Culture Guides
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Seasonal Guides
Containing 2 bank holidays, sunny weather, great exhibitions and live shows accompanied by some great food- this May could be a month packed with unforgettable experiences. Here are some of the best things to do in May in Manchester and the North.
Things to do in May
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Viagra Boys at Albert Hall
Stockholm-based post-punk sextet Viagra Boys are performing at Manchester’s Albert Hall in support of their 2021 album ‘Welfare Jazz’.
Still showing this month
Flecky Bennett’s Ghost Walks
Meet, Flecky Bennet, your guide through the dark and demonic side of the city as he takes you on one of Manchester’s award winning ghost walks.
Damien Hirst at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Experience YBA artist Damien Hirst’s towering and provocative outdoor sculptures at Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
The Little Library in Spinningfields
Take your pick from The Little Library’s carefully curated collection of classics and new releases, adding a recently read book of your own as a replacement.
What is Manchester Art Gallery? at Manchester Art Gallery
Manchester Art Gallery reopens with a thought-provoking new exhibition that delves into the history of the public institution and its role within the city.
MINDSCAPES: While Waiting, Wait Here – Merel Smitt
Created in collaboration with service users and staff, this online interactive game explores the benefits system and the process of applying for Universal Credit.
MINDSCAPES: //OUTSIDEIN// – Theater DEGASTEN
A brand-new online work, by Amsterdam-based Theater DEGASTEN, exploring the connection between mental health and where we live.
Embroidery with Sara Dennis at Lancaster Castle
Learn embroidery in a fun and relaxed environment with the BBC’s Sara Dennis at Lancaster Castle’s famous Witches Tower.
Graffiti at Zap Graffiti
Liverpool’s Zap Graffiti teaches all the basic skills and techniques you need to make a street-style creation you’ll be proud of.
Blacksmithing at Forge Four
This beginners workshop will teach participants the traditional skills associated with blacksmithing, in the ‘Steel City’ of Sheffield.
Stone carving at West Riding Stonecarving Association
The West Riding Stonecarving Association is dedicated to keeping the art of hand-carving stone alive and bringing it to the general public.
Textile taxidermy with Jaki Bogg at Craven Arts Studios
Head to Skipton’s Craven Arts Studios to create a unique mounted animal head for your home with local textile artist Jaki Bogg.
Candle making at Cheshire Workshops
Try your hand at candle making with the experts at Cheshire Workshops, this fun and creative skill is suitable for all ages.
Pottery at Earth Pig Pottery and Fine Art in Buxton
Try your hand at pottery at Earth Pig Studio in Buxton’s Green Man Gallery; a longstanding community arts hub, shop and gallery.
Silence – Alone in a World of Wounds at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Stop and spend an hour or two with this special creation, nestled within a stand of birch trees beside Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s Upper Lake.
Glass fusing at Glassmonkey Studio
Come and experience the magic of fused glass at Glass Monkey Studio in Burnley, where workshops cater for all levels and abilities.
Making silver stacker rings at The Old Granary
One of many workshops hosted by local jeweller Helen Drye, here you’ll learn the technical skills required to make a chic stacker ring.
Knittaz with Attitude: Yarnbombing at Upside Down Coffee
Knitting, crochet, yarnbombing and contemporary needlecraft. Not a workshop as such but a ‘learning’ social with Knittaz with Attitude.
Heaton Hall & Park Tour: Glorious interiors and glorious landscape
Heaton Hall and the surrounding park are a reminder of Manchester’s complicated past, join this walking tour to see the beauty and hear the stories behind these cultural monoliths.
Interruptions: Sounds – Online with The Holden Gallery, Manchester
‘Interruptions: Sounds’ is an online collection of new audio works by seven artists, spanning spoken word, ambient sound and musical tracks.
At Home with the Pankhurst Family at the Pankhurst Centre
The Pankhurst Centre’s new permanent exhibition offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of the people behind the iconic Pankhurst name.
Albert Potrony: EQUAL PLAY at BALTIC, Gateshead
Artist and educator Albert Potrony sets out to explore non-gendered and non-prescriptive modes of childhood play in a major new exhibition at BALTIC.
Contact Reopening Season
Following the extensive transformation of their iconic Oxford Road venue, Contact has announced a vibrant and progressive reopening programme. Read our preview of the upcoming season.
Electric Gamebox at The Arndale
Get ready for an immersive, digital, gaming adventure at the Arndale Centre in Manchester.
Jadé Fadojutimi at The Hepworth Wakefield
The Hepworth Wakefield will present an exhibition of new work by British artist Jadé Fadojutimi.
Sheila Hicks: Off Grid at The Hepworth Wakefield
Drawing together over 70 pieces from international public and private collections, this major exhibition will explore the many facets of Hicks’ ground-breaking work – from her intimate Minimes, small woven drawings she creates on a hand-held frame, to large-scale installations that fill gallery spaces with vibrant colour.
Related Guides
Father’s Day
This year’s Father’s Day is Sunday 20th June. Get out and about and spend some quality time with the old man in Manchester.
Spring Bank Holiday
This year’s Spring bank holiday (or late May bank holiday) is Monday 31st of May. Here’s a round up of events to fill your long weekend with to celebrate lockdown easing.
Music Venues in Bradford
Bradford has a reputation for intimate gigs and rowdy rock nights, we’ve rounded up the best places to see both in our guide of music venues in Bradford.
Things to Do in Altrincham
Plan a day out down Altrincham way, and you’ll soon find that one day isn’t…
Attractions in Altrincham
Altrincham town centre is positively booming following a period of regeneration. Yet, there’s so much more to this area than just its marketplace.
Online events
Discover the best things to do online from the organisations we love in Manchester and the North.
Things to do right now
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