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Manchester’s ‘most energetic’ live art competition is back next month

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Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 7th May 2025

The city’s most energetic live art event is coming back to a Greater Manchester centre next month.

Art Battle Manchester will see artists battle both the clock and each other for a night filled with live art, delicious local street food and drinks, and plenty of entertainment.

If you’re unfamiliar with the event, Art Battle Manchester was first established in 2013 and has since seen more than 250 artists step up to the challenge in unique locations across Manchester, including the likes of Albert Hall, Victoria Baths, and London Road Fire Station – with no venue being used twice, which organisers say offers a ‘fresh and original’ experience.

It’s an evening of fast-paced art and entertainment, featuring painters, illustrators, tattooists, street artists, and other creatives in a head-to-head spectacle like no other.

Manchester’s ‘most energetic’ live art competition is back next month / Credit: Supplied

Set to take over Stretford Mall, in what is one of the last opportunities to explore the complex after hours and experience the building like never before, the space will be transformed into an artistic battle zone for 10 talented painters, who’ll have half an hour to create a masterpiece in front of a live audience.

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Each of the artists will be elevated on individual stages, making it the very first promenade-style Art Battle – and a totally unique event.

Residents of Stretford and beyond are invited to take their place in the live audience at the hugely-popular event when it arrives next month and cast their votes for their favourite artistic creations, all before the created artworks get auctioned at the end of the competition.

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Half of the funds raised from the auction go to the winning artist, and the other half are donated to a local charity. 

The Art Battle’s collaboration with Stretford town centre is not only the latest in a long line of iconic artistic partnerships that have taken place in the town over the years, but it will also celebrate the future of the town’s unique creativity with an exhibition from Trafford College art students installed for the duration of the event.

“When the opportunity arose to bring the battle to Stretford Mall, we couldn’t resist,” commented John Macauley.

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“As well as the painty shenanigans we’ll be bringing together some of Stretford’s finest independents serving an array of food and drink to the crowd.”

Art Battle MCR is coming to Stretford Mall next month on 20 June, and tickets are now on sale here.

Featured Image – Supplied

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A brand new grunge and hard rock festival is kicking off in Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones Broken Knees Fest 2025 Manchester

Manchester grungers, hardcore heads, and fans of all things rock, pay attention because there is a brand new festival coming to the city centre – and it has possibly the best name for a live music event we’ve heard in some time.

Ahem… let us introduce you to Broken Knees Fest.

Yes, donning a name that feels increasingly more relatable the closer we get to the wrong side of 30, Broken Knees Festival 2025 marks the inaugural edition of Manchester’s newest series of rock and grunge gigs, helping spotlight rising artists across the genres from within two crucial grassroots venues.

Very loud music inside tightly-packed, small-capacity rooms? It’s a winning formula that never fails. It’s about time we broke a sweat – here’s hoping the knees just about hold out.

Hosted in the heart of the Northern Quarter, which continues to thrive as a creative hub for new music and art of all forms, the festival will be debuting at small-cap favourites Gullivers and Castle Hotel just across the road.

As you can see, the lineup is full of up-and-coming talent within the guitar-driven space, but you can bank on more than a few bringing their die-hard fans to fill the place out to the rafters.

It doesn’t matter if you prefer punk, hardcore, grunge or another specific sub-genre found somewhere in between the ever-sprawling rock spectrum, there’s something to suit all alternative tastes at this one.

With the likes of Bohmen, Mavis, One Dimensional Creatures and Smother headlining the first-ever iteration of the festival across four stages, you can expect plenty of energy and even more noise.

Set up by the events group of the same name, Broken Knees Promotions, who help platform rock and alt acts across Greater Manchester and beyond year-round, this is more than just a festival: it’s a grassroots celebration through and through.

