Culture Guides
Destination Guides
With the big school holiday approaching, use the free time you now have to find interesting things to do in July in Manchester and the North. We have options of activities for both families and adults without kids.
Things to do in July
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MIF19 – Manchester International Festival
Manchester International Festival announces that Yoko Ono, Idris Elba and Skepta are among the artists set to feature in the 2019 programme.
MIF19: Bells For Peace at Cathedral Gardens
The opening event of MIF19, Bells for Peace will see Yoko Ono invite the people of Manchester to gather together in Cathedral Gardens to send a message of peace to the world.
Timber Festival 2019
An extraordinary new festival where music, art, philosophy and sustainability weave together into an exhilarating weekend in the heart of the National Forest, one of Britain’s boldest environmental projects.
Annie Pootoogook at Touchstones Rochdale
Presented as part of the Liverpool Biennial touring programme, this selection of drawings by Annie Pootoogook at Touchstones Rochdale challenges conventional expectations of Inuit art.
MIF19: DYSTOPIA987
Skepta invites you to enter another world in this series of intimate and immersive experiences. Held in a secret Manchester location, DYSTOPIA987 is a waking dream that presents Skepta’s singular vision of the future: deep, dark, radical and riveting.
Bluedot 2019 at Jodrell Bank
Entering its fourth year in 2019, bluedot celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Moon Landings with a special weekend of music, science, arts, technology, culture, food and film beneath the iconic Lovell Telescope.
Kendal Calling Festival 2019
So good that 2019’s edition sold out before the line-up was announced, snap up your tickets for 2018 fast.
Still showing this month
And Breathe… at Manchester Art Gallery
Exploring the relationship between art and mindfulness And Breathe… is an exhibition of artworks from Manchester Art Gallery’s collection that explores the relationship between art, positive mental health and wellbeing.
Nordic Craft and Design at Manchester Art Gallery
Showcasing furniture, fashion, lighting, ceramics, glass, metalwork and jewellery, Nordic Craft and Design at Manchester Art Gallery highlights the superb quality and creativity inherent in design from the region and features pieces from 1930 to the present day.
The Stoller Hall Autumn/Winter season
Manchester’s newest concert hall continues to push boundaries with its upcoming Autumn/Winter season – from a brand new audiovisual work to celebrate 100 years of votes for women to a one-off staging of a dark adaptation of A Christmas Carol, via a visit by the world-renowned Gould Trio and a year-long series celebrating outstanding pianists who studied at Chetham’s.
Whitworth Art Gallery Daily Tour
Take a closer look at some of the Whitworth Art Gallery’s collection while gaining a better understanding of the context in which the pieces were created. The free tours run daily from 2 pm.
Serena Korda: The Bell Tree at Speke Hall
The Bell Tree by award winning contemporary artist Serena Korda responds to England’s alternative history of fairy-tale folklore, the ancient forest at Speke Hall and the legacy of hidden rebellion that surrounds the historic Tudor home.
Manchester Art Gallery Highlights Tour
Take a tour around select artworks from Manchester Art Gallery’s collection. Lead by different guides every day, each tour is personal to their taste. Tours start at 2 pm from Thursday to Sunday.
Sí Manchester Daily Tour
Sí Manchester’s daily tour is a brilliant way to get an overview of the city with tours running in both English and Spanish.
Documentary Challenge at IWM North
Make and feature in your own mini-documentary at IWM North.
Free Manchester Walking Tours
Free Manchester Tours offer a friendly introduction to the city. Setting off every day at 11am without fail.
Multilingual Tours at Manchester Museum
Explore the Museum’s fascinating collection in more than just English with one of their general tours running in Spanish, Italian or Mandarin.
Striking Gold Piano Series at The Stoller Hall
This year-long celebration of outstanding pianists marks Chetham’s School of Music’s golden jubilee year. With almost all of the performers having previously studied at the school – and the likes of Paul Lewis, Boris Berman and Murray McLachlan already announced – it promises to be a comprehensive celebration.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh: making the Glasgow Style at Walker Art Gallery
Charles Rennie Mackintosh: making the Glasgow Style at Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool will span the lifetime of Mackintosh (1868–1928) and his contemporaries, exploring the movement that became known as The Glasgow Style.
Kimsooja: To Breathe at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Kimsooja transforms Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s historic chapel with ‘To Breathe’, an enthralling installation using light and mirrors and the latest in a series of projects exploring meditative qualities of space.
Li Yuan Chia: Unique Photographs at the Whitworth
Li Yuan Chia’s art encompasses sculpture, painting and poetry but the focus of this exhibition is photography. A group of Li’s lyrical hand coloured photographs of himself, his sculpture and garden at Banks is shown alongside the artist’s own collection of film cameras as part of Li Yuan Chia: His Late Photographs at Whitworth Art Gallery.
MIF19: Tree at Upper Campfield Market Hall
Created by Idris Elba and Kwame Kwei-Armah, Tree will take its audience on a wondrous journey in search of the soul and spirit of present-day South Africa.
Related Guides
August Bank Holiday
Looking for things to do over the August Bank Holiday? Near fear, we’ve put together a handpicked list of things to do in Manchester and the North this August Bank Holiday weekend.
Father’s Day
Get out and about and spend some quality time with the Old Man, here are our top things to do for Father’s Day in Manchester.
Music Venues in Cumbria
When the sun goes down and you’ve had your fair share of Cumbria’s great outdoors, head to the area’s music venues to catch folk and jazz sessions, as well as regular performances by touring musicians. We recommend some of our favourites.
Music Venues in Sheffield
Sheffield boasted a strong and varied musical heritage. We pick out some of the city’s music venues – from student clubs to community pubs, and even the odd classical venue – which continue to play their part in this success.
Music Venues in Liverpool
There’s more to Liverpool’s music venue landscape than the Cavern Club, as the city’s cafes, bars, concert halls and former warehouses offer a rich variety of live music – from chamber to freakscene, and everything in between.
Music Venues in Leeds
Boasting a strong musical heritage, Leeds has a wealth of music venues to match: from suburban social clubs and former textile mills to co-operatively run DIY spaces and its recently built arena, the city has plenty of exciting spaces to offer its young, outgoing population.
Things to do right now
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