Venues welcome back Manchester with major reopening campaign
The roadmap is proceeding and culture venues right across the city are reopening. #HereForCulture is urging people to rediscover these places after 200 days shutdown.
Arts organisations from across Manchester have joined forces for a major campaign to encourage people to rediscover the city’s culture after almost 200 days of venue closures.
From May 17, more COVID-19 restrictions are being relaxed in England – enabling bars, restaurants, theatres, libraries and cinemas to welcome back guests indoors.
To celebrate the momentous step, local venues have launched a #HereForCulture campaign supported by the UK Government’s Culture Recovery Fund – portraying culture as the beating heart of Manchester; inspiring confidence that venues are safe; and reminding people that a cultural experience can have a transformative effect.
A major poster, radio and digital campaign goes live today – with designs by Manchester’s Instruct Studio featuring emotive imagery and uplifting poetry to highlight the range of cultural experiences on offer in the city.
Chehtam’s School of Music Architecture is among the venues reopening to the public
#HereForCulture will run throughout the summer and into autumn, with multiple arts organisations involved including Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art, Chetham’s Library, Contact, GM Independent Artist Initiative, HOME, Hope Mill Theatre, The Lowry, Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester Camerata, Manchester International Festival, Manchester Libraries, Manchester Museum, Music Venues Trust, National Football Museum, Palace and Opera House Theatres, People’s History Museum, Royal Northern College of Music, Royal Exchange Theatre, Science and Industry Museum, The Stoller Hall, The Whitworth and Z-arts.
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The campaign is supported by Arts Council England, Creative Tourist, Oxford Road Corridor, Manchester City Council, NHS and Network Rail.
The Royal Exchange will welcome back customers after a long period of closure
Dave Moutrey, Director of Culture at Manchester City Council, said: “It’s been a long road to get here, but from today cultural venues across Manchester begin to reopen and they couldn’t be more ready or more excited to welcome back audiences. This new joint campaign is backed by some wonderful organisations and its message is very clear: come visit our venues and embrace what’s on offer.
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“Whether you want to keep the kids busy throughout the holidays, have a shared night out with friends, or just enjoy a day of solo reflection; immersion in culture has been proven to help improve mental health and our arts venues and organisations are returning a brilliant selection of shows, exhibitions and events, with something for everyone.”
Sheona Southern, Managing Director at Marketing Manchester, said: “Last month when we moved to Step Two of the Government’s roadmap, it was a big moment for operators in our retail and hospitality sectors who were given a chance to reopen and welcome people back safely; however, that same opportunity was held back for museums, galleries and theatres, meaning many venues have gone over 200 days without audiences.
“That changes today and it’s fantastic to see so many venues working together to celebrate the value of cultural experiences in Manchester. It’s a fun and inspiring campaign and we’re proud to be hosting some amazing content on visitmanchester.com and promoting our strong cultural offer.”
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More information is available about the campaign online.
Featured Image: #HereForCulture
Art & Culture
Elf is back in UK cinemas this week to celebrate its 20th anniversary
Emily Sergeant
One of the best-loved festive films of all time is returning to UK cinemas this week to celebrate 20 years since it was released.
Whether you can believe it or not, it’s actually been two whole decades since the 2003 Christmas cult classic that is Elf was released to the world, and with December literally just a few days away now, there’s no better way to celebrate this special anniversary than seeing the film return to the big screen for a limited time only.
From this week, you can head on down to Vue cinemas in both Manchester Printworks and inside Quayside MediaCity, as well as others throughout the region, to watch the beloved festive flick.
Going on to become a much-loved festive favourite that’s watched by families all over the world every time December rolls around, Elf is a Christmas comedy film that tells the story of a human raised by Santa’s elves.
Elf is back on the big screen in UK cinemas from this week / Credit: Warner Bros.
As Buddy grows older, he eventually learns about his origins, and heads to New York City on a mission to meet his biological father.
