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Over the past year, cultural organisations in Manchester and the north have become masters in the art of delivering online events. As a result, what local culture lovers have lost in the analogue, they’ve gained digitally.
While live events are now inching back into being, the cultural organisations we love continue to beam their programmes into our living rooms, for all to enjoy. From theatre shows to classical concerts to live literature events, there’s so much northern-born culture to explore online – it’s just a matter of getting to the really good stuff…
….which is where we come in. Spanning all of our sections and covering both the mainstream and the niche, here we round up our top picks of online events and activities coming to a screen near you this May.
Here are our picks
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1. WoWFEST 2021
Salena Godden. Photo © Olivia Rutherford -
2. Tai Shani: The Neon Hieroglyph – Online with Manchester International Festival Virtual Factory
Tai Shani, The Neon Hieroglyph (still), 2021 Tai Shani: The Neon Hieroglyph – Online with Manchester International Festival Virtual Factory, online, Until 31 March 2022, free entry - Visit now
Turner Prize-winning artist Tai Shani takes us on an LSD-inspired hallucinatory journey across time and space. Prepare to have your consciousness expanded.
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3. Suzannah V Evans online book launch with Eleanor Rees
Poet Eleanor Rees. Photo by Elly Lucas. Book Launch - Suzannah V Evans, with Eleanor Rees, online, 6 May 2021, free entry - Find Out More
Liverpool-based Eleanor Rees reads at the online launch of Suzannah V Evans’ new pamphlet Brightwork, out with Guillemot Press, who are publishing Eleanor’s own next collection in 2022.
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4. MINDSCAPES: //OUTSIDEIN// – Theater DEGASTEN
Image courtesy of Theater DEGASTEN/SICK! Festival. -
5. Jhumpa Lahiri and Kamila Shamsie online at Manchester Literature Festival
Writer and translator Jhumpa Lahiri. Jhumpa Lahiri & Kamila Shamsie in Conversation, online, 20–27 May 2021, free entry - Find Out More
The latest spring guest to be welcomed by Manchester Literature Festival 2021 is the winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Jhumpa Lahiri, who will be in conversation with Women’s Prize-winning novelist Kamila Shamsie.
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6. The Hallé – Shostakovich’s Dazzling First
The Hallé -
7. Sons and Mothers online talk with Elizabeth Gaskell’s House
Poet Philip Larkin. Photo: Philip Larkin Society. Sons and Mothers: Lawrence, Larkin and the Maternal Muse, online, 26 May 2021, from £4 - Book now
Join poet Philip Watts to explore the work of two of the finest English writers of the 20th century. The talk will examine DH Lawrence’s relationship with his mother influenced his work and how that, in turn, affected Philip Larkin’s poetry some years later.
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8. Undine – Streaming on Curzon Home Cinema
Curzon -
9. Abandon Normal Devices Festival 2021
Toxicity's Reach, Mary Maggic, Dr Luiza Prado de. O Martins, and Sissel Marie Tonn Abandon Normal Devices Festival 2021, 27 May–11 July 2021, Tickets not yet on sale - Book now
Abandon Normal Devices Festival, the UK’s only roaming digital festival, resurfaces in 2021 with a new hybrid format, exploring the post-industrial landscapes of the Manchester Ship Canal and River Mersey.
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10. Digital Realness – Online with Site Gallery
Phantom, Sian Fan -
11. Art Classes in Didsbury with ColourWheel
ColourWheel Art Classes -
12. Curator’s Tour: Grayson’s Art Club
Manchester Art Gallery Curator's Tour: Grayson's Art Club, online, Until 30 June 2021, free entry - Visit now
Join Manchester Art Gallery’s Natasha Howes and Fiona Corridan for a curator’s tour of Grayson’s Art Club, featuring pieces that didn’t quite make it onto the Grayson’s Art Club Channel 4 show, but which are well worth a look!
