10 of the best art and culture events happening in Manchester this summer
Looking to fill up your diaries and support the region's arts and culture venues over the next couple of months? Here are some of the top events happening in Manchester.
Manchester is a city with so much to be proud of – and our renowned arts and culture venues are no different.
Now that the county’s so-called ‘Freedom Day’ has brought with it the most significant lifting of restrictions since the COVID-19 pandemic first began – with changes to mask wearing, social distancing, and mass gathering – some much-needed normality has been restored for our arts and culture sector.
From museums and art galleries, to theatres, pop-up festivals, music venues and comedy clubs, there’s so many venues throughout our region that are now thriving and in full swing, and to show our support for these venues, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best events happening this summer.
So if you’re looking to fill up your diaries over the next couple of months, here’s our pick of the bunch, in no particular order.
The exhibition also examines the period 1978 to 1982, revealing how the label grew and thrived to give the city an authentic voice and distinctive identity, and visitors will be guided through the pre-Haçienda years to uncover the history of the label and how it earned its status as a catalyst for innovation through rarely or never-before-seen objects.
The first 50 artefacts from the official Factory Records catalogue are on display, including creations from Joy Division, New Order, The Durutti Column, and so much more.
Beat the Frog is the legendary amateur comedy night that takes place every Monday at Manchester’s iconic Frog and Bucket Comedy Club, and has helped to launch the careers of some of comedy’s biggest names – including Peter Kay, John Bishop, Johnny Vegas, Smug Roberts, and more.
At the start of the competition, three cards are handed out to lucky members of the audience, and up to 10 acts will then take to the stage and each try to do five minutes of material. If within those five minutes all three cards go up, then the act has lost and must leave the stage – but if the three cards stay down, that act has successfully ‘Beat The Frog’.
They are then invited back to the stage for a clap off at the end of the night – which will determine the overall winner.
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It’s been named the “most unpredictable comedy night in the north”.
You can find more information, and grab your tickets here.
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3. At Home With The Pankhurst Family
Pankhurst Centre
Geograph | Wikimedia Commons
A new permanent exhibition titled has been unveiled at the Pankhurst Centre for the summer to coincide with the grand reopening of the venue.
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Having been temporarily closed since the first lockdown was announced all the way back in March 2020, the museum and birthplace of the Suffragette movement has begun the process of welcoming the Greater Manchester public back through its doors for “a brand new visitor experience”.
Local community groups will be given a four-week preview of the new exhibition – titled At Home With The Pankhurst Family – before it opens to the wider public later in August.
Entry to the museum is free, with a suggested donation of £5.
Renowned Manchester artist DJ Paulette is currently hosting a jam-packed show called Together on The Bruntwood Stage at HOME MCR’s brand-new, festival-style outdoor events hub, Homeground, this summer.
The weekly event is said to “shine like a beacon of hope into our community, social lives and calendar.”
From 5pm – 7pm every weekday evening, The Bruntwood Stage hosts a stellar array of talent old and new from Greater Manchester’s homegrown, rich, diverse, and musical heritage – including the brightest stars from the club, alternative, pop, RnB, soul, and electronic arenas.
You can find more information about the acts on the weekly lineups, and book your tickets here.
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5. English Football Hall of Fame
National Football Museum
https://www.instagram.com/p/CR3lgWiIzPG/
If you’re looking for somewhere that’s packed with interactive activities, the National Football Museum is the perfect place to grab your squad and head on down to.
The iconic Cathedral Gardens-based venue has announced a number of exclusive new exhibitions, galleries and objects for the summer, including the stand-out English Football Hall of Fame – which is the first time the museum has put on a full-scale exhibition showcasing some of the people who’ve made an outstanding contribution to the beautiful game, both on and off the pitch.
You can find more information, and grab your tickets here.
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6. The Play That Goes Wrong
The Lowry
The Lowry
Mischief Theatre’s multi award-winning international smash hit comedy The Play That Goes Wrong is returning to The Lowry following its sell-out success in 2017.
