A new public art trail from the team behind the hugely popular Bee in the City is coming to Manchester this month.
Soon enough, Mancs will start spotting gigantic heads across the region, in a new project created to promote mental health awareness and wellbeing.
Wild in Art are behind the latest art trail – they were also the creator of the huge colourful bees that took over the city back in 2018 – working alongside creative studio and multidisciplinary arts collective We are Willow.
Six Places In A Different Light will see six huge head sculptures installed at local landmarks, including Mayfield Park, Greengate Square, the University of Salford’s Peel Park Campus, outside the Imperial War Museum North, and MediaCityUK.
Each head will be uniquely decorated by illustrator and community artist Kelly Ma, illustrator Tom J Newell and painter Ekun Richard, who will work with mental health participants to generate inspiration.
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Each sculpture will respond to We Are Willow’s specially written 12 track album of music and spoken word.
Taking place between 30 October and 11 December, the aim of Six Places In A Different Light is to encourage conversation around mental health.
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The giant head sculptures are at Mayfield Park in Manchester ready for artists to turn them into a public art trail. Credit: Simon Pantling | We Are Willow
The new public art trail is being funded by the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership, Salford City Council, The University of Salford, LandsecU+I and Arts Council England.
‘A Different Light’ is a project that has been creatively evolving since its inception in 2016. The work originally featured four films, an album of music and spoken word and an edition of 300 bespoke mini head sculptures.
The project also works with three different charities:
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Manchester Mind, is an independent charity, affiliated to national Mind, who have been delivering local mental health services for over 30 years. Last year over 7500 adults and young people received support, information and/or training from Manchester Mind. Their aim is to make it easier for people to ask for help.
START, a charity that has been delivering mental health and wellbeing services in Salford for over 30 years; the organisation uses creativity, connection and recovery interventions to help improve people’s lives.
The Jamie Horrocks Trust, which was established to help prevent suicide through early community engagement whilst working with and supporting those who have lived experience of losing someone to suicide.
The giant head sculpture trail comes from the team behind Bee in the City. Credit: Simon Pantling | We Are Willow
Chris Butler, co-founder and creative lead for WE ARE WILLOW, said: “The opportunity to collaborate with Wild in Art and three inspirational charities, to promote the crucial work they deliver across Greater Manchester through creativity is extremely exciting.
“The previous projects we have produced have raised awareness, but we can always do more. We can make it count for more, bring more people with us and, with collaboration as our guiding light, make a bigger difference.”
The giant head sculptures arrived at Mayfield Park this week where they will remain in a dedicated painting space until they are installed in their locations across Greater Manchester.
Laura Percy, development director for Mayfield, LandsecU+I, comments: “Mayfield is delighted to support ‘Six Places In A Different Light’. This sculpture trail encouraging people to talk about their mental health is a wonderful idea, and where better for this to happen than the city’s newest park, a place for peaceful reflection.
“The blend of culture and nature is integral to Mayfield, and we look forward to welcoming many more visitors to the park over the next few months.
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“This initiative, together with the recreation of the iconic Ian Curtis mural at the Star & Garter to support World Suicide Prevention Day in September, underlines our deep and lasting commitment to using our spaces to inspire, educate and support our city.”
Elbow get behind campaign to save Jodrell Bank from closure
Danny Jones
Manc band Elbow are among the latest to get behind the campaign to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from closing permanently.
The Greater Manchester natives famously played a sold-out gig at the important scientific and cultural landmark for a very special live album recording well over a decade ago, and know all too well the site’s national and, indeed, global heritage.
Choosing the Observatory and the rare chance to perform a show in the shadow of the world-renowned James Lovell Telescope, it probably remains one of their most significant standalone UK date ever.
With that in mind, the local lads have been left just as worried by the news of its impending closure as everyone else, and have therefore issued a fresh appeal to help keep it open.
Posting a timely statement on social media, the group wrote: “Jodrell Bank has long been close to elbow’s heart. In 2012, the band played beneath the Lovell Telescope for one of the most memorable shows in our history.