Directed by on Favreau and written by David Berenbaum Elf has been hailed by many as a modern classic, and it’s often listed as one of the best Christmas films of all time.
It stars legendary comic actor Will Ferrell as the title character Buddy the Elf, alongside a talented ensemble cast of famous faces such as Zooey Deschanel, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Bob Newhart, Jon Favreau, Peter Dinklage, and more in supporting roles.
Ferrell’s performance as Buddy was also praised by critics and audiences alike at the time of the film’s release, and many have even called it one of the best performances of his career.
It’s to celebrate 20 years since the beloved festive flick was released / Credit: Warner Bros.
Speaking ahead of Elf’s return to cinemas this Christmas, Mike Anton, who is the General Manager of Vue Manchester Printworks, said: “Christmas is all about spending quality time with friends and family, and creating treasured moments to last a lifetime.
“So we’re glad to be marking the merry occasion with a lineup of some of the most iconic and beloved Christmas classics.”
Tickets to see Elf at Vue Manchester Printworks and Vue Manchester Quayside are now available to get your hands on from just £4.99 when booked online here.
If you also find yourself at a loose end in Manchester city centre over the next couple of weeks, there’s another a little hidden cinema tucked away inside popular hotel King Street Townhouse that’s screening a jam-packed lineup of classic Christmas films throughout December too – including Love Actually, Home Alone, and How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
You can also sip on festive cocktails, and snack on popcorn and pick n mix while you watch all the festive flicks too.
Featured Image – Warner Bros.
Art & Culture
You can see the Northern Lights as part of a ‘mesmerising’ science show in Manchester this winter
Emily Sergeant
Mancs will get a glimpse of the Northern Lights as part of a “mesmerising” science show happening in our city this winter.
As the nights draw in, the air gets colder by the day, and the festive season nears closer and closer, Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum is an ideal place shelter from the harsh winter conditions outside.
And luckily, there’s a packed lineup of events for everyone to get stuck into over the next few weeks.
The massively-popular cultural destination – which has recently celebrated 40 years since opening on its original site in the heart of the city centre – is inviting families to head on down and discover “the secrets of light and colour” through a series of illuminating activities, special shows, and immersive experiences.
Opening on Saturday 16 December, and running for a limited time only, ‘Light Lab’ promises to “brighten up the winter holidays with an adventure though light and colour”.
Visitors will get the chance to make light perform jaw-dropping tricks, create colours, and spark creativity as they experiment with reflections, before getting to “journey from the Sun back to the Earth” during a series of special science shows led by the museum’s team of expert Explainers.
They’ll also be able to discover how light travels through our atmosphere, find out why the sky is blue, and explore the science of solar flares too.
During the special science shows, you’ll even get to “marvel at a mesmerising display” of the Northern Lights too – with real NASA footage of the Aurora Borealis to be shown up close.
You can see the Northern Lights as part of a ‘mesmerising’ science show in Manchester this winter / Credit: Science Museum Group | Pexels
For those after something a little different, and fancy learning a thing or two this festive season, then on Tuesday 12 December, visitors can take a front row seat for the live recording of the CHRISTMAS LECTURES from the Royal Institution ahead of its broadcast on the BBC.
Aside from that, the Museum’s currently-ongoing resident and guest exhibitions are remaining open to visit throughout the winter too.
This means visitors can also discover the inner workings of the digestive system in world-premiere exhibition, Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You, be whisked away to new worlds with ultimate gaming experience, Power Up, or see science and “mighty machines” in action in the Museum’s interactive gallery, Experiment, and in the Textiles Gallery too.
The Museum’s currently-ongoing exhibitions are remaining open to visit throughout the winter too / Credit: Drew Forsyth (via Science Museum Group)
On top of that, they can also “discover world changing ideas” in Revolution Manchester, and get up close and personal with incredible objects from Professor Stephen Hawking’s office, which are also on display.
Find out more about everything happening down at the Science and Industry Museum this winter up until Sunday 7 January, and grab tickets to any events here.
The Manc -
17th May 2021 