The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society are putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong… does. As the accident-prone thespians battle on against all the odds to reach their final curtain call, hilarious results ensue.
Hailed “a gut-busting hit” by the New York Times, The Play That Goes Wrong has won a host of celebrity endorsements from the likes of Joanna Lumley who said “we laughed until the tears ran down our faces”, to Ant & Dec, who branded it “the funniest show we’ve seen”.
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You can find more information, and grab your tickets here.
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7. The Long Waited, Weighted, Gathering
Manchester Jewish Museum
Alys Williams | Michael Pollard
Manchester Jewish Museum has finally reopened its doors to the public following two years of forced closure and a huge £6 million refurbishment to the original Grade II-listed Portuguese and Spanish synagogue building, and as part of its grand reopening, the museum has partnered with the Manchester International Festival (MIF) to commission a new film and art installation by Turner Prize-winning artist Laure Prouvost.
The Long Waited, Weighted, Gathering installation aims to explore the long-lost voices of Manchester’s Jewish community in Cheetham Hill by transforming the historic synagogue’s The Ladies’ Gallery an immersive space.
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Prouvost has explored the museum’s extensive collection to discover the stories behind past congregants of the synagogue.
Top Secret: From Ciphers to Cybersecurity pores over a century’s worth of secret communications and intelligence in an exhibition containing over 100 objects from GCHQ and the Science Museum Group.
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The exhibition includes, for the first time, objects related to Alan Turing and his team’s work intercepting German comms at Bletchley Park.
Visitors can also explore how Britain protected its skies during WWI, how codes were cracked in WWII, and the ways in which intelligence agencies foiled one of the most successful spy rings operating during the Cold War.
An exhibition of works selected by renowned artist Grayson Perry during the popular Channel 4 TV series Grayson’s Art Club is currently on display at the city’s flagship art gallery.
All the works on display are very personal visual representations of lockdown, made by the public, well-known artists, and celebrities. This celebration of creativity in people’s homes chronicled the changing moods of Britain in isolation, providing a unique record of this globally experienced extraordinary time.
“This show is a crystallisation of the feelings and obsessions of artists from all over the country,” Grayson Perry said.
You can find more information, and grab tickets here.
Described as “the world’s most visited immersive, multi-sensory experience” that exhibits the life and work of the seminal Dutch artist, and having welcomed over eight million visitors in 70 cities around the world, the art and culture experience is now destined for Salford.
Opening from 22 October, Van Gogh Alive takes people on a trip through the periods of Van Gogh’s life that defined him as an artist – showcasing 3,000 images including iconic works like Starry Night, Sunflowers and lesser-known paintings inspired by his love of Japanese woodprints.
The exhibition also features state-of-the-art gallery technology set to an evocative classical score delivered via a 3D sound system.
There’s so much more happening across Greater Manchester this summer, and you can find out more about what’s on at 21 of the region’s arts and culture venues here.
StreamGM and The Manc have teamed up to show some some serious love and support to the region’s renowned theatres, nightclubs, and live-music venues with the launch of SeeGM – a digital campaign to shine a bright spotlight on many of the amazing events, club nights, gigs and shows in our region.
Featured Image – Visit Manchester | Science and Industry Museum
Art & Culture
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 12 – 18 January 2026
Emily Sergeant
It may be chilly out there, but January is really hotting up now.
Now that January is in full swing, we’re really not short of exciting activities and events to be getting up to right across Greater Manchester – with everything from smash-hit musicals to 360° walk-through projection shows happening this week.
Finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though? No worries. We’ve chosen a few of the highlights for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
Both free things and those that’ll set you back a few pennies are featured.
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The Great British Rail Sale
UK-wide
Monday 12 January
The Great British Rail Sale / Credit: Northern | Transpennine Express
The Great British Rail Sale has returned for 2026, with train ticket prices will be slashed by up to 50% or more – and this is your LAST DAY to make the most of it.
