A series of incredible independent arts and culture events will span across Greater Manchester over the coming weeks, as Manchester Independents commissions 12 amazing new works.
They are an initiative launched out of the pandemic to support local artists across all 10 boroughs, and give them a platform to showcase their projects, supported by various cultural organisations around the region including Brighter Sound, HOME, Factory International, Contact and many more.
Following on from the success of the 2021 scheme, which saw 23 new commissions, Manchester Independents are ready to present 12 new projects, from walking tours to art exhibitions to theatre.
The vast range of new work includes everything from workshops with Muslim women in Rochdale to film screenings in Levenshulme to AI-generated theatre in the city centre.
Themes will range from celebrations, love and feminism to mental health, chronic illness and dystopian Manchester.
You’ll find the new Manchester Independents commissions at venues from theatres (like Contact and 53Two) to parks to galleries to digital spaces.
Events are going to be popping up all over Greater Manchester over the coming weeks – here’s what you need to know.
This six-minute video artwork will blend spoken word, an original soundtrack, and a choral performance of the chorus from Eminem’s ‘Cleaning Out My Closet’ to speak about absence, loss, grief and childhood rebellion.
Dance, contemporary circus, poetry and improvisation will come together in this duet. The piece looks at mysticism, Afrofuturism and Black Feminist Hauntology through our connection with the life giving element, water.
Horticultural Centre at Wythenshawe Park, 30 September
The neglected Horticultural Centre at Wythenshawe Park is going to be brought to life by visual artist Michele Selway. She’ll use Victorian photographic equipment to document the place and the people that are keeping it going, and use the unique 1951 Wet Plate Collodion process to photograph onto large format glass plates, mirroring the materials of the glass house itself.
Four Dholis And A Divorce by Hafsah Aneela Bashir, @redwizz1
Rochdale Ukrainian Club, 29 September
This performance explores intergenerational trauma and lived experiences of divorce through five female characters from a South Asian Muslim background.
Portraits of a Poet by Princess Arinola Adegbite (BITEZ), @pabitez
The Whitworth, 5 October
A surrealist work exploring perception and the ways we perform in society for safety, love and acceptance. It begins from the perspective of a black female artist to investigate agency, spectatorship and power.
A theatre piece exploring Sam’s 12 years of visiting Manchester Children’s hospital regularly. This performance plays with comedy, sadness, perceptions and toilet humour often found in discussions amongst young patients.
A fast-moving, comedy drama about life with chronic gynaecological disease.
Cerebral Palsy Graphic Novel by Julian Gray, @juliangrayart
Published online at the end of August – available at www.manchesterindependents.org
Interviews with people with Cerebral Palsy about its representation in media and performance, culminating in an online zine.
The Anxious Photographer’s Handbook by Simon Jones, @simonjones_2000
Book launch in September, exhibition in October. Details to be updated on www.manchesterindependents.org
A visually engaging book containing a range of interesting photographic challenges which can be used as a way to connect with the local environment and society. The work is primarily aimed at individuals that have become isolated due to issues such as anxiety and other mental health/social issues.
See www.manchesterindependents.org for latest updates.
Jova and the wave rebranding as yeguachita – EP, graphic identity and video works. yeguachita will be creating a concept album in collaboration with other musicians.
Featured image: Supplied
Art & Culture
Manchester Mardi Gras lineup and stage times in full – the ultimate guide to Pride 2025’s new event
Danny Jones
This year’s Manchester Pride festival is nearly here, and with the organisers introducing an all-new addition to the celebrations in the form of Mardi Gras, 2025 is going to be unforgettable.
Promising to be bigger, better and bolder than ever, this new entire sub-section/spin-off/side-event (whatever you want to call it) is designed to up the party atmosphere even further over the long August bank holiday weekend.
For anyone as yet unaware, Manchester Pride 2025 will not just boast the usual parade, Gay Village Party and numerous other specific events in and around Canal Street, but an entirely new series; this year, Mardi Gras is taking over Depot Mayfield and Freight Island too, promising a whole host of shows.