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13. The Hallé – Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale
The Hallé -
14. Electric Dreams – Online with Venture Arts
Declan Leslie, untitled, pen on paper, 2019-20. -
15. Hidden Winter
Image courtesy of SBC Theatre. -
16. Doodle Den: Playful Protests Online
Doodle Den: Playful Protests at People's History Museum at People’s History Museum in Manchester, City Centre and online, Until 31 December 2021, free entry
The whole family can use the People’s History Museum’s online resources to creatively explore important topics including climate change, LGBT+ Pride and migrant rights.
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17. Sound Stage
Image courtesy of Naked Productions. -
18. NQ Jazz Live
NQ Jazz Live at The Stoller Hall, Manchester and online, 7 June–4 October 2021 - Book now
A massive programme of live jazz music, spanning venues across Manchester, has been announced as part of a collaborative series by NQ Jazz, The Stoller Hall and The Yard.
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19. The Hallé – Shostakovich’s Dazzling First
The Hallé -
20. Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché at HOME
HOME Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 17 May 2021, from £9.99 - Book now
An unconventional subject demands an unconventional treatment — this new documentary explores the life and times of punk rock icon Poly Styrene.
More in Activity
Damien Hirst at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Experience YBA artist Damien Hirst’s towering and provocative outdoor sculptures at Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Trading Station: how hot drinks shape our lives at Manchester Art Gallery
Trading Station at Manchester Art Gallery charts the history and changing social role of hot drinks in our lives.
These Lancashire Women are Witches in Politics with The Turnpike
A collaborative project that takes inspiration from the history of the Leigh Female Reformers of 1819 and the monstrous representations of them in the media of the time.
Posters from the Irish civil rights era – Online with the Working Class Movement Library
Working Class Movement Library presents an online exhibition of powerful posters made by young activists fighting for civil rights in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
Hamilton – Streaming on Disney Plus
Politically charged with a hip-hop soundtrack, there is no doubt that this filmed performance is one of the most eagerly anticipated releases of 2020.
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.
Don McCullin at Tate Liverpool
Tate Liverpool presents a major retrospective of work by Don McCullin, widely considered to be one of the greatest photojournalists of our time.
Psappha 2020/21 Concert Season
Psappha’s 2020–21 season explores the sharpest and smartest sounds in contemporary classical music, presented in concert and streamed online for free.
Aid Workers: Ethics Under Fire at Imperial War Museum North
Aid Workers: Ethics Under Fire at Imperial War Museum North takes a close look at the moral dilemmas surrounding overseas aid.
Culture Guides
Cinema in Manchester and the North
We look at online festivals, new streaming releases and some newly announced outdoor cinema screenings.
Exhibitions
A floating festival, an LSD-inspired journey across space and time, an exhibition curated by GCHQ – there’s plenty to look forward to this month.
Literature
As the land of live literature tentatively opens the door a crack, we have some talks and walks IRL to flag up and a whole host of online dates for your diary this May, a jam-packed month of festival readings, digital book launches and spoken word showcases…
Classical Music in Manchester and the North
We preview the standout classical music events and venues in Manchester and the north.
Food and Drink in Manchester and the North
It’s the March edition of the Food and Drink Guide to Manchester and the North and things are slowly starting to feel more promising. Spring is here, the weather is mostly warming up and in just a few weeks we’ll be allowed to eat and drink outside at venues with outside space.
Tours and Activities
The days are getting longer, the sun is shining brighter and the flowers of spring have truly sprung. We’re welcoming in the new season with a guide of Tours and Activities that will inspire you to make, learn and move.
Related Guides
Welcome Back Manchester
Manchester’s art venues and cultural spaces are reopening in summer 2021 after a tough year of lockdown. Here’s everything you need to know.
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Beer Gardens in Manchester & Salford
Beer Gardens are going to be a vital part of going out over the next few months. Here’s our guide to the best in Manchester.
Things to do in Sunderland
A guide catering to the rich experiences on offer in Sunderland, from fine-dining and brunch spots to historic properties and museums.
Things to do in Durham
A selection of attractions, restaurants, cafes and hot-spots on offer in the historic and aesthetic scenery of County Durham.
Online events
Discover the best things to do online from the organisations we love in Manchester and the North.
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