Millions of discounted train tickets for half term activities, weekend getaways, and even commuting are up for grabs, as the week-long rail sale – which has been running from 6 to 12 January 2026 – gives passengers the chance to save well over 50% on many advance and off-peak tickets.
The reduced fares can be used to travel on thousands of popular routes between 13 January and 25 March 2026.
Looking to escape the elements and have your mind boggled this winter? Sounds like a trip to Museum of Illusions is on the cards then.
It’s time to let your competitive side out – get ready to experience the city’s most unique attraction like never before. Race through the vortex, create the best mirror image, and complete the brain gym the fastest to win the dazzling trophy at the end.
Whether you’re team building with your work lot, or taking your mates for a bit of healthy competition, it’s a great one to have a go at.
A huge gaming event is happening in Manchester at the moment.
With more than 160 consoles and hundreds of games to play, Power UP at the Science and Industry takes ticket-holders on a journey through five decades of gaming, with everything from retro arcade games, to state-of-the-art virtual reality, and so much more.
Power UP is taking place each weekend only throughout this month, with each ticket including unlimited play all day.
Have you seen that Vue Manchester Quayside has had an ‘Ultra Lux’ upgrade?
Vue currently has 93 state-of-the-art cinemas throughout the UK and Ireland, totalling more than 850 screens – and the Quayside cinema is the latest to benefit from upgraded seating.
75 brand-new ‘Ultra Lux’ seats have been installed across seven screens, offering film fans what is, quite literally, the chance to sit in the best seats in the house, as each seat provides the very-best view of the big screen and comes with a host of premium features.
Some of these exciting premium features include extra-wide armrests, a personal table for snacks and drinks, your very-own beverage cooler, and even a back and legs that recline independently.
Fancy making the most of all the January dining deals on offer over these next couple of weeks?
The time has come again for Manchester’s restaurants and bars to slash their prices in a bid to entice customers to keep eating and drinking out all throughout January, and that means hundreds of places are offering up half-price scran, added freebies, or two-for-one offers this month.
There’s loads of offers beyond Manchester city centre too, as suburban gems are getting in on the action in 2026.
So whether you’re looking for a date night for less, an affordable family dinner, or a cheap eat after work with your mates, we’ve got you covered.
Read our massive round-up of January dining deals here.
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Got a sweet tooth? This’ll cure it.
There’s nothing quite like a hot chocolate to warm you up on a chilly winter’s day, but we guarantee you’ve never seen a hot chocolate quite like this anywhere else in Manchester… it’s quite literally, hot chocolate.
Head down to Salvi’s in the Corn Exchange for a proper Italian hot chocolate.
It’s the kind of treat that makes you forget all about New Year’s resolutions (at least for the afternoon anyway, we won’t tell anyone).
You can even pair it with one of their famous cannolis for the ultimate sweet treat combo. We dunked ours straight in, no messing about.
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SIX The Musical
Manchester Palace Theatre
Tuesday 13 – Saturday 17 January
SIX The Musical / Credit: ATG Tickets
SIX The Musical is arriving in Manchester this week.
The crowning glory of Broadway, the West End, and beyond, the international smash hit musical SIX makes its royal return to Manchester following its previous sold-out success, and will be taking to the Palace Theatre stage.
From Tudor queens to pop princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII take to the mic to tell their tales, remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into an 80-minute celebration of 21st century girl power.
Find out more and get your hands on last-minute tickets to a show here.
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LUMINISCENCE
Manchester Cathedral
Wednesday 14 January – 26 March
LUMINISCENCE Manchester / Credit: Supplied
Manchester Cathedral is set to be lit up with ‘truly stunning’ new 360° walk-through projection show this winter.
Combining 360° video mapping, new orchestral arrangements of iconic songs, and a narrative story celebrating everything that makes Manchester and its residents so special, visitors will be invited to step into a ‘spellbinding fusion’ of light, sound, and storytelling.
LUMINISCENCE is set to pay tribute to Manchester’s rich cultural heritage through specially arranged orchestral renditions of iconic anthems – with the setlist including songs by Oasis, The Verve, Joy Division, and Elbow, just to name a few.
