Online things to do in Manchester and the North – Online events

Nigel Slater's 'Toast', online, Until 31 July 2020, from £10.00 - Book now

A truly delicious digital theatre experience. Part radio play, part animated film – and every foodie’s dream – this hugely successful play has been adapted for you to enjoy at home.

Elders Mondays Spring Summer 2020 with the Royal Exchange, online, Until 17 August 2020, from £3.00 - Book now

Our good friends at the Royal Exchange Theatre have been working hard to bring their Elders Monday sessions online. Reach out, stay connected and remain creative.

Manchester Craft and Design Centre: Craft at Home at Manchester Craft & Design Centre, Manchester and online, Until 31 August 2020, free entry - Visit now

‘Craft at Home’ is a new online space where you can continue to support Manchester Craft & Design Centre’s resident makers, pick-up bespoke gifts, and get busy with bee-related craft.

Sheffield Doc/Fest, online, Until 30 November 2020, free entry - Visit now

Having taken place in Sheffield annually in June, this year Sheffield Doc/Fest extends its activities throughout the rest of the year – both in Sheffield and virtually.

Jonathan Schofield's Zoom Tours Series, online, Until 25 July 2020, from £6 - Book now

Jonathan Schofield embraces the new normal with The Zoom Tours Series, taking his knowledge of Manchester into the virtual world for you to enjoy from your living room.

The Degree Show on Mars, online, Until 31 August 2020, free entry - Visit now

Dust of your space helmets and prepare for take-off. Graduating art students from Liverpool John Moores University present: ‘The Degree Show on Mars’ – a multiverse exhibition responding to the many challenges we are currently facing back on Earth.

Word Central, online, Until 20 August 2020, free entry - Visit now

In association with Flapjack Press and Manchester Libraries, Word Central Open Mic Poetry and Spoken Word heads online fortnightly, with a sign-up-in-advance open mic and a guest poet at each event.

What it is to be here: Colonisation and Resistance – Online at The Portico Library, online, Until 27 July 2020, free entry - Visit now

The Portico Library marks 250 years since British explorer James Cook first landed on the shores of what we now call Australia with an online exhibition that explores the history of violence and resistance that followed.

The Gardener Digs in Another Time – Online, online, Until 1 May 2021, free entry - Visit now

The Whitworth in Manchester invites you to step into the garden as subject with an online version of its 2016 exhibition, The Gardener Digs in Another Time.

Judy Chicago, online, Until 31 August 2020, free entry - Visit now

BALTIC presents an online edition of its major retrospective on Judy Chicago – one of the most important feminist artists of the last half-century.

The Living Planet – Online at FACT, Liverpool, online, Until 31 March 2021, free entry - Visit now

FACT’s year-long programme, The Living Planet, seems even more timely than first imagined – and has been created for people to interact with and enjoy remotely for free online.

Revisit David Lynch's HOME Takeover, online, Until 31 August 2020, free entry - Visit now

Last summer, David Lynch took over HOME with his art, film, music and more! Every corner of HOME was inhabited by a Lynchian spirit for Manchester International Festival.

Bill Brandt / Henry Moore, online, Until 31 August 2020 - Book now

The Hepworth Wakefield is currently closed due to the ongoing situation with Coronavirus, however, its major exhibition bringing together over 200 works by Bill Brandt and Henry Moore can still be enjoyed online!

Grimmfest TV, online, Until 31 August 2020, free entry - Visit now

Grimmfest TV is a new online channel from the people behind Grimmfest, Manchester’s horror and fantasy film festival. Each week at least two new films will be added to the channel, and all films will remain available to view for free, until lockdown is over.

Homemakers, online, Until 31 December 2020 - Book now

HOME have invited theatre and live art makers to create new works at home, for an audience who are also at home.

Band on the Wall: World of Music Programme, online, Until 15 July 2020, free entry - Visit now

Band on the Wall’s new online programme features instrumental lessons, an interactive choir, and tutorials on how to play tunes from around the world.

Wake Up Together, online, Until 31 August 2020, free entry - Visit now

Travel back in time and explore a VR-edition of Open Eye Gallery’s hugely popular 2018-19 exhibition, ‘Wake Up Together’, featuring work by Ren Hang and Robin Hammond; two artists who both champion the rights of every person to love who they want and respectfully live as they wish.