“The recent news that funding for the e-MERLIN radio telescope network is set to end in 2028 puts the future of the scientific work at Jodrell Bank under serious threat. It is a remarkable place, with an extraordinary history, and one that continues to play an important role in science, culture and education.”
In addition to reliving clips and images from the historic live set all the years later, they also pointed people towards their ‘elbow – Live at Jodrell Bank‘ album documentary, which has now been made available online for the very first time as part of wider efforts to raise awareness around the cause.
Directing people to key online resources shared by the institution and astrophysics centre itself following their unfortunate update late last month, the push to not only find the funding but sustain support for the facility continues to ramp up throughout the world of science, arts and industry.
For anyone who somehow missed the news – 2028 being the current deadline handed down as per budget cuts across the sector – concerned parties here in the North West and all over the country have since started petitioning to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from shutting down for good.
In addition to being described as a “huge blow” to the field by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), some have even gone so far as to describe the decision as a form of “vandalism” when it comes to research and British culture as a whole.
Having also served as the host venue for the annual bluedot Festival since 2016, the multi-genre science and arts celebration could soon be forced to find a new home.
The battle is far from over yet, and the community has time to rescue Jodrell Bank Observatory from its fate, but it will take lots of money and more notable public figures to make it happen.
Once again, you can do your bit by signing the petition mentioned above right HERE.
Featured Images — Emma Farrer (via Wikimedia Commons)/The Manc Group
Art & Culture
Manichester organisers confirm tribute festival will return in 2027
Danny Jones
For anyone who didn’t manage to make it to the inaugural ‘Manichester’ festival held earlier this year in memory of British music legend Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, you’ll be glad to hear that the tribute festival will be returning in 2027.
Set up in the name of the late, great Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist, the event sold out in the blink of an eye, as hordes of Mancs and more turned up to honour the local icon through live music.
Following paying their respects in the immediate aftermath, his surviving family members, peers and other figures from within the industry then held that wonderful evening, where several big names turned up to remember with live performances – and it’s official: they’re not done yet.
Writing in a lengthy caption, the brand said, “The family of Stone Roses legend Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield have thanked everyone who made Manichester at Diecast such a special day — performers, organisers, and the thousands who turned up to celebrate a true Manchester icon.”
The evidently emotional and grateful statement goes on to read: “On behalf of Gene, George & the Family — thank you to everyone who performed, contributed and attended Manichester on 30 May 2026, and for all your kind words of support.
“The response was massive — fans travelled from everywhere, demand through the roof, love for Mani louder than ever. [Local fashion label] GioGoi even said they could’ve filled Old Trafford.”
Revealing that the team of organisers have now green-lit the follow-up edition next year, they promise to deliver the same kind of magic, only “bigger, better, built properly” and with more music and people involved this time around.
They also thanked Manc-Mexican musician and creative, Alejandro Reyes Knight, for filming and editing the content on the night, adding that since he “grew up in Madchester”, there was no better person to be tasked with the job.
For anyone who was there at Diecast on the special memorial evening itself, we don’t need to tell you how special the energy was in the room.
We spent a good week or so looking back at footage following the maiden Manichester festival, as we’re sure plenty of you did, too; safe to say we’re glad we’ll have another opportunity to celebrate his life and career in the best way we know how: with plenty of tunes and singing our hearts out.
It remains to be seen whether Diecast will remain the host venue for the sophomore tribute fest, and the next date is also still yet to be fully set.
All we do know is that with such a good lineup and turnout the first time around, you can expect an excellent and equally heartfelt sequel in 2027.
You can register your interest right HERE. Wherever and whenever it is, we’ll see you there.
@the.manc Yesterday, Manchester laid one of the city's greatest music legends, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, to rest at Manchester Cathedral. 🍋 Fellow band member and life-long friend Ian Brown read out a speech as hundreds gathered outside the cathedral to pay their respects to The Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist. Mani will be missed by many, and we send love to all his family and friends. ❤️ #manchester#mani#ianbrown#thestoneroses#stoneroses♬ original sound – The Manc
Daisy Jackson -
10th October 2023 
