Local artist Michael Browne recently debuted another striking new work in central Manchester following his much-talked-about Donald Trump painting.
And if you’ve seen that one, you’ll know that’s quite the statement.
The 62-year-old Moss Side-born artist has enjoyed an increased level of popularity since and his statement piece and de-facto political cartoon following the result of the 2025 US presidential election popped up on the corner of Deansgate earlier this year.
Now, just a couple of months on from his piece’s debut, Browne is back with another painting loaded with historical and social material that serves as a commentary on contemporary UK culture.
Taking a rather stark look not only at the British Empire and global politics – subjects he’s already flirted with plenty in the past – this towering new painting is entitled Sovereign Servant.
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Designed to be a thought-provoking reflection on the legacy of the Empire and its impact on modern UK society as we know it today, it takes stylistic inspiration from Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres’ The Apotheosis of Homer, as seen at the Louvre.
Reimagining Britain’s colonial history, controversial impact across the globe; economic exploitation and ever-evolving national identity in a vibrant and truly eye-catching multi-character portrait.
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Several faces can picked out from the crowd, including two very obvious royals smack back in the middle of the picture, but other standout aspects include Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster as the backdrop, as well as the high contrast colour palette.
All set on the deck of a ship in the most obvious nod towards the nation’s naval fleet and centuries of colonialism, not to mention a swirling stormy sky, there is a real sense of movement to the image even with so many figures standing straight towards the viewer.
Credit: Supplied
Unveiled to the public in a special event featuring a live Q&A at the museum, as well as a series of drop-in sessions with Browne himself last week, his latest neo-classical creation certainly left an impression.
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Speaking on its reveal, Browne said: “As a mixed heritage man from the North, I have often compared London’s royal heritage and standing as the centre of the British Empire with Manchester’s working-class heritage born out of industrial hard labour.
“I couldn’t resist juxtaposing these themes within one visual arena, contrasting the British desire for one overarching identity and the reality of a thriving multicultural society. I wanted to revisit those triumphant depictions of Empire to present a vision of how it appears to me today.”
Soon to be moved to the same shop window where his Trump painting is currently sat, it’s certainly something worth seeing up close for yourselves and don’t worry, it’ll be hard to miss.
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 6 – 12 July 2026
Emily Sergeant
It’s official – July is here, and that means we’re over half way through the year.
Summer has arrived, and that means there are, of course, loads of things happening across Greater Manchester this week. If you’re finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do, no worries, as 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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Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 6 July – onwards
Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos / Credit: BBC | Science Museum Group (Drew Forsyth)
Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos has made its world premiere at the Science and Industry Museum, and is inviting visitors to explore our wondrous Solar System.
Fresh off-the-back of the new BBC Children’s and Education TV show, Horrible Science, the ‘thrilling’ new exhibition encouraging visitors to ‘do science the horrible way’, and join both scientists and supervillains to unveil the secrets of space.
The new exhibition propels families up into space where mystery, intrigue, and rocket-loads of silly and surprising science await. You’ll get to venture through a series of cosmic zones, walk in the shoes of astronauts, explore the life-giving energy of the sun, marvel at mysterious moons, and discover far-off weird worlds.
Manchester is bringing 14 weeks of free activities for children to parks across the city this summer.
Thanks to additional Council funding that was allocated earlier this year, Manchester’s biggest-ever Parktastic programme has now launched – expanding from the summer holidays alone to include after-school sessions before schools break up, activities throughout the holidays, and even sessions continuing into September.
Back by popular demand and aimed at children ages six-12, Parktastic offers sports, games, arts and crafts, dance, drama, nature activities, storytelling and messy play.
Sessions are free, no booking is required, healthy snacks are provided, and children can simply turn up and join in.
Manchester’s biggest exhibition of local artists is back again for the summer.
Taking place every two years, Manchester Open is a celebration of local talent, showcasing the work of 420 artists inside the gallery space over at HOME. The exhibition includes work from artists in all media formats who have been selected from each of Greater Manchester’s 10 boroughs, ranging in age from four to 80 years old.
Oh, and the whole thing is completely free to visit. Find out more about the return of this incredible exhibition here.
