Just in time for the October half term, the jaw-dropping multi-sensory experience has already captivated eight million people in a whopping 75 cities right across the world, and has proven to be just as exciting for children as it is for adults – perhaps even more so.
With 3,000 images from the seminal Dutch artist’s renowned body of work digitally emblazoned onto supersized backdrops, and paintings that are ready for little ones to literally climb right into, Van Gogh Alive is so much more than a visit to a gallery, or a ‘don’t touch’ museum trip.
Organisers assure that it’s “immersive, interactive, and inspiring” for people of all ages.
Thinking of checking it out? Here’s five reasons why babies, toddlers, kids, and teens should be first in line for half term week when the purpose-built venue lands at MediaCityUK on 22 October.
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Van Gogh Alive has been called a “glorious, stunning, but also very moving” exhibition / Credit: Van Gogh Alive
1. It’s the world’s most visited multi-sensory experience
We weren’t kidding – eight million people have already flocked to Van Gogh Alive when it’s visited other cities across the world.
It’s a feast of sight, sound, and scent set to an evocative score that will help younger visitors to understand the emotion and tone of each artwork as they explore the space, while also enjoying the authentic fragrance of Provence wafting through the air.
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Even the most hard-to-please teenagers are bound to be entertained by the larger-than-life imagery and a mirrored room filled to the brim with sunflowers – which makes for a cracking photo opportunity.
2. It’s fun, educational, and interactive
No one will be shushed, no one will be told not to touch, and no one will be bored – this is the kind of awe-inspiring and unforgettable experience that parents desperately search for.
Van Gogh is one of the world’s most important artists of all time, and throughout this experience, young visitors will discover his work, his life, his descent into madness, and his legacy, meaning it’s pretty much the best art, history, and geography lesson they could ever hope for.
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Whether the idea of learning excites your kids or not, they will learn – and they will love it.
Not only will you be able to step straight into Van Gogh’s world, both kids and adults alike can try their hands at using his techniques and learning his craft, with three graded tutorials on offer at the dedicated Art Activity Area, and even the opportunity to recreate some of the artist’s most famous works.
So you can leave the grey Manchester skies outside, and step into a world of kaleidoscopic colour and 360-degree delight.
The jaw-dropping multi-sensory experience has already captivated eight million people / Credit: Van Gogh AliveIt’s a feast of sight, sound, and scent set to an evocative score that will help younger visitors to understand the emotion / Credit: Van Gogh Alive
3. Climb into an actual painting
This is your chance to, quite literally, climb inside of an actual painting.
There’ll be a life-sized recreation of ‘Van Gogh’s Bedroom’ – one of his most famous pieces – truly bringing art to life at the installation, and families can sit on Van Gogh’s bed, his chair, use his mirror, and pose for a photo in one of the most recognisable bedrooms in history.
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Where else does a painting spring out into life sized, touchable, three-dimensional reality?
It’s another layer of magic that the whole family will love.
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Van Gogh Alive opens its doors from 22 October 2021 – 23 January 2022 at MediaCityUK, and tickets are on sale now.
It’s £22 for adults and £15 for children, with concessions and school group discounts available.
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Event organisers are hoping to raise vital funds for The Christie charity to help it continue its incredible work leading the way for cancer care, research, and education – and visitors to the exhibition will have the opportunity to make a donation either when purchasing tickets, or while at the exhibition.
Controlled visitor capacities and managed visitor flow mean visitors can easily respect any COVID-19 guidelines and enjoy the experience safely.
Tate McRae at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for ‘Miss Possessive’ tour
Thomas Melia
Canadian performer Tate McRae is bringing her viral bangers to Co-op Live, Manchester for a night of sass, synths and of course dance breaks.
The time has come to let all your ‘exes’ know, put your ‘Sports car’ in drive and get ready to ‘run for the hills’ because it’s finally time for Tate McRae to take to the Co-op Live stage in Manchester.
Now the Calgary-born talent, four albums deep and only 21 years old, is ready to perform to 23,500 Manchester fans at our city’s largest indoor entertainment venue.
Tate McRae gig guide
Tate McRae is visiting Manchester twice, 24 May and 25 June, playing Co-op Live.
