Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Eclectic as ever. You'll find inventive reworkings, world-class contemporary dance and Greater Manchester's inaugural Improv Festival in our guide.

Laura Ellen Bacon, Into Being, 2025. Photo © India Hobson, courtesy Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Exhibitions in the North

Willow weaving, textile collages, digital arts and ecology - all this and more in our exhibition top picks this month

portrait of Lorsung in a dark shirt with dark hair and dark round glasses
Literature Events in the North

We've got laughs and we've got leftfield on the live literature radar this month. Something for everyone, from poets playing with form to short story writers looking long.

Sextile
Music in the North

Open air clubs, new festivals and long-awaited gigs. The North West's live music scene is heating up this spring. 

Classical Music in the North

Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region's most cherished orchestral forces and venues.

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

Destinations

  • Things to do in Manchester
    Things to Do in Manchester

    Our guide to the best things to in Manchester, from award-winning theatre and exhibitions to the busiest music scene in the North.

  • Things to do in Bradford: Kala Sangam
    Things to do in Bradford

    Our guide to the dark horse of Bradford, full of eye-opening exhibitions, independent shops and authentic curry houses.

  • Things to do in Blackpool

    Fancy a day trip? Explore our guide to Blackpool and build yourself an itinerary featuring attractions, galleries, restaurants and more.

  • York Castle Museum
    Things to do in York

    We take a closer look at York, one of the UK’s most beautiful heritage cities with a wealth of contemporary culture.

  • Burnley's Singing Ringing Tree
    Things to do in Lancashire

    Our guide to the culturally rich coastal county of Lancashire, encompassing Lancaster, Morecambe, Blackpool and Blackburn.

  • Chester
    Things to Do in Cheshire

    Our guide to the best things to in Cheshire, including culture, shopping and food and drink in Chester, Crewe and Macclesfield.

  • Things to Do in Cumbria

    Our guide to the best things to do in the Cumbria and the Lake District, including Penrith, Kendal, Carlisle, Keswick and Cockermouth.

  • Things to Do in Liverpool
    Things to Do in Liverpool

    Our guide to the thriving city of Liverpool, where new creative futures are written against the backdrop of a unique history.

  • Leeds Corn Exchange
    Things to do in Leeds

    Our guide to Leeds, a hub of northern creativity, the metropolis of Yorkshire and one of the greenest cities in the UK.

  • Father John Misty and Friends at The Piece Hall
    Things to do in West Yorkshire

    Our guide to the best things to do in culture-packed West Yorkshire, including Hebden Bridge, Wakefield, Halifax and Huddersfield.

  • Things to do in the North East

    Our guide to the North East spans industrial heritage in Sunderland, medieval architecture in Durham and world-class culture in Newcastle.

  • Things to Do in Sheffield. Kelham Island, Sheffield
    Things to Do in Sheffield

    Our guide to the hilly city of Sheffield, which boasts a fantastic community of artists, makers and cultural organisations.