Manchester International Festival has today announced its Festival Square line-up, the series of free events that makes up the main hub of the huge arts event.
MIF will return to the city between 29 June and 16 July this year, with events in its new home at Factory International.
And there’ll be a new home for Festival Square too, which has previously taken over spaces like Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens.
This year’s free programme of music, family entertainment and street food will be centred around a new riverside location, with an open-air stage welcoming more than 190 artists over the course of the festival.
The majority of those performing will hail from Greater Manchester too, celebrating the sounds of the region.
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Highlights of the Festival Square programme will include post-punk band A Certain Ratio as they mark 45 years, avant-pop-trio The Orielles, electo art rock quartet Dutch Uncles, and trans-non-binary singer-songwriter Planningtorock.
Throughout MIF23, Festival Square will also host takeovers from some of the city’s biggest promoters, club nights, collectives, venues and radio stations including Band on the Wall, Brighter Sound, Dave Haslam, Feel Good Club, Piano in the City, Reform Radio, Trans Creative and YES.
MIF hosted an open call-out earlier this year, with more than 290 applications from artists and community groups across the region. 26 have been selected, including alt-pop singer-songwriter Nxdia, Afrobeat and Reggae collective Sens Sagna and the Kajamor Family, Latin band Guacamaya, and Brazilian percussion from youth-group Jubacana.
Showcasing Factory International’s music development programme, Factory Sounds, solo artist and multi-instrumentalist James Holt, afrobeat influenced rapper Prido, and shoegaze indie pop band Foxglove will also perform.
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On the food and drink side of things, there’ll be an offering from Super Serve (which was recently announced as Factory International’s food and beverage partner), plus Caribbean delights from ARMR, fish and chips from Hip Hop Chip Shop, Indian food from Zouk, and ice creams from Ginger’s Comfort Emporium.
Ginger’s Comfort Emporium. Credit: SuppliedARMR. Credit: SuppliedHip Hop Chip Shop. Credit: The Manc GroupFood and drink at Festival Square
An array of family entertainment will include song and dance workshops, interactive music-making and storytelling, from Babyrocksampler, Born To Be Wild Child, Playhouse Project and more.
Rivca Burns, Festival Square programmer for Factory International says: “We’re super excited to share the 2023 edition of Festival Square, featuring more voices than ever before from across Greater Manchester.
“It is an honour to curate the programme for the hub of Manchester International Festival, the talent in this city is huge and bringing over 190 acts to this international stage. The programme will excite, inspire and fill you with joy daily, get down to Festival Square to enjoy your new favourite artist!”
Sarah Maxfield, Area Director, North, Arts Council England, said: “It is fantastic to have Manchester International Festival back across the city after the limitations of the pandemic. Festival Square offers the local community and visitors a chance to enjoy a huge variety of free live music and family activities and it’s great to see so many artists from Greater Manchester performing in this year’s programme.”
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For those outside the city centre, Sounds From the Square will be broadcasting live to the world from factoryinternational.org and the Factory International YouTube channel with interviews, performances and behind the scenes access to the productions at MIF23.
More details on the MIF23 programme, including Festival Square, can be found at factoryinternational.org.
Featured image: Paul Husband
Manchester
Kate Scott praised for impassioned speech following more racism in Champions League
Danny Jones
Football pundit and sports presenter Kate Scott has been met with plenty of praise for her ‘expert’ handling of the fallout following more racism in the Champions League this week, delivering an emotional and impassioned speech about discrimination live on TV.
The Manchester-born broadcaster, formerly Kate Abdo, was serving as the host on her usual CBS Sports panel on Tuesday, 17 February, when the story of the playoff game between Benfica and Real Madrid – which included a worldie from Vinicius Jr. – was overshadowed by more allegations of racial abuse.
In case you missed it, Argentine player Gianluca Prestianni was accused of making racist remarks by both Vini Jr and Kylian Mbappe, but supposedly covered his mouth so as not to be caught on camera; the match was then stopped for more than 11 minutes.
Speaking in the aftermath amid the following European fixtures the next day, the Withington-schooled journalist and University of Salford graduate delivered an eloquent reaction to the controversy with peak professionalism.
Absolutely pitch perfect, and all those involved in preparing the statement should be applauded.
While Scott herself recognised that it’s a shame we even have to keep talking about issues like these rather than the sheer simplistic beauty of, well, ‘the beautiful game’, her response is an example of the job being done at arguably its very best: factual, ethical, moving and inspiring.
