As a nation we love things involving jam. Whether it’s jamming out to our favourite song, jam on toast, and now Stockport’s inaugural Paint Jam.
This huge event covers a 1km walking tour from Merseyway to GRIT Studios on Canal Street, with four different locations hosting their own taste of Stockport culture.
There’ll be a variety of activities taking place across the walk, with breakdancers, food and drink options, and DJs keeping you company as you immerse yourself in everything the Greater Manchester borough has to offer.
Akse P19, Qubek, Hammo, Liam Bonini, Caroline Daly, and Kelzo are some of the artists involved.
All the four spaces will feature street artists, with the Canal Street boasting more than 20 creatives alongside music and refreshments.
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Manchester‘s-own Inspiral Carpets keyboard player, Clint Boon, will be part of the DJs on site providing ambience for the festival, perhaps incorporating sounds of the 90s ‘Madchester’ movement.
Radio 5 Live’s Nihal Arthanayake will also be attending as one of the event’s resident DJs.
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This time last year, Stockport invited Argentinian artists to transform a 70 metre wall into a vibrant art installation called ‘La Boca to La Stocka’, depicting stories from the respective cultures, and more than 1,000 people attended with just less than six days notice.
This year’s event though is set to be on a much larger scale.
“This project is about knitting together, building on, and extending the Creative Quarter linking Canal Street to Hopes Carr,” says John Macaulay, who is the co-founder of GRIT Studios and Art Battle Manchester.
“Last year, 1,400 people attended with only six days’ notice, which was fantastic. We’re aiming to make this year’s Paint Jam bigger, better, and more vibrant, creating a well-defined cultural corridor that bursts with world-class street art.”
The Bridgewater Hall is hosting a free dementia-friendly music festival this week
Thomas Melia
A festival which is all about being dementia-friendly is happening at a renowned Manchester music venue this week.
The So Many Beauties Festival – which is presented by and titled after charity organisation, So Many Beauties – has been curated for the Bridgewater Hall, and will see 30 organisations, all of which offer support to people living with dementia across Greater Manchester, descend on the international concert venue for the special music event.
So Many Beauties was founded in 2016 with the goal of championing creativity and helping to make people living with dementia’s voices be heard.
Throughout the duration of the festival, visitors can enjoy many interactive opportunities.
There’ll be live performances, workshops, arts activities, and more – with the event even having support and advice provided by professional organisations who work in dementia care.
The main aim of this musical experience is to use music to better connections, creativity, and wellbeing for people living with dementia.
Visitors can try their hand at screen printing festival tote bags and making themselves a lovely flower crown, while there are also workshops and performances giving people the chance to sing, dance, and make their own music, or just sit back and enjoy some great live shows from professional musicians.
There’ll even be a showcase of new music composed by people living with dementia on the day too.
Outside The Bridgewater Hall at night / Credit: The Bridgewater Hall
Speaking ahead of the event this week, Andrew Nesbitt, who is the Community Engagement Manager at The Bridgewater Hall, said: “Showcasing and celebrating the amazing creativity and music of dementia groups from across Greater Manchester is really special for us.
“We can’t wait to welcome So Many Beauties and the hundreds of participants, performers and festival-goers to The Bridgewater Hall”
So Many Beauties Festival is coming to The Bridgewater Hall this Friday 20 September, and those interested can find tickets here.
Featured Image – So Many Beauties (via Supplied)
Art & Culture
Legendary composer Hans Zimmer is coming to Manchester for his Co-op Live debut in 2025
Clementine Hall
Hans Zimmer, the multi-Oscar and Grammy-winning composer and music producer is bringing his brand-new European tour to Manchesternext year.
We all know the work of Hans Zimmer, and even if you think you don’t, you most definitely do.
The man behind the most significant film scores of the past 30 years, from Inception and Dunkirk, to Dune, The Dark Knight, No Time to Die and countless others, there’s simply no denying this legend has been the soundtrack to our cinematic lives for more than three decades now.
Hans Zimmer is now bringing his unprecedented show, ‘The Next Level’, to Manchester but for Co-op Live in another first for the state-of-the-art entertainment arena.
The Next Level promises a completely new show featuring groundbreaking electronic soundscapes and an incredible light production that will be a real feast for all the senses.
Manchester is just one of five dates split across November and December in the UK and Ireland, including Leeds, Glasgow, Dublin and London.
Speaking ahead of the tour, Zimmer said: “For me, every show is a new journey of discovery. With The Next Level, I want to surprise my fans and take them into a sound world like they’ve never experienced before.”
Kicking off the tour in Yorkshire, the new show represents Zimmer’s relentless drive to push artistic boundaries, explore new paths, and continuously evolve his sound.
Following a hugely successful European tour in 2023, when the 67-year-old played the AO Arena and hailed his Manchester date as “the best party in the world” before returning to play it again this past April. This next date it’s sure to be a show you don’t want to miss out on.
‘Hans Zimmer Live – The Next Level’ is taking place on Tuesday, 2 December 2025 with general admission going live on Thursday, 26 September 2024 from 1pm.
If you’re a Co-op member, you can also gain access to the pre-sale tickets from Tuesday (24 September) by signing up for the waiting list.