Best of all, if you’re interested, you don’t have to wait long because it’s kicking off next month.

castle hotel gigs
gullivers gigs manchester
Gigs go off in here. If you know, you know… (Credit: Audio North)

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Broken Knees Fest 2025 is happening on the weekend of 21-22 June, and you’ll be glad to hear that, as a brand new event, prices have been kept nice and low.

The early bird window had prices starting from just £12, and although this tier has now sold out, day tickets are still only £15 while a full weekend pass will set you back £25.

You can grab yours HERE.

Until then, why not dive into another load of new Manchester music? We round up artists from all genres each month; we’ll also confess to leaning slightly more towards the heavier stuff from time to time.

Five Manchester artists we’ve been listening to this month | April 2025
More coming at the end of May.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Press shots (supplied)

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Tyler, The Creator at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for CHROMAKOPIA tour

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Tyler, The Creator is returning to Manchester and playing in the city’s newest live entertainment venue, Co-op Live.

The last time Tyler – or Mr Creator, if you will – found himself in our gorgeous city was just over two years ago when he headlined Parklife, sharing the bill with 50 Cent and Megan Thee Stallion as well as many more.

Now, he is playing his magnificent ‘CHROMAKOPIA’ album live as part of his world tour of the same name at none other than Co-op Live.

Tyler, The Creator gig guide

Tyler, The Creator is playing Co-op Live, Manchester, on 27 and 28 May.
Tyler, The Creator is playing Co-op Live, Manchester, on 27 and 28 May.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Tyler, The Creator UK tour dates

  • Sat 17 May – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Mon 19 May – London, UK – The O2
  • Wed 21 May – London, UK – The O2
  • Thu 22 May – London, UK – The O2
  • Tue 27 May – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Wed 28 May – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Fri 30 May – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
  • Sat 31 May – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro

Tyler, The Creator tickets for Co-op Live gig

If you’re after catching Mr Creator live in the flesh, this one might be tricky as there’s a hefty amount of people wanting to do the same thing, tickets for his 27 May show can be found HERE.

It’s a good thing he’s playing two dates otherwise getting your hands on tickets might’ve been sticky, you can browse all the options for 28 May date HERE.

Tyler, The Creator set list

  • St. Chroma
  • Rah Tah Tah
  • Noid
  • Darling, I
  • I Killed You
  • Judge Judy
  • Sticky
  • Take Your Mask Off
  • Tomorrow
  • EARFQUAKE
  • I THINK
  • Yonkers
  • Tron Cat
  • She
  • Tamale
  • Rusty
  • IFHY
  • LUMBERJACK
  • I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE
  • DOGTOOTH
  • SORRY NOT SORRY
  • Who Dat Boy
  • WUSYANAME
  • Thought I Was Dead
  • Like Him
  • See You Again
  • NEW MAGIC WAND
  • I Hope You Find Your Way Home

There are three tracks that act as interludes throughout the show too: ‘IGOR’S THEME’, ‘A BOY IS A GUN’ and ‘THANK YOU’.

What are the stage times for Tyler, The Creator in Manchester?

Tyler, The Creator is coming to Manchester and we're sure he'll be wearing something equally snazzy.
Tyler, The Creator is coming to Manchester and we’re sure he’ll be wearing something equally snazzy.

Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm meaning the ‘Flower Boy’ has enough time to sing ‘I Hope You Find Your Way Home’ while you get under the covers before midnight.

Anyone attending can expect the doors to open at 6pm with a kick-off time of 8pm and support from local Manchester talent Just Yaz hyping the crowd up beforehand.

There will also be special guest appearances from Lil Yachty and Paris Texas.

How to get to Co-op Live

Tram

For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.

Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.

Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bus

You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.

Getting there by car and parking

If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.

The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.

Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day, though estimates will obviously vary:

  • Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
  • Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
  • Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.

There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:

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  • Ashton Moss (Ashton line) – 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces
  • Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
  • Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces

Walk/cycle

Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.

Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.

For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images – Wikimedia Commons / Publicity Pictures (via Supplied)

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