Top Picks
Guides
What’s on
Where to go
See all

Black History Month in Manchester and the North

Creative Tourist

Black History Month’s an opportunity to share, celebrate and understand the impact of Black heritage and culture.

Here in Manchester and the North, you’ll find a fantastic programme of events taking place throughout October. From exhibitions to theatre shows to dance, we’ve rounded up our arts and cultural highlights.

Not everything’s been announced yet, so do keep an eye on this page — we’ll be adding more highlights as and when they arise!

Our top picks

Menelik Shabazz: Rebel Generation at Hyde Park Picture House

Menelik Shabazz: Rebel Generation at Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds, Until 25 October 2025, From £6.00 - Book now

Discover the life and work of a pioneering figure in Black British cinema through a series of screenings, talks and workshops in Leeds.

Find out more

Black Power Desk at Lowry

Black Power Desk at Lowry, Manchester, 16–18 October 2025, From £16.00 - Book now

Following a sell-out premiere at Brixton House, this bold new musical brings the hidden history of Britain’s Black Power movement to Salford.

Find out more
Black Power Desk at Lowry
Image courtesy of Helen Murray.

Roots in the Sky at HOME

Roots in the Sky at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 11 October 2025–25 January 2026 - Book now

HOME’s latest exhibition, Roots in the Sky is a curatorial project by British-Nigerian artist Tunji Adeniyi-Jones.

Find out more
Image supplied by Home MCR

David Olusoga: A Gun Through Time

David Olusoga: A Gun Through Time at Lowry, Manchester, 10 November 2025 - Book now

David Olusoga explores how three particular weapons shaped the world in A Gun Through Time at the Lowry. 

Find out more
The Lowry Theatre and Gallery in Salford Quays Manchester.
Image courtesy of Visit Britain

Seasonal Guides

Creepy capers across Manchester and the North for little and big ghosts with the most.
Halloween in Manchester and the North

As Halloween approaches read our guide to the creepy capers happening for little and big ghosts with the most.
Mother and daughter play with smell interactive_Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You
Things to do over October half term

Looking for things to do with the family over the Easter school holidays? We’ve got you covered.
The Jungle Book at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre
Open Air Theatre in Manchester and the North

Open air theatre shows are happening across the north over the next few months – we’ve collated our top picks into a neat guide for you.

Helen Chadwick posing with a sculpture called Piss Flowers taken during the exhibition Helen Chadwick: Effluvia, held at the Serpentine Gallery, London, in 1994
Cultural Calendar 2025

Our editors’ biannually updated list of some of the best-looking arts and cultural events in Manchester and the North in 2025.
Festival-goers at Green Island
Festivals

Here’s our guide to the best summer festivals with experiences taking place in a field or on the streets near you.
Summer Holidays: the best things to do with kids
Summer Holidays: the best things to do with kids

Check out our definitive and regularly updated guide of things to do with the family over the summer holidays.
Outdoor Art in the North

Our guide to the North’s outdoor art, which has a special relationship to community, cultural heritage and the landscape it’s situated in.

Destinations

Image by Jonathan Schofield.
Spotlight on

Walking Tours in Manchester by Jonathan Schofield

Presenting the best walking tours in Manchester for history buffs, culture enthusiasts, and those looking to scratch beneath the surface of the city.

Take me there

Culture Guides

A white mattress is burning in a black rocky landscape.
Exhibitions in the North

Galleries in the North are far from spooky this October - instead you'll find tactile sculptures, plant magic and curatorial experiments.

Cinema in the North

A host of Halloween horrors, experimental shorts, plus pioneering black British cinema make our October Cinema Guide.

Music in the North

Noise, excess and immediacy. From New York’s experimental underground to the most vital sounds of local scenes, autumn gigs are coming in heavy.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Theatre this month bursts with contrasts - from bold new writing and Black History Month highlights to contemporary arts and reimagined classics.

Poet Helen Mort.
Literature Events in the North

One to add to your TBR pile, our latest round-up is a bumper edition and features some amazing events in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and beyond...