Manchester International Festival

Creative Tourist
Yayoi Kusama, courtesy of Ota Fine Arts, Victoria Miro and David Zwirner.
Yayoi Kusama. Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts, Victoria Miro and David Zwirner.

Manchester International Festival 2023 at Aviva Studios, Manchester 29 June — 16 July 2023 Tickets from £10.00 — Book now

Manchester became the world’s stage this summer, with Manchester International Festival taking over venues and spaces across the city, including the all-new Factory International.

MIF23 presented 18 extraordinary days of events, performances and happenings in Greater Manchester, where the world’s most exciting creative minds reached across art forms, smashed boundaries, and spoke to urgent contemporary issues.

While the festival’s now come to an end, there’s still a lot of action happening at Factory International, including Yayoi Kusama’s blockbuster exhibition You, Me and the Balloons and Endless Summer, a bumper series of free activities, gigs and DJs, and interactive art.

After summer we’ve got our eyes on Free Your Mind, a world-first dance adaptation of classic sci-fi film The Matrix, directed by Danny Boyle.

Manchester International Festival 2023 at Aviva Studios, Manchester 29 June — 16 July 2023 Tickets from £10.00 Book now

What's on at Aviva Studios

Where to go near Manchester International Festival

Castlefield
Event venue
Old Granada Studios

Manchester’s old Granada Studios is an iconic piece of the city’s history and home to Sidney Bernstein’s television empire.

Castlefield
Restaurant
The Loft Manchester

Smart event space in the building previously occupied by Walkabout, and now host to all manner of exciting one-off happenings

Manchester Opera House by Phil Tragen
City Centre
Theatre
Manchester Opera House

A commercial touring theatre, the Manchester Opera House is reopening in August 2021, all set to host the city’s finest mainstream theatrical productions, music gigs, opera and ballet.

City Centre
Music venue
Low Four Studio

Old Granada Studios has announced Low Four: a new studio and music project that will stream and archive live music performance as part of a new generation of music TV programming. The inclusion of a viewing balcony also means that these recordings, along with special events and concerts, will be made open to a few […]

Manchester
Restaurant
20 Stories

High-end restaurant and cocktail bar, with stunning views of the Manchester skyline.

Manchester
Gallery
Smolensky Gallery

This appointment-only gallery is a hidden gem in Manchester. Art lovers and collectors can browse many high quality pieces.

Manchester
Hotel
Moxy Manchester City

Moxy Manchester City is a stylish 146-bedroom hotel in Spinningfields, with an attractive living room lobby and modern, well-stocked bar.

Manchester
Restaurant
Hey Little Cupcake

Hey Little Cupcake is a small, trendy cupcake boutique nestled in Spinningfields that uses the finest ingredients to create a signature collection of cupcakes, cakes and brownies.

What's on: Festivals

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saltaire living advent calendar
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Saltaire Living Advent Calendar

The Saltaire Living Advent Calendar has been a staple of the village since 2006, with community buildings and houses lighting up their windows with intricate illuminations.

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FestivalsManchester
Lightwaves at Salford Quays

An unmissable ten days of luminary adventures. Interact with boundary-breaking new commissions, create your own digital masterpieces and take a selfie with a Dalek. Yep, really.

free entry
ChildrensCheshire
Christmas at Bolesworth

Come to Cheshire’s winter wonderland. A magical festive lights trail, Santa’s Grotto and more… This is a jam packed adventure for all the family.

from £20.00

Culture Guides

Music in Manchester and the North

Spotlighting global artists who all, in one way or another, break the mould, we preview the best gigs happening this side of Christmas and beyond.