Cultural Calendar 2019

Swim For Restoration at Victoria Baths at Victoria Baths, Manchester, 7–8 September 2019, from £15 - Book now

Jump into the restoration of Victoria Baths literally as they open the pool for swimmers once again.

Yorkshire Sculpture International 2019 at The Hepworth Wakefield, 22 June–29 September 2019, free entry - Visit now

Billed as the UK’s largest dedicated sculpture festival, the inaugural edition of Yorkshire Sculpture International seems rich in promise.

Aphex Twin Curates at Mayfield Depot, Manchester, 20 September 2019, from £40.15 - Book now

Aphex Twin presents his first-ever curated show, which will see Nina Kravitz, Lee Gamble and Aleksi Perälä perform alongside the king of IDM himself.

Keith Haring at Tate Liverpool, Waterfront, 14 June–10 November 2019, from £12.5 - Book now

Featuring more than 70 artworks, Tate Liverpool presents the first major UK exhibition of work by the legendary New York artist and activist Keith Haring.

LOOK Photo Biennial — Chapter One: Transplant at Victoria Gallery and Museum, 6 June–25 September 2019, free entry - Visit now

Open Eye Gallery presents LOOK Photo Biennial 2019: a major programme of photography-based exhibitions taking place across Liverpool, the Wirral and Shanghai.

GoGo Penguin: Koyaanisqatsi at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Manchester, 27 October 2019, from £19.50 - Book now

GoGo Penguin present a live performance of their original score to Godfrey Reggio’s cult film Koyaanisqatsi, alongside a full screening at RNCM.

, 18 January 2019–3 May 2020, free entry

Whether Liverpool Biennial 2018 passed you by or you diligently ticked-off every last one of its multiple offerings (if so; bravo), the Liverpool Biennial Northern England Tour seems unlikely to disappoint.

Manchester Art Fair 2019 at Manchester Central Convention Centre, City Centre, 11–13 October 2019, from £5 - Book now

One of the largest and most prestigious art fairs in the country, the Manchester Art Fair and The Manchester Contemporary weekend is not to be missed.

A World Inside a Book: Gruffalo, Dragons and Other Creatures at Z-arts, Manchester, 12 February–26 October 2019, from £6 - Book now

The UK’s first immersive exhibition of the much-loved tales of Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler. Expect enchanting forests, miniature towns and watery worlds.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh: making the Glasgow Style at Walker Art Gallery, City Centre, 15 March–26 August 2019, from £2 - Book now

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.

Red Dust Road at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 11–21 September 2019, from £10.00 - Book now

Balancing warmth with a straight-talking honesty, Jackie Kay’s Red Dust Road receives its world premiere in a new stage adaptation by Tanika Gupta.

Manchester Food & Drink Festival 2019, 26 September–7 October 2019, free entry - Find Out More

For this year’s MFDF, in late September to early October, a whole host of events will be happening across the city, not just the hub – which has been relocated to Cathedral Gardens. From art galleries to rooftop bars to fine dining to foraging there’s something for everyone.

Kimsooja: To Breathe at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, 30 March–29 September 2019, free entry - Visit now

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, Manchester, 18 May–15 December 2019, free entry - Visit now

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.

Sol Calero at Tate Liverpool, Waterfront, 14 June–10 November 2019, free entry - Visit now

Tate Liverpool presents a new commission by Berlin-based artist Sol Calero, whose work takes the form of brightly coloured, large-scale immersive installations. Her playful compositions transform the gallery into spaces of social interaction and exchange.

Guy Garvey and Simon Armitage In Conversation at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Manchester, 13 October 2019, from £18 - Book now

Manchester Literature Festival is back for a 14th year, running 4-20 October, and including a music-themed thread. As part of this, the newly appointed Poet Laureate Simon Armitage talks all things writing with Elbow frontman Guy Garvey – is writing poetry like writing songs, who influences them and how does artistic collaboration benefit their work?

Manchester International Festival 2019 at Albert Square, City Centre, 1–18 July 2021, from £12.00 - Book now

So far Manchester International Festival have announced that Yoko Ono, Idris Elba and Skepta are among the artists set to feature in the 2019 programme. We’ll let you know as and when more of the line-up is revealed.

Jerry Springer - The Opera at Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester, 8–31 August 2019, from £20.00 - Book now

Not for the faint-hearted or easily offended, expect chaos and debauchery to ensue in this smash-hit musical based on the infamous talk show. Coming to Hope Mill Theatre this August.

Grimmfest 2016 at Odeon Great Northern, City Centre, 3–6 October 2019, from £20.00 - Book now

A longstanding fixture in Manchester’s cinema calendar, Grimmfest has made its name providing film fans with the latest and greatest in cult, horror and fantasy cinema. Check back for full programme details, but expect a line-up chock full of special guests and premieres.

The Winter Droving at Penrith Old Fire Station, Cumbria, 26 October 2019, free entry - Find Out More

An incredible wonderland of outdoor arts, masquerade and pint carrying competitions in Penrith.

Out of Order at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 13–15 November 2019, from £10.00 - Book now

Earlier this month Forced Entertainment announced that they would be taking their new work on a UK Tour later this year. Luckily for us, Out of Order stops off at HOME this autumn.