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Looking for somewhere to watch the World Cup in Greater Manchester?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is currently well underway, and England is still in it to win it.
But if you didn’t grab tickets to catch a game in person over in North America or Mexico, and you don’t fancy sitting at home watching on your own, then thankfully, our region is filled with places where you can catch all the action surrounded by hundreds of other football fans.
FIFA World Cup 2026 / Credit: Road to Victory
You’re absolutely spoiled for choice this year, as there’s plenty of places in Manchester city centre and beyond screening all the games.
Will England bring football home though? Only time will tell.
Check out our round-up list of all the best places to watch the World Cup in Greater Manchester here👇
World Cup Playground / Credit: Sophia J Carey (Supplied)
A massive World Cup ‘playground’ has now opened in Greater Manchester.
MediaCity has announced its biggest programme of events to date to celebrate, from a baller league-style football pitch, to big name creator takeovers, and much more – but at the heart of all the action is the new World Cup ‘playground’, where football fans will be able to play five-a-side on a bespoke pitch, while watching matches on giant screens.
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As the home of the BBC’s World Cup coverage, MediaCity says it’s ‘going big’ this summer, and that includes bringing some of the UK’s biggest Gen Z creators down for full takeovers and tournaments, and even getting the BBC pundits involved in the action too.
Thrill seekers, this one’s for you – as Zip World Manchester has launched its new Forest Tubing experience, and it’s bringing the UK’s longest outdoor tubing slide is coming to Heaton Park.
The new family‑friendly outdoor adventure gives visitors the chance to soar along two slides, winding through woodland at one of the largest parks in the North West.
Suitable for children aged four and above, visitors can book an hour-long session – with unlimited rides during that time slot – and either ride solo, or share the experience with fellow adventurers.
National Trust x Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Trails
North West
Monday 6 July – onwards
National Trust x Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Trails / Credit: James Dobson | Annapurna Mellor
National Trust and Pokémon have teamed up for an exclusive trading card game and immersive trail.
The partnership is set to bring together the places the National Trust cares for and Pokémon’s spirit of play and discovery.
Exclusively designed for the National Trust, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Trails are going to be running throughout summer at 14 National Trust places nationwide, combining ‘imaginative play’ with ‘gentle physical activity’ inspired by Mega Evolution Pokémon.
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Find out where to get involved and book tickets here.
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GRUB On The Docks
MediaCity
Tuesday 7 July – onwards
GRUB On The Docks / Credit: Supplied
GRUB On The Docks has returned for the summer.
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MediaCity’s waterfront site has been transformed into a vibrant open-air destination built for warm weather and big moments across the season, as GRUB On The Docks returns later this week.
Running across the summer months, you can expect some of Greater Manchester’s best street food traders to be serving up global flavours and summer-ready drinks, alongside live music, DJs, and just an all round laid-back atmosphere turning daytime hangouts into evening sessions.
Greater Manchester’s iconic heritage railway is currently hosting one of the most unique fine dining experiences in the region this summer.
Running on selected Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through the year, East Lancashire Railway’s ‘Red Rose Diners’ are described as being ‘the ultimate first class foodie experience’, as they start with a glass of fizz and stretch over an almost three-hour steam train journey through the Irwell Valley.
The experience includes a four-course dinner with complimentary sparkling wine, followed by tea or coffee and after-dinner chocolates.
Charity Super.Mkt is heading to the Arndale for its very first Manchester city centre pop-up.
The UK’s first multi-charity pre-loved fashion store will be strutting its stuff in central Manchester when it opens in Manchester Arndale for three days this weekend.
Shoppers can expect a vibrant, carefully curated edit of pre-loved clothing sourced from both national and local charities. From standout vintage pieces and coveted band tees to forgotten football tops, desirable denim, and everything in between.
It’s strawberry season, and Kenyon Hall Farm has officially opened up its strawberry fields (plus plenty of other pick-your-own produce) for the season for you to frolic amongst, with loads of summer treats in its cafe and award-winning farm shop too.
Strawberries have been growing at Kenyon Hall Farm for nearly 50 years now, and it’s proven as popular ever since.
