By Georgina Hurdsfield
Manchester International Festival is back for 2019 from 4th – 21st July, boasting an exciting line-up which gathers artists from over 20 different countries. MIF provides an electrifying cultural experience for the people of Manchester and afar, showcasing original music, art, theatre and so much more!
Opening the festival is Yoko Ono with her ‘BELLS FOR PEACE’, which invites festival-goers to join in on a mass-participatory art piece in Cathedral Gardens. This exhibitