Humanities in Public Festival

Polly Checkland Harding
Simone Ridyard

Humanities in Public Festival at Number 70 Oxford Street, Manchester 7 October 2016 — 24 June 2017 Entrance is free — Visit now

The annual Humanities in Public Festival enjoys a strong reputation for its city-wide programme of events – and over 7,000 regular attendees. Why? Organised by Manchester Metropolitan University, the festival is inventive in the way that it tackles major issues relevant to the city today: this year’s line-up, for instance, features a walk that spans two cities and culminates in a pub quiz (what else?), an adventurous bus tour led by the Manchester Modernists and a panel of music industry experts and more in discussion about how music, fashion and youth culture has taken Manchester global.

Humanities in Public takes ‘Greater Manchester and Northern Identity’ as its theme, and is part of a broader, university-wide set of events (discover D/Evolving Manchester here). The programme as a whole acts as a celebration of every one of Manchester’s ten boroughs and the city’s identity – including LGBT culture, sport, music and literature – but it also asks ‘what’s next?’ for the city. Here’s our guide to the programme – where you might just discover some of the answers.

Humanities in Public Festival at Number 70 Oxford Street, Manchester 7 October 2016 — 24 June 2017 Entrance is free Visit now

Where to go near Humanities in Public Festival

Foodie Food
Manchester
Restaurant
Foodie Food

Foodie Food is a new food delivery service, bringing hand-stretched Neapolitan-style pizzas and high-end burgers to Manchester.

Wing Dash
Manchester
Wing Dash

Exceptional chicken wings from one of Manchester’s premium food delivery outlets.

ABC Taproom
Manchester
Bar or Pub
ABC Taproom

ABC Taproom is part of the Alphabet Brewing Co. Open Friday and Saturday nights, go here to enjoy some of Manchester’s very best beer.

Manchester
Cloud Aerial

Get upside down with Cloud Aerial. Their beginner classes are the perfect introduction to the addictively fun world of aerial arts.

Manchester
Library
Gaskell Society

These regular talks in both Manchester and Knutsford unpack the meaning and significance of Elizabeth Gaskell’s writing.

PROGRESS
Manchester
Music venue
Progress Centre

After serving two summers of temporary parties, Progress Centre was reinvented into a new permanent outdoor club in 2024, before adding two new permanent spaces – Square One and Cakebread…

Manchester
Museum
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House

Elizabeth Gaskell’s House has been lovingly restored; you can now sit at her desk, see where Charlotte Brontë hid behind the curtains, and have tea in the downstairs café. The Pankhurst Centre is also nearby.

Manchester
Restaurant
GRUB Manchester

Manchester’s original vegan street food festival returns at the end of this month to celebrate Veganuary.

Manchester
Spirit Studios

Spirit Studios now houses 10 unique studios, an on-site live venue, DJ booths, editing suites and more. Recently, kitting out many of its studios with new state-of-the-art Audient desks and it soon will welcome its very own radio station.

What's on: Exhibitions

Wolf in Yellowstone
Until
ExhibitionsManchester
Wild at Manchester Museum

Manchester Museum explores the concept of ‘wild’ nature as a means of tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis in a new exhibition.

free entry

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Sextile
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A woman sits in a car with hands holding the steering wheel.
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Laura Ellen Bacon, Into Being, 2025. Photo © India Hobson, courtesy Yorkshire Sculpture Park
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