The Matcha Kyoto has found a permanent city centre home.
There’s no denying that this viral matcha spot has gone crazy in Manchester, with pop-ups all over our city, but now, after huge fan demand, they’ve finally opened the doors to their very-own home, and are bringing a little slice of Japan to Lincoln Square.
Step inside their new cafe and you’ll find with traditional Kyoto details, as well as their famous matcha drinks topped with satisfying cream swirls and banana pudding.
They’ve even got a full food menu now, too. Think a range of sandwiches, including egg mayo, teriyaki chicken and black truffle mushroom, and delicious baked treats.
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Could a trip to the theatre could be on the cards this year?
Greater Manchester has firmly earned itself a spot as a place for world-renowned touring theatre productions to make a stop off at.
This beloved industry has now well and truly bounced-back post pandemic – with the region’s three main theatres, Palace Theatre Manchester, Opera House Manchester, and The Lowry, all having welcomed some absolute show-stopping productions in 2025.
Our region’s theatre events calendar is already jam-packed with award-winning musicals, family-friendly plays, inventive dance productions, and so much more in 2026, so we’ve rounded up some of the best shows to see and grab tickets for this year.
If there’s one thing Manchester is known for across the world, it’s music.
Our region is not only a historic musical hub in and of itself, having been the birthplace of so many legendary famous names, but it’s also a major UK stopping point on many global artists’ tour schedules too, thanks to the city’s various sizes of stage and venues.
This means there’s a jam-packed schedule of gigs happening all throughout 2026 – with something for everyone, no matter your taste in music.
Read our picks for 10 of the best gigs happening in Manchester this year here.
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What else is there to look forward to in Greater Manchester in 2026?
Oh, so much. So so much.
The next 12 months are shaping up to be another monumental year for Manchester, with absolutely loads of huge developments, events, and reopenings on the horizon. Expect major global events like the BRITs and The MOBO Awards, huge openings like The Medlock Hotel at the expanded Etihad Stadium, and the relaunch of venues like Manchester’s popular Cat Cafe, and The Spinners Rest (formerly known as The Shamrock).
We’ve rounded up some of the best things to look forward to throughout the year here.
The smash-hit daytime rave where you can still be in bed early is returning to Manchester
Clementine Hall
That’s right: Day Fever, the daytime rave designed to still get you tucked in at a reasonable hour, is coming back to Manchester city centre this year.
Following their biggest raft of shows across the UK and Ireland in 2025, the smash-hit night out that is very much aimed at those of us 30 and over – but fellow sleepy heads are obviously more than welcome – Day Fever are targeting big things in 2026.
Launched in early 2024 by actress Vicky McClure and Reverend & The Makers frontman, Jon McClure, Day Fever has become a cultural sensation.
From its debut in Sheffield to a tour that sees thousands of ravers hitting the dance floor each month, the message is clear: people want to dance and let loose, but still be in bed before 9pm – and let’s be honest, who can blame them?
The founders (L-R): Jon McClure, James O’Hara, Jonny Owen, Vicky and Chris McClure. (supplied)
Running from 3-8pm, Day Fever provides a proper night out that doesn’t completely write you off for the entire weekend.
“It started as a WhatsApp idea”, says Jon McClure. “Jonny just said, ‘A daytime disco, how good would that be?’ We’re all a bit nuts, so we just said, ‘Come on then!’”
“It feels like a massive house party at your nan’s,” laughs Vicky. “No drama, no egos, just people acting daft, getting dressed up, and having the best time.”
From here in 0161 and our mates over in Leeds, to Newcastle, Glasgow and many more, each Day Fever event has its own unique flavour.
There’ll be local DJs who know their crowds keep the energy high with a nostalgic mix of Northern Soul, disco, indie, and 90s classics. “Manchester goes mad for Oasis,” says Jon, “and if Vicky’s there, we have to play Whitney, it’s non-negotiable!”
For starters, just look at the turnout they got over Christmas:
Emily Sergeant -
30th July 2021 