As you can see, Scott goes on to say, “This isn’t Real Madrid versus Benfica – it is right versus wrong. Vini Junior and Kylian Mbappe said that there was repeated racial abuse.
“Gianluca Prestiani said they misheard, but he covered his mouth to hide what he said from the cameras, and hopefully, we can all agree that if what you are saying on a football pitch is shameful enough to have to hide it from the public, then you’re wrong.”
The Portuguese club, which ultimately lost 1-0 in their first leg at home on the night, have released a statement reaffirming their commitment to “equality, respect, and inclusion” but reiterates that they believe Prestiani and feel he is now the subject of a “defamation campaign”.
Conversely, in a definitive and emphatic closing message, she signs off by adding the following: “The racial diversity on a football pitch in the Champions League is the representation of the global love for this game and the global belonging in this game. This is the very spirit of football.
“And if you don’t agree, then respectfully, you are the one who doesn’t belong.”
This is what the Athletic is supposed to be. Telling important stories & giving in depth analysis. I hope this signals that it will be its focus moving forward.
From CBS ‘Golazo’ show being applauded for tackling the subject head-on, to Cross herself being labelled as everything from “a role model” and “a benchmark” to “the best on the planet” in the outpouring of reactions on social media, it’s fair to say they absolutely nailed it.
Sadly, this is one of many recent examples of prejudice being shared publicly across various UEFA tournaments and beyond in recent years, but the only way we can truly help anti-hate initiatives is by continuing to call them out.
Manchester United to offer fans FREE coach travel for upcoming away game
Danny Jones
Manchester United have offered free coaches to away fans hoping to travel to their game against AFC Bournemouth.
The fixture against The Cherries isn’t here just yet, with four other matches before then – two home and two away – but many supporters have already been fretting about how they’re going to get there.
With a 252-mile trek and what could be upwards of a 10-hour round trip, there and back, the club has informed the travelling ‘Stretford Enders‘ that they will be arranging at least some of the nearly 1,300 members of the fan base to travel down south to the Vitality Stadium.
Although not entirely unheard of, it’s nevertheless been praised as a classy touch and way of recognising some of their most dedicated support year-round, especially after a turbulent few weeks.
🚌 We are offering free coach travel for fans who are travelling to our match at Bournemouth on Friday 20 March ❤️
Set to be free of charge for anyone with a valid away ticket next month, the gesture will at least make life a little bit easier for Reds heading to the coastal town at the end of an already long working week.
Scheduled to take place at 8pm on 20 March, Bournemouth vs Man United is the late kick-off, but the first of that Premier League round (gameweek 31).
With limited transport options via both public and supporters group networks, they’ve decided to step in and aid those willing to make the journey.
They also seemed to make what some have perceived as a dig at the division, noting that “this fixture follows an unusually high number of games that have been played midweek this season.”
Writing a lengthy statement, they said: “The club, listening to the views raised by supporters in both the Fan Advisory Board and Fans’ Forum, has raised concerns in meetings with senior counterparts at both the Premier League and broadcasters in recent months…
Acknowledging the “impact scheduling decisions have on match-goers and urging them to make earlier decisions”, they are one of many teams that have urged the footballing body to adjust their plans where possible and afford fans extra time to plan.
With both recognised supporters’ trusts and other fan groups alike having played a crucial role in a number of key observances of late, it only feels fitting that they be rewarded for their commitment.
That being said, director of fan engagement Rick McGagh went on to add: “We believe we have the best and loudest away following in the country, and we wanted to do something for our fans to show we appreciate their dedication and support.
“When games are moved from a weekend to a Friday or Monday night, we know it impacts fans, meaning they often have to take time off work and face more expensive and greatly restricted travel options.
“We continue to work with our FAB and Fans’ Forum reps and share their concerns to broadcasters and the Premier League. We hope this gesture helps our fans travelling down to Bournemouth for the game, and, on behalf of the players and everyone at the club, we thank them for their continued support.”
As an added bonus, they also detailed that besides free coach travel to the far-flung game, those attending the Bournemouth game will also be entered into a raffle to win a United shirt signed by one of the men’s first-team.
While fans must organise their transport to arrive at Old Trafford, with no alternative pick-up or drop-off points, all the details on how to book the free coach travel will be shared with successful applicants, along with confirmation of their place in the away ballot.
Daisy Jackson -
18th May 2023 
