The full lineup for a city-wide art trail with more than 80 artworks, murals, mosaics, and installations celebrating Manchester’s music scene has been announced.
It’s no secret that Manchester is a musical hub, with countless well-known artists getting their start here or calling our city home over the years, and in a fitting way to celebrate this incredible lineup of musical talent, an all-new multi-sensory art exhibition will be taking over the streets of the city centre this summer.
The new exhibition, which is titled Music for the Senses: an art arrangement for a musical city, is a collaboration between global art producer Wild in Art – the creators of the famous Bee in the City project – and Manchester City Council.
It’ll be running across the city centre from early July until the end of August.
Music for the Senses takes over Manchester city centre this summer / Credit: David Oates (via Supplied)
Celebrated musical acts including Busted, Doves, Elbow, Mani, New Order, Oasis, PINS, and Pixies have donated precious instruments to display in windows across the city at locations like Aviva Studios, Piccadilly Records, Band on the Wall, New Century, and many more
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Manchester artist Liam Hopkins, known as Lazerian, will also create an interactive installation down on King Street called ‘Guitar Street’ that lovingly-repurposes donated guitars, as well as creating another similar how-stopping installation on St Peter’s Square called ‘Cathedral of Sound’ from 7-20 July, before it moves on to Mayfield Park from 25 July – 31 August.
Meanwhile, more guitars donated by the public have been painted or adorned by a talented collection of professional artists, turning them into individual artworks to be displayed in a wide range of shop windows and venues all across the city.
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More than 80 artworks, murals, mosaics, and installations will be dotted around the streets / Credit: David Oates (via Supplied)
There will also be four brand-new murals by internationally renowned street artists Lei-Mai LeMaow (Etihad Campus tram stop), Nomad Clan (Oxford Road Train Station), and .EPOD and AKSE (Great Northern).
And all along the trail, visitors can get involved with Manchester Music Mooch – an interactive journey through the locations of the grassroots music community, with exciting interactive AR experiences at five locations around the city.
“Manchester has always been a place for music, and we’re delighted to unveil Music for the Senses,” commented Ben Reed, who is the Head of Creative Development at Wild in Art. “It’s our first ever guitar trail, and we think that there is something really magical about repurposing musical instruments into stunning works of art.
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“This is also the first time we’ve put together a trail showcasing brand new art while at the same time highlighting some of Manchester’s iconic music-inspired artwork.
“It has enabled us to explore creativity in a range of different art forms, including new murals around the city by some of the very best street artists in the business.”
When the art trail draws to close at the end of August, all the guitars featured will be auctioned off for charity, with the funds raised going to support grassroots music projects and venues across Greater Manchester.
Music for the Senses: an art arrangement for a musical city will run from 7 July – 31 August.
You can find out what else makes up MCR Live ’25 here.
The ENTIRE Manchester Village Pride lineup cost £20k less to book than ONE headliner last year
Daisy Jackson
Bosses behind Manchester Village Pride have revealed that the entire lineup has cost significantly less than the amount spent on just one headliner last year.
In a statement promising transparency, organisers said that the entire weekend of artists has cost less than one single headliner from 2025.
And by some margin – £20,000.
The announcement comes less than a year after the previous Manchester Pride organisation entered voluntary liquidation amid rising costs, declining ticket sales and an ‘ambitious refresh’ of the festival format.
That refresh included moving the main music portion of the annual LGBTQ+ celebration away from the Gay Village itself, and over to Depot Mayfield.
The collapse of Manchester Pride followed reports that performers from the 2025 event were still waiting to be paid, with entertainment union Equity later saying its members were more than £70,000 out of pocket.
Manchester Village Pride was subsequently established as a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, with organisers promising a more community-focused approach and greater transparency around finances.
The 2026 event is being delivered with unpaid directors, while organisers have also signed an Equity agreement guaranteeing fair pay and professional standards for performers – the first UK union agreement of its kind for a Pride event.
Performing at Manchester Village Pride this year are major artists like Nadine Coyle, Danny Beard, Gareth Gates, Kate Nash, Cascada, and Rowetta.
They’re joined by a lineup of fantastic home-grown talent, including artists, DJs, and drag queens, taking our city’s Pride celebrations back to their roots, and keeping things firmly in the Gay Village.
In their statement, Manchester Village Pride said: “Transparency time! Booking this entire weekend of fabulous artists cost us £20k UNDER what was spent on a single headliner last year. This is what community Pride looks like!”
Manchester Village Pride will once again take place over the August bank holiday weekend, with the party running for four days from Friday to Monday.
The celebrations will culminate in the moving candlelit vigil in Sackville Gardens.
Ticket prices this year, even with just over a week to go, are only £40 for the full three-day festival, or £25 for one day. Monday will be free to attend.
You can ALREADY book tickets for Greater Manchester’s beloved Santa steam trains this Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester’s beloved Santa steam train rides are back for more festive fun this Christmas, and tickets are already on sale… genuinely.
Sure, it’s literally the middle of August, and we’ve still got the rest of summer, and the small matter of a bank holiday weekend, Halloween, and Bonfire Night to get through first, but East Lancashire Railway (ELR) is already looking ahead to the most magical time of year.
The iconic heritage railway has announced that its hugely-popular ‘Santa Specials’ steam trains are back once again from late November.
The famous festive steam trains have become an essential part of Christmas for many families in the North West.
Santa Specials are your chance to hop on board an old-school steam train and travel through the magical Irwell Valley to make ‘enchanted memories’ that last a lifetime.
You can ALREADY book tickets for Greater Manchester’s beloved Santa steam trains this Christmas / Credit: Darren Robinson Photography (via ELR)
The truly special Christmas day out starts as you make your way through a winter wonderland at Bury Bolton Street Station, and first get to meet some old favourites and new characters – including the magical talking Christmas tree, Mrs Claus, and ELR’s very own Ice Princess – all before before having a singalong with a chorus of musical polar bears.
The festive fun then continues on the Santa Special steam trains themselves – with an 80-minute ‘enchanting voyage’ through the picturesque Greater Manchester countryside.
And, of course, you can expect a special visit from Santa while you’re on board.
After you’ve grabbed a selfie or two with the big man himself, the grown-ups can look forward to mince pies and festive tipples, while little Mancs can enjoy a soft drink, some chocolate, and take a festive-themed activity pack home with them.
Emily Sergeant -
25th June 2025 
