes the boat out at Christmas in the entertainment stakes and this year is no exception.
Father’s Day
This year’s Father’s Day is Sunday 19th June. Get out and about and spend some quality time with the old man in Manchester.
International Women’s Day in Manchester and the North
Here’s a rundown of the most eye-catching events happening on and around International Women’s Day in Manchester and the North.
Toward the Unknown Region – RVW150 at The Bridgewater Hall
The Hallé and the BBC Philharmonic are joining forces to offer a unique Mancunian tribute to Ralph Vaughan Williams at 150.
Spring Bank Holiday
This year’s Spring bank holiday (or late May bank holiday) is Monday 31st of May. Here’s a round up of events to fill your long weekend with to celebrate lockdown easing.
Things to do right now
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