Contact Theatre

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor

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Contact Theatre

Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6JA
0161 274 0600
  • Monday10:00am - 11:00pm
  • Tuesday10:00am - 11:00pm
  • Wednesday10:00am - 11:00pm
  • Thursday10:00am - 11:00pm
  • Friday10:00am - 11:00pm
  • Saturday3:00pm - 12:00am

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

exterior of Contact Theatre building
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Contact has long been the go-to place for emerging theatre in the city, with commissioned work here going on to high acclaim. Set back from the road but recognisable by its eccentric H-shaped turrets, there’s no other theatre like it in the country.

A £7m refurbishment of Contact was completed in 2020. Including the arrival of many new facilities, this refurb has paved the way for a phenomenal new programme of live performance, screenings, exhibitions and visual art, all helmed by an inspiring new Artistic Director, Keisha Thompson.

Contact Theatre
Contact Theatre’s new interior fit-out by Architects Sheppard Robson.

Contact houses a state-of-the-art recording studio, multiple performance and rehearsal spaces, and a dedicated, first-of-its-kind art and health area. The renovation has also improved the venue’s accessibility, upgraded the theatre and made the building more environmentally sustainable. A testament to Contact’s ethos of placing young people at the heart of its decision making, the makeover was overseen by Con:Struct, a team of bright young sparks who were involved in the renovation from the start.

Since re-opening, Contact has hosted a number of food vendors, from Tikka Chance On Me to Grub. Currently, you’ll find ARMR Café and Kitchen, who provide fresh authentic, plant-based Caribbean food to Contact audiences and visitors. Full of heart and soul, think jackfruit burgers, warming curries and Jamaican classics.

Contact has always been the place for emerging theatre, dance, spoken word, hip hop and digital performance mash-ups, and with this refresh, they’ll no doubt continue to inspire the next generation of audiences and young artists for many years to come.

What's on at Contact Theatre

What's on near Contact Theatre

jonathan schofield giving tour
Until
Manchester
The Kimpton Clocktower Tour

Explore the incredible history behind one of Britain’s grandest and most storied commercial buildings: Manchester’s Grade II listed Kimpton Clocktower Hotel.

From £20
Until
ExhibitionsStockport
Four-Fold Reverie at PINK

Four-Fold Reverie at PINK in Stockport is a solo exhibition by artist Pippa Eason, and encompasses sculpture, sound, scent and film.

Free entry
Lorna Goodison
LiteratureManchester
Poets & Players at Burgess Foundation

Poets & Players is a must-go for lovers of words and music, presenting poets established and emerging, with the autumn season kicking off with headline poet Lorna Goodison.

Free entry

Where to go near Contact Theatre

Manchester
Music venue
The Deaf Institute

The Deaf Institute is a vibrant gig venue and nightclub for which it is well worth taking a jaunt out of the Northern Quarter.

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Catalog Bookshop

Find Peter and his Christiania cargo bike around All Saints Park, a hop, skip and a bunnyhop from Manchester Poetry Library.

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Sandbar

Sandbar, just off Oxford Road in Manchester, is a well-loved watering hole, with a great selection of ales and some eccentric seating.

Johnny Roadhouse store
Manchester
Shop
Johnny Roadhouse

Buffeted by fried chicken outlets, legendary musical instrument emporium Johnny Roadhouse has been serving the local music community for over 50 years.

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Eighth Day

Eighth Day is a co-operative shop that sells ethically-sourced food, wine and cosmetics. There’s also café that serves hearty, healthy meals in the basement.

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The Proud Place

Based in the heart of Manchester on Sidney Street, The Proud Place houses The Proud Trust and serves as a community hub for the wider LGBT+ population across Greater Manchester and beyond.

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