Sun 22 June – Nottingham, UK – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Tue 24 June – London, UK – The O2 Arena
Thu 25 June – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Tate McRae tickets for Co-op Live gig
‘What would you do?’ if I told you that there were tickets left for Tate McRae’s Co-op Live shows in Manchester, because there just might be.
Any fans of this Canadian pop star will have to act fast because there are only a select number of precious tickets left for both of her Manchester dates.
Tickets for both Tate McRae’s shows on Saturday, 24 May and Thursday, 25 June, are selling fast and are in high demand.
What are the stage times for Tate McRae in Manchester?
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm meaning the Canadian performer might have her set wrapped up before the clock hits ’10:35′.
Anyone attending can expect the doors to open at 6:30pm with a kick-off time of 8pm and support from New Zealand star BENEE, best known for soundtracking lockdown with her huge hit, ‘Supalonely’, collaborating with the likes of Gus Dapperton, Spacey Jane and more.
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
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Expect nothing but hits from 21 year old superstar Tate McRae when she performs at Co-op Live, Manchester.
Swinton’s FREE festival full of live music, food, and ‘family fun’ returns later this month
Emily Sergeant
A popular festival full of pop-up live music, performance, food, drink, and family fun is back in Swinton later this month.
Returning to the Salford town for the third year running at some of Swinton’s favourite venues and well-known locations, Swinton Sounds – which is a collaboration between Salford City Council and From The Other – is all about celebrating the local area and its vibrant community.
Throughout the weekend, local venues will welcome a lineup of Greater Manchester’s best musicians and DJs in a programme curated by the team behind the Sounds from the Other City festival.
Local venues including Swinton Grand Palais, The Swinton Hop House, and The Wobbly Stool, as well as Swinton Square, and the beautiful Victoria Park, are just some of the places residents can head to around town to catch all the action.
Swinton Sounds is back later this month / Credit: Salford City Council
Kicking off on Friday 30 May and running through to Sunday 1 June, Swinton Sounds will launch at the historic Grand Palais with a dancefloor-filling set from Untold Orchestra, with unique takes on dance songs from all the best decades, so expect disco, funk, soul, and lots of shuffle-inducing surprises.
Some of the other stand-out musical performances across the weekend come from the likes of Soul artist Yemi Bolatiwa, Ghana-born, Manchester-raised contemporary guitarist and composer Rory A. Green, and R&B, Gospel, and Neo Soul fusing singer-songwriter Kiké.
Away from the music, festivalgoers will also be able to catch a visually-striking performance piece from the UK’s leading makers and creators of outdoor arts, theatre, and spectacle in the public realm, Walk the Plank – inspired by the nesting birds found around the waterways of Salford.
Throughout the weekend, local venues will welcome a lineup of Greater Manchester’s best musicians / Credit: Supplied
Craft-based family fun will also be provided by Manchester’s Little Artists, while Swinton’s-own Arts Let Loose will be inviting kids to dance and create to music under UV lights.
Clay and craft workshops for the all the family will come courtesy of Clay Life, and Salford Mad Pride will be in town to promote creativity, arts, nature, and community connection for wellbeing, all while celebrating the unique talents of those who struggle with mental health.
If you’re feeling a bit peckish, Fratellis will be providing the pizza, and local bars, The Wobbly Stool and The Swinton Hop House will be running pop-up bars.
Further refreshments will be served from The Hive community hub.
There’ll also be lots of food and family-friendly entertainment over the three days / Credit: Supplied
“Swinton has plenty to celebrate, and has the potential to be one of the best places to live in Greater Manchester,” commented Councillor Jack Youd, who is the Deputy City Mayor at Salford City Council.
“Local people have told us they want to see a more vibrant Swinton, with more going on and more reasons for people to visit and spend their leisure time in the area, so this exciting weekend of activities is part of a programme of events developed in response to that community ambition, and it’s a great opportunity for people to explore the town and experience something new.”
Swinton Sounds will take over Swinton for three days at the end of this month from Friday 30 May – Sunday 1 June, and all events are free to take part in.
Emily Sergeant -
8th October 2021 
