Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.
On an extensive worldwide tour in support of their latest album, Painting With, Animal Collective return to the UK.
Prepare to do some browsing and digging – this second hand bookshop is full of hidden treasures just waiting to be discovered
The Liner Hotel offers accommodation in style, with comfort, luxury and a seasonal menu in a central Liverpool location.
A visit to Liverpool starting and ending at Lime Street Station
The largest two-tier theatre in the country, the Liverpool Empire Theatre boasts a busy programme of performances and events all year round.
The final building in the World Heritage Site of William Brown Street to be revamped, the wonderfully restored Central Library takes pride of place in Liverpool’s architecturally stunning Cultural Quarter.
A little sanctuary in the middle of the city
There is something for everyone at this museum, making it hugely popular with families.
The Walker Art Gallery is a small but perfectly formed traditional gallery. It houses an impressive collection of paintings, sculpture and decorative art from 13th century to present day.
A stunning Hall at the heart of the city
The Royal Court Theatre stages mostly home-grown comedies, somewhat mannered and self-conscious reflections of an inward-looking city.
Fairly non-descript shopping centre in central Liverpool.
Round the Corner provides excellent drinks, local music and good vibes, with a rooftop bar and an event space in Liverpool’s Fabric District.
Quiet introspection and cathartic eruptions – the mysterious kids in the corner of the Brixton Windmill scene bring their new album Somersaults to YES.
From £17.45
Factory Spotlight hands the mic to After the Applause for a free live edition celebrating the launch of season two of the Manchester podcast.
Free entry
One of the country’s foremost festivals showcasing new and emerging talent, Sounds From The Other City is back over Early May Bank Holiday.
From £30
Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Angel’s Bone brings a dark contemporary parable about exploitation, coercion and the abuse of power.
From £10.00
A new live staging of Bronski Beat’s The Age of Consent revisits a landmark queer pop album through contemporary voices.
From £10.00
Pixies bring two nights of feral alternative rock to Aviva Studios this May, marking 40 years of the band
From £55.00
Explore the abundant musical heritage of Manchester’s neighbour with the Stockport Music Story Walking Tour.
From £5.00
See through the eyes of an astronaut in this epic concert and visual experience, Space Station Earth at Aviva Studios. .
From £15.00
Spring has sprung a wealth of great exhibitions in the North West, from intimate photographic shows to huge installations.
Closer, riskier, more immediate. Our small-scale theatre picks stretch from unsettling fables about nationhood to the inner workings of a mind trying to hold itself together.
There's no shortage of great films out at the moment, whether you're looking for the latest blockbuster, that hot arthouse flick fresh from Cannes or a cosy classic.
Step away from the usual. Tours and activities that spark curiosity, inspire creativity and offer something refreshingly different.
This month’s live music picks move between ambitious new work, grassroots celebrations and a few memorable settings.
Spring has arrived, bringing with it al fresco dining and a rush of high-profile food and drink-related events in Manchester.
Whether you’re after storybook theatre, museum wanderings or illusion-bending play spaces, there’s plenty to keep curiosity ticking through winter and beyond.
