What's on near ArtWork Atelier
Jonny Greenwood plays live the instrument that gave his Oscar-disqualified film debut its unmistakable, unforgettable voice.
From £34.50
Finding new things to say with one of the oldest instruments around, Jonny Greenwood’s eight-hour organ piece takes over Manchester Cathedral.
From £23.25
John Powell’s Oscar-nominated score, co-written with Sigur Rós’s Jónsi, gets a rare live-to-picture performance this Christmas.
From £34.50
30 years after writing a piece for The Bridgewater Hall’s opening celebrations, Thomas Adès returns to conduct it alongside Stravinsky and a world premiere.
From £18.50
Silenced for 157 years after scandalising Paris, Offenbach’s political satire Barkouf finally gets its UK premiere in Manchester.
From £18.00
James MacMillan’s new symphony gets its world premiere as the Hallé opens its 2026/27 season, alongside Beethoven’s finest concerto.
From £18.50
A landmark of modern British theatre returns, balancing razor-sharp comedy with a compassionate exploration of family, identity and belonging.
From £17.00
Jen Heyes and Kit Green breathe thrilling new life into Virginia Woolf’s modernist classic with an inventive theatrical reimagining.
From £16.20Where to go near ArtWork Atelier
at Aviva Studios
An Ai Weiwei-inspired menu at Aviva Studios’ dining space The Social, balancing East Asian small plates with a teahouse-style atmosphere.
Busy backstreet Sicilian restaurant in the Northern Quarter, serving up traditional dishes with well-executed vegan versions that more than match up.
Marriott’s huge new Deansgate hotel pairs heritage archway with a gleaming tower, complete with sweeping views across and beyond the city.
A 5-star countryside retreat complete with spa, golf course, luxury rooms, club lounge and a Gordon Ramsay restaurant.
Japanese sushi and ramen restaurant on High Street, Northern Quarter, founded by Teddy Lee. House-made noodles, eight-hour broths, plus sushi, donburi and vegan options.
A hidden gem in the suburbs of Greater Manchester, serving high-level British small plates to a soundtrack of indie rock and roll.
Historic Hulme pub with a very good live gig space, brought to you by the very capable team behind YES, Gorilla, Now Wave and Manchester Psych Fest.
Pigeon Beer Wanderer brings wine-level ceremony to Manchester’s new “Beermuda Triangle”, courtesy of Joshua Lightfoot and his crack team of booze experts.
The exhibition arm of Manchester indie bookshop UNITOM is a dedicated space for contemporary visual culture in the St John’s neighbourhood.
at Chorlton Water Park
Relaxed waterside cafe spin-off of the main Tibetan Kitchen restaurant on Upper Chorlton Road.
Portfolio is a Champagne boutique on Manchester’s Bridge Street, offering a set menu of fine-dining small bites.
at Bridge 5 Mill
Cameroonian chef Ngwafu Tansie brings allotment-grown, plant-based cooking to Bridge 5 Mill’s solar-powered Ancoats venue, pairing bobolo with cabbage parcels and live vinyl.
Culture Guides
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Step away from the usual. Tours and activities that spark curiosity, inspire creativity and offer something refreshingly different.