Did you know you can visit Chester Zoo for just £10 this summer?
For the past three years running now, Chester Zoo has officially been named the UK’s best zoo thanks to tens of thousands of positive TripAdvisor reviews, and now this summer, you’ll get to see exactly what makes it such a special place worth visiting for a cut price, as £10 tickets are now available to book for a limited time only.
With the offer only applicable to afternoons this summer, Afternoon Tickets allow entry to Chester Zoo from 2pm onwards – with the last entry being one-hour before it closes.
You can visit Chester Zoo for just £10 this summer / Credit: Chester Zoo
Without this offer, standard admission tickets to Chester Zoo usually cost up to £38 for adults, £37 for students, and £28 for children, all including a 10% donation to the zoo’s conservation efforts, so it really is worth making the most of these limited-time £10 tickets while you can.
Find out more and book your tickets in advance here.
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Stuck for somewhere to have a bite to eat?
Just like we do every month, we’ve rounded up some of the best things we got to eat in June, so if you’re on the hunt for somewhere new in July, then we’ve absolutely got you covered as there’s plenty of places across the city region.
It’s been another jam-packed month of insanely delicious eats, and we’ve been lucky to have a bunch of new openings too.
Featured Image – James Dobson / Artem Kniaz / Unsplash
Art & Culture
A documentary about Manchester’s famous homeless charity run has just dropped on YouTube
Danny Jones
An award-winning, short, and completely free documentary about Manchester’s famous annual homeless charity run is now available to watch in its entirety on YouTube.
Following a number of short snippets and teasers shared on social media over the last few months, the mini-doc by local moviemaker Gigi Shum was finally released on the streaming platform this past June.
Documenting not only the backstory of the inspiring Manchester 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness – now a much-loved annual tradition that has since spread to multiple other locations – it also gives a peek behind the curtain at those who organise it and the thousands of inspirational participants.
You can watch one of the most recent trailers here.
Capturing the sixth edition of the consecutive relay run, which spans the length of an entire day (which was another record-breaking year before being smashed in November 2025), Shum didn’t shy away from getting some laps done herself, but she also managed to shoot a truly important public access film.
A trail runner herself with a number of other works to her name already, including a well-supported Kickstarter revolving around neurodiversity, Gigi prides herself on “exploring the neglected truth in the world” through touching tales like The 24 Hour Run.
The adopted Manc and MetFilm School graduate’s roots may hail from Hong Kong, but she’s well and truly immersed and embedded herself in the Greater Manchester community through spotlighting local initiatives like this.
More importantly, this is much more than a student project: the bitesize 21:22 picture has been nominated and won at numerous festivals across the globe, including shortlists like the Florence Film Awards, a finalist in both the Independent Shorts and LEEDSflix competitions, among several others.
Aside from the obvious humanitarian and charitable angle of The 24 Hour Run‘s narrative, the talking heads with members of the team and numerous inspiring runners taking on incredible challenges on behalf of the ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme make you proud to be from this part of the world.
You can watch it in full down below.
About the same run-time as most sitcom episodes – we’d argue this is a well more worthwhile watch.
Deeply moving stuff, we’re sure you’ll agree.
Speaking after a limited number of exclusive screenings, Gigi told The Manc: “What began as a question about why people run through the night transformed into an exploratory journey of human resilience, community, and active compassion on the streets of Manchester.”
It’s also worth mentioning that the young director and producer is doing lots more to contribute to the region, helping out as part of the Manchester Refugee Support Network (MRSN), supporting asylum seekers who may otherwise end up sleeping rough themselves.
They’ve raised hundreds of thousands for the likes of the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity since the event’s inception back in 2019. Mayor Andy Burnham himself may be looking toward no.10 Downing Street moving forward, but fundraising on behalf of this organisation will always be a part of his legacy.
Better still, this dedicated crew of volunteers have also generated vital funds for similar causes in the likes of Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Hereford, and soon to be even more.
Set to debut in Liverpool later this year, another city renowned for backing themselves and looking after their own, we can’t wait to see how much more impact they make on the North West.
Danny Jones -
19th March 2025 