So, without further ado, let’s get stuck into what’s on where and when, shall we?
Now, for starters, you can see the full lineup down below, including the likes of blockbuster headliner Nelly Furtado, who was announced as the final act for the closing night of Mardi Gras 2025 last week.
The are plenty of other big names playing Pride this year – take a look for yourselves.
It’s also worth noting that wristbands for Mardi Gras still grant you entry to all of this year’s Gay Village Party events, too.
Mardi Gras stage times for MCR Pride 2025
Next up are the stage times, and while we can certainly lay everything out for you, as with any festival, having to painstakingly check all of the clashes is up to you.
Anna Phylactic – 2:45-2:50pm N-Trance – 2:50-3:20pm Louis III – 3:30-4pm K-Klass – 4:10-7:10pm Louisa Johnson – 5-5:40pm Banksie – 5:20-5:35pm Tayce – 5:45-18:00 Big Freedia – 6:30-7pm Tulisa – 7:20-7:50pm Olly Alexander – 9:40-10:40pm Nelly Furtado – 11:30pm-12:30am
The former Little Mix star is headlines the night of Mardi Gras.Gok Wan sets always go off.Credit: Press Shots (supplied)
Freight Island
Sat, 23 August
Sun, 24 August
Bongo’s Bingo – 4-5pm Red Bull ‘Dance Your Style’ – 5:15-35pm Yshee Black – 5:35-5:50pm Shanika Sunrise – 5:55-6:10pm Bailey J Mills – 6:15-6:30pm Red Bull ‘Dance Your Style’ (second set) – 7-7:20pm Charity Shop Sue – 7:20-8:05pm Queenz: ‘Drag Me To The Disco’ – 8:15-9pm Dean McCullough’s Pop Machine – 9:15-10:15pm The Danny Beard Show – 11:33pm-12:28am
Bongo’s Bingo – 3:45-4:45pm Lucky Roy Singh – 5:20-5:25pm Tequila Thirst – 5:25-5:30pm Fortune – 5:35-5:40pm Minara el Waters – 5:40-5:45pm Lady Imelda – 5:45-5:55pm DJ – Club Zindagi – 6-6:30pm Singh/Raj/Fortune/Kaan/Awas – 6:30-6:35pm Sitara Malik – 6:35-6:40pm Awais – 6:40-6:45pm Saki Yew – 6:45-6:50pm Raj – 6:50-6:55pm Duniya Dhoom – 6:55-7pm Khaan – 7-7:05pm Buffer – 7:05-7:15pm Zahirah Zapanta – 7:15-7:20pm Amirck Channa – 7:20-7:25pm DJ – Club Zindagi (second set) – 7:25-7:55pm House of MCR ‘Pride Edition’ – 9pm-12:04am
The Garden Stage is often the quieter, more laid-back part of Freight Island, but there’ll still be plenty of entertainment to be found there this bank holiday…
That’s just about everything you need to know ahead of the inaugural edition of Mardi Gras as part of the annual Manchester Pride celebrations.
We hope you all have a wonderful time this weekend – look out for one another, be happy, unapologetically yourselves, and show this city in its best light like you every year.
And last but not least, you can find out everything else you need to know from our complete MCR Pride 2025 guide right here.
Featured Images — Press shots (supplied)/The Manc Group
Art & Culture
Full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Pride Parade 2025
Emily Sergeant
The full list of road closures set to be in place for the Manchester Pride Parade this weekend have been released.
Manchester Pride is a beloved celebration of LGBTQ+ life in Manchester, known for bringing thousands of people into city centre every August bank holiday weekend for four fun-filled, glitter-covered, disco-driven days – and 2025 is certainly no different.
Everywhere you look, the city’s streets are already becoming awash with colour and acceptance – with everyone welcome to come as they are.
Every year, the Festival lineup offers a wide range of activities for the LGBTQ+ community to join together and celebrate, as well as providing opportunities to advocate for LGBTQ+ equality, engage families and young people, and celebrate queer arts and culture.
