Art On The Run at LIVIA Forest
Gemma Gibb, Associate Editor
This May will see a brand spanking new type of family arts event that will have its first outing in Manchester as masters of outdoor creative adventures Wild Rumpus (producers of the award-winning Just So Festival) and Forestry Commission England join forces.
A completely ridiculous 5k run (don’t worry you can also scuttle, dance, scamper, sprint or walk) in a beautiful forest will take in several “surprising and fantastical large-scale art installations” and many other unexpected happenings including some top notch musical sounds from Balkanistic boogie band The Baghdaddies.
There will be an eccentric warm up routine to take part in before the starting whistle blows and other celebratory shenanigans as you cross the finish line. There is a totally tip top soundtrack and dressing up inspiration on the website now.

Art On The Run combines so many of all the good things – art, getting moving outdoors, exploring forests and the chance to don some 80s retro running finery and legwarmers. We also love that it celebrates the newly regenerated LIVIA Forest – part of the City Forest Park initiative by City of Trees and the Forestry Commission to create a huge public park in Greater Manchester bigger than New York’s Central Park.
We have a hunch that Art On The Run is going to be a bit special and with a limited amount of tickets we recommend booking soon. Right, we’re off to warm up.