The Manchester Science Festival will make a glorious return next month, with events for all ages taking place at both the Science and Industry Museum and venues across the city.
This year’s event, taking place between Friday 21 and Sunday 30 October, will celebrate science through immersive performances, interactive activities, and after-hours amusement.
The full programme for the biennial festival – the first live event in four years – has been announced this morning, with tickets available from today.
Highlights across the 10 days will include headline exhibition Turn It Up: The Power of Music, a nocturnal nature tour, and a chance to meet people who already work in STEM careers, including experts from festival sponsors Amazon.
There’ll also be a world premiere with choreographer Corey Baker, who is going to create the first dance in space with an out-of-this-world immersive experience, where visitors float through a cosmos and their every move affects digital stars and space dust.
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Manchester Science Festival is back this October. Credit: The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
While the majority of the action will take place at the Science and Industry Museum, other venues like Central Library, the Arndale, and the newly-reopened Castlefield Viaduct will also get stuck in.
Throughout the Manchester Science Festival, events will endeavour to answer the question of ‘what does the future hold for humanity?’.
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Turn It Up will premiere at the Science and Industry Museum itself before heading out on an international tour – a multi-sensory exhibition exploring the mysterious hold music has over us.
The museum’s 1830 Warehouse will be a hive of futuristic activity throughout the festival, showcasing new technologies, hands-on experiments, and the chance to play Rock, Paper, Scissors against a prosthetic counterpart.
Credit: The Board of Trustees of the Science MuseumCredit: The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Sow the City will explore how our future homes could be constructed, including furniture grown from fungus and a Carbon Supermarket where you can try to take on planet-friendly shopping.
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Families can plant and take home their own saplings as City of Trees show the role that trees play in helping to reduce the effects of the climate crisis, and can chat to the Lancashire Wildlife Trust to learn about how to keep nature in their neighbourhoods.
Amazon will host drop-ins and experiments showing off robotics, virtual assistants and more.
Siemens will fund a dedicated eco-friendly construction, where different events with people working in STEM (including Amazon, BBC, Manchester Metropolitan University, PPG, Waters, and AIG) will be held.
Credit: The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
After-hours, adults-only events will include the Future of Sex, an evening of performance, workshops, art and conversation to discover the relationship between technology, education and sex.
The Vagina Museum will host crafting workshops where you can make gynaecological bunting, while VR dating app Flirtual will host Virtual Reality dates, and a panel of ‘sexperts’ will host a discussion.
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Over on the new Castlefield Viaduct, the National Trust will host Sky Park After Dark, a nocturnal nature tour of the viaduct, which has been transformed from an abandoned industrial landmark into an urban sky park.
A view across Manchester to Castlefield Viaduct. Credit:James Dobson, National Trust Images
Ella Wild, head of festival and events at the Science and Industry Museum, said: “We’re so excited that Manchester Science Festival is returning for a full-scale, live event in October.
“As a highlight of Manchester’s cultural calendar, it marks a welcome milestone in the city’s cultural recovery but most important of all, it’s a wonderful opportunity for visitors to get hands on with some of science’s most cutting-edge developments while exploring their own ideas and visions for the future.
“We’re working with some incredible partners to give people of all ages, interests and abilities the opportunity to explore science that relates to them.
“From music to robotics and dance to wildlife, this year’s festival is chance for visitors to play, create and discover as they immerse themselves in some really forward-thinking science and technology. We hope they leave the festival feeling entertained, inspired and hopeful about what the future holds for humanity.”
Manchester Science Festival is supported by Amazon (Principal Sponsor) University of Salford (Lead Educational Partner) Waters Corporation (Major Sponsor), PPG (Major Partner) and AIG (Associate Sponsor).
Professor Helen Marshall, Vice-Chancellor, University of Salford (lead educational sponsor of this year’s festival), said: “The relationship between the University of Salford and Manchester Science Festival goes to the heart of our mission as a university – to collaborate with partners to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators.
“Manchester Science Festival is a perfect example of how we can engage with a wide range of audiences and remind people that science can make lives better. A place of innovation, surprise and meaning, where curiosity is ignited. Curiosity and learning should never stop and should never be out of reach, no matter your age, background, education, gender or ethnicity.
“Collaboration and experimentation are at the heart of this festival. It brings us closer together, creating long-lasting partnerships, which is why we love being part of it. This year’s programme is packed with activities to make people look, listen and learn and provides a wonderful opportunity for people to be inspired by science.”
Tickets for Manchester Science Festival, including Turn It Up: The power of music, are now available to book online.
Featured image: The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Art & Culture
First look at enormous The Mystery of Banksy exhibition as it opens in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Europe’s most popular Banksy exhibition has officially landed in Manchester, displaying hundreds of reimagined works inspired by one of the world’s most prolific artists.
Making its UK debut, The Mystery of Banksy – A Genius Mind documents the street artist’s illustrious global career and showcases his most famous artwork.
An enormous purpose-built exhibition space has taken shape at Depot Mayfield in the city centre, where visitors weave their way through a maze of documentary footage, sculptures, prints, graffiti, photographs and paintings.
The exhibition has already stunned millions of visitors across 36 cities, from Berlin to Stockholm, and now it’s Manchester’s turn to step inside the mind of Banksy.
Huge pieces have been spraypainted on site to suit and fit the mammoth space that is Depot Mayfield.
95% of the art pieces are recreations of lost Banksy artwork – whether those originals have been sold, covered, or destroyed, removing them from public view.
