Things to do in September

Prepare for lift-off this summer at the Science and Industry Museum with a line-up of free, out-of-this-world family fun.

Within Chorlton’s Southern Cemetery lie fascinating stories, beautiful architectural details, and the inspiration behind one of The Smith’s best songs.

Nancy Collantine’s paintings begin as drawings of Northern landscapes, then move away from the view itself, toward gesture, layers and chance.

O2 Apollo becomes Pysch Fest’s main stage for the first time, with Billy Nomates and bdrmm heading the final wave.

Four open-air productions, films under the stars and frozen cocktails in the park – Chester’s doing summer right.

Four editions in, the Manchester Open has become both a biennial survey of the region’s creative output and a genuine leveller for artistic talent.

History, power and empire collide in Button Up! – Aviva Studios’ major new exhibition by the world-leading artist and activist, Ai Weiwei.

An exhibition uses an elusive creature from Chinese folklore to think about what it means to be an artist.