This year’s Festival is set to kick-off this Friday 22 August and round out on bank holiday Monday (25 August).
Of course, for the celebrations to all take place as safely and seamlessly as possible, a number of road closures and restrictions will need to be put in place, and Manchester City Council has now published a list of everything you need to know.
It’s advised that anyone making their way into and around the city centre this weekend use other modes of transport, such as buses, trams, and trains.
But for those who need to drive, you’ll want to pay attention to this list before setting out on any journeys.
Manchester Pride Parade takes place this bank holiday weekend / Credit: The Manc Group | Manchester Pride (via Supplied)
Manchester Pride Parade 2025 – Road Closures
Saturday 23 August
6am to 7pm
Liverpool Road – from Water Street to Deansgate
Wollam Place – from 30m south of Liverpool Road to Liverpool Road
Potato Wharf – from Castlefield Hotel Entrance to Liverpool Road
Old Medlock Street
Lower Byrom Street – from 40m north of Liverpool Road to Liverpool Road
Duke Street – from Rice Street to Liverpool Road
Stone Street – from Liverpool Road to Bridgewater Street
Barton Street – from Worsley Street to Tonman Street
Southern Street – from 20m south of Liverpool Road to Liverpool Road
9:30am – 7pm
Deansgate – from Trafford Street to Peter Street
Quay Street – from Little Quays Street to Deansgate
Peter Street – from Deansgate to Oxford Street
Watson Street – from Windmill Street to Peter Street
Mount Street – from Windmill Street to Peter Street
Southmill Street – from Windmill Street to Peter Street
Lower Mosley Street – from Windmill Street to Oxford Street
Oxford Street – from Peter Street to Whitworth Street
Chepstow Street – from Great Bridgewater Street to Oxford Street
Portland Street – from Oxford Street to Abingdon Street
Princess Street – from Faulkner Street to Whitworth Street
Whitworth Street – from Beaver Street to Fairfield Street
Fairfield Street – from Whitworth Street to London Road
This year’s Festival is set to kick-off on Friday 23 August and round out on Monday 26 August.
A number of road closures will be in place to facilitate the Manchester Pride Parade this weekend / Credit: Manchester Pride (via Supplied)
The following closures only pertain to ‘one way’ or are revoked turns and bus gates:
One way
One Way Reversal Deansgate from Peter Street to John Dalton Street
Revoked turns
Right Turn Only – Atkinson Street – from Atkinson Street to Deansgate
Left Turn Only – Bootle Street – from Bootle Street to Deansgate
Left Turn Only – Jacksons Row – from Jacksons Row to Deansgate
Right Turn Only – Hardman Street – from Hardman Street to Deansgate
Left Turn Only – Queen Street – from Queen Street to Deansgate
Right Turn Only – Wood Street – from Wood Street to Deansgate
Revoked bus gate
Revocation of bus gate enforcement on Bridge Street Westbound – from Gartside Street to Blackfriars Street
Thousands will flock to the city for a celebration of love and acceptance / Credit: Manchester Pride (via Supplied)
There will also be a number of parking bay suspensions in and around the Parade route on Saturday 23 August, which have also been confirmed here:
6am – 6pm
Liverpool Road – from Water Street to Deansgate
Deansgate – from Liverpool Road to Peter Street
Peter Street – from Deansgate to Oxford Street
Oxford Street – from Peter Street to Portland Street
Portland Street – from Peter Street to Princess Street
Princess Street – from Portland Street to Whitworth Street
Whitworth Street – from Oxford Street to Fairfield Street
Fairfield Street – from Whitworth Street to London Road
Ebden Street – from Minshull Street to Back Acton Street
Back Acton Street – from Fairfield Street to Granby Row
Heading to Manchester Pride 2025 this weekend? Or making your way into the city centre and keen to find out everything happening this bank holiday weekend?
You can check everything you need to know in our full Manchester Pride Guide here.
And you can also discover everything else in Manchester’s social calendar over the next couple of days here, as we are a city bustling with activity.
Daisy Jackson -
31st August 2023 