The fascination collection highlights artworks which have often been placed in locations that raise awareness for political and social issues, whether it’s the steelworks in Port Talbot, or the rubble of war-torn cities.
Installations include Palestine Wall, a remodelling of the walls in Gaza and the West Bank, where Banksy has sprayed a range of murals since 2003.
One gallery showcases Banksy’s work in war-torn UkraineThere are photo opportunities throughout the exhibitionRecreations of Banksy’s most famous artworks are on display
You can also step inside a set inspired by The Walled Off Hotel, Banksy’s boutique hotel in Bethlehem which overlooks the concrete separation wall.
While you can no longer safely visit many of these artworks in real life, The Mystery Of Banksy is doing its best to bring them to life here in Manchester.
His political works are displayed in every room, including reimaginings of his pieces created on ruined buildings in war-torn Ukraine.
There are also famous sculptures like Death of a Phone Booth, Angel Bust, and Suicide Bomber.
And visitors can walk through a recreated London Underground carriage that was turned into an immersive Banksy artwork in 2020, called If You Don’t Mask, You Don’t Get.
Recreations of Banksy’s most famous artworks are on displayThere are sculptures, documentary footage, and loads morePaintings by patients of The Christie are also on display
You’ll be able to explore a timeline of milestones in Banksy’s career, from his graffiti work in Bristol in the early 90s all the way through iconic cultural moments like his Dismaland theme park and his documentary film Exit Through the Gift Shop.
The exhibition also explains why Banksy began using stencils – something he is best-known for – and shows his early and most famous stencil work, like Mild Mild West and Kissing Coppers.
As you weave through the custom-built exhibition space, you’ll pass sets like the Barely Legal Room, which gives a glimpse inside his three-day warehouse installation in LA, dominated by a gigantic red elephant sculpture (the real exhibition used a live elephant).
There are photo opportunities along the way too, where you can pose with work like Girl with Balloon.
The Christie is the official partner for The Mystery of Banksy, which will raise money towards a new Total Body PET-CT scanner through ‘tap to donate’ spots around the exhibition, alongside a dedicated charity event takeover and an exclusively commissioned artwork which will be donated for auction.
John Carrigan, Director of Cartel Events Limited, says “We’re excited to launch the ‘Mystery of Banksy – A Genius Mind’ in Manchester, the UK’s hub of modern culture. In partnership with Europe’s leading entertainment promoter, COFO Exhibitions, who holds 50 years of experience in revolutionary international exhibitions, visitors can expect a spectacle of reenvisioned accessible artworks for all.’’
Louise Hadley, Chief Executive of The Christie Charity, says: “We are absolutely thrilled to be the chosen charity for The Mystery of Banksy, A Genius Mind exhibition. It is an incredibly exciting opportunity for us and one that will ultimately benefit cancer patients both now and in the future.”
Open to all, standard adult tickets start at £22. Tickets are free for curious minds under the age of six, with concession tickets also available for seven-16 year olds, seniors and all NHS workers.
Country 2 Country music festival is coming to Manchester next year
Danny Jones
Hold on to your cowboy hats, country fans: the smash-hit Country 2 Country music festival is coming to Manchester.
The massive live music festival specialising in all things country, folk, bluegrass, Americana and more has slowly been expanding its presence across the UK and Ireland over the last decade or so.
Starting in London at the O2 Arena, before hitting the Emerald Isle in 2015 and debuting in Scotland just three years later, it has seen some of the biggest acts from the world of country music cross the Atlantic to show off the Stateside genre, plus plenty from around the globe already immersed in the culture.
We’ll confess, even prior to the official announcement, we had a feeling this was coming when we spotted these posters dotted about in town:
Like so many of those buzzing in the comments, we cannot wait for this to come around.
With this year’s respective events taking place simultaenously place over the coming weekend, Friday, 13 to Sunday, 15 March, it’s fair to say they’ve timed the news perfectly.
Everyone from established names such as Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves, to up-and-coming bands as well as fast-rising artists working in and around the genre, like Nate Smith, Lainey Wilson and, of course, the now well and truly massive Luke Combs.
For instance, the likes of Keith Urban, Noah Rinker, Alana Springsteen – no relation – Zach Top and many, MANY more, are playing across London, the OVO Hydro in Glasgow and Belfast’s SSE Arena for the 12th edition of the now annual celebration.
Set to arrive in our city centre for the very first time, Country 2 Country (C2C) will be making its Manc debut at none other than the legendary AO Arena, where so many of the biggest names and current generation of stars alike have played.
You only have to look at recent examples like Darius Rucker last year and the ever-growing Tyler Childers, helping kick off this season of country gigs here in Manchester.
Meanwhile, as you can see for Country 2 Country music fest’s Manchester debut, it’s coming in March 2027, and they’ll be teaming up with other local gig venues and bars to turn 0161 into a little slice of Broadway – we just hope we get a bit of Austin weather to boot.
It’s fair to say that this particular part of the music industry is definitely enjoying a big boom right now, with lots of different acts dipping their toes into the bayou, if you will.
However, C2C have been flying the flag for country music over here for ages now, and with it being hailed as remaining “one of the UK’s most spectacular annual festivals” by the likes of The Express and countless, among countless other reviews, we think it’s time you give it a go.
Better still, let’s show everyone that we can do it even better up North, and here in what everyone knows is Britain’s real musical home: Greater Manchester.
Tickets will be available from 10am next Friday, 20 March, and you can sign up to get early bird pre-sale access right HERE.
Credit: Niko Moon/Luke Dyson Photography (supplied)
Daisy Jackson -
6th September 2022 