Cinemas are closed right now. We’ll be back front and centre when they reopen but in the meantime, here are top picks of things to stream to the small screen.

Be Inspired - Online, online, Until 6 September 2020, free entry - Visit now

Be Inspired with Manchester Art Gallery is a collection of activities gathered by their team to help inspire your creativity at home.

WEB/SITE, online, Until 31 August 2020, free entry - Visit now

Site Gallery presents WEB/SITE – an online programme of events and activity engaging with contemporary artists and ideas.

Makar to Makar with Jackie Kay, online, Until 27 August 2020, free entry - Visit now

Weekly online show hosted by the Scottish poet laureate Jackie Kay talking to another guest “makar” or maker every episode about their work and influences, with readings of both new and old poems, and music from one of three resident singers.

Abel Rodríguez, online, Until 31 August 2020, free entry - Visit now

Travel to the depths of the South American rainforest with a visit to Abel Rordriguez’s first solo exhibition, presented online at BALTIC Plus.

STRIP! Football Exhibition Goes Online, online, Until 25 December 2020, free entry - Visit now

The National Football Museum presents a major online exhibition of football shirts. Enjoy in-depth analysis, opinion, and discussion by the exhibition curators and shirt industry insiders into what makes certain shirts so special.

No Such Thing – the distance edition, online, Until 15 July 2020, free entry - Visit now

Hosted by Quarantine, a Manchester-based award-winning theatre and performance company, No Such Thing – The Distance Edition is an online version of their monthly get-together.

Rock Against Racism, online, Until 31 August 2020, free entry - Visit now

Syd Shelton: Rock Against Racism had only been open for days at Gallery Oldham before the venue closed due to the ongoing situation with Coronavirus. Thanks to the hard work of the team at Gallery Oldham and the collaboration of Syd Shelton, the exhibition can now be enjoyed online.

Anthony Burgess on Tape, online, Until 31 December 2020, free entry - Visit now

Anthony Burgess on Tape is an online exhibition from the International Anthony Burgess Foundation comprising of 1,094 cassettes and 87 reel-to-reel tapes from one of Manchester’s greatest and most prolific writers.

Online Talent Development Surgeries, online, Until 31 July 2020, free entry - Visit now

HOME are also still there for Talent Development Surgeries, now online of course, you can book in for a 30min Zoom chat with one of their team.

Manchester Museum, The University Of Manchester, Oxford Rd, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M13 9PL - Visit now

Manchester Museum has uploaded their digital content onto a new mobile site so that you can explore their collection from your home.  Head t0 their new site for entertainment and education until they reopen.

DigiFest / Manchester Histories Festival 2020 – Online, 4–5 September 2020, free entry - Find Out More

Until Manchester Histories Festival returns in the autumn, you can read the Peterloo Anthology, which showcases the talent of young people involved in the Radical Read project. They have also made two short videos highlighting the Peterloo 2019 programme and From the Crowd.

Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M15 6JA - Visit now

Contact is offering some inspiration over on their website. For the next seven weeks, seven freelance artists will each suggest seven creative ideas to help you Take Notice – a different idea every day.

Manchester’s libraries are not open, but you can discover all the free digital resources available from them here. There’s also plenty of ideas on their social media channels.

Bluedot Festival 2020 CANCELLED at Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, 23–26 July 2020, from £59.75 - Book now

With Bluedot officially postponed until next year (with headliners intact) they have been working on trying to bring the festival experience to your living room. Over the coming weeks, they’ll have a series of takeovers from some of their best-loved artists.

Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M2 3JL - Visit now

There’s a lot of Manchester Art Gallery’s collection online for you to explore, we’re particularly impressed with their audio guides site, which includes four guided mindfulness sessions.

The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, Salford, Manchester, M50 3AZ - Visit now

The Lowry is closed but is looking for new ways to inspire. Their blog offers some ideas of how to keep yourself busy during these unusual times.

The Hepworth Wakefield, Gallery Walk, Wakefield, Yorkshire, WF1 5AW - Visit now

The building is closed but The Hepworth Wakefield Garden will remain open for people to enjoy. The team will continue to provide inspiring creative content online and will be involving artists and our communities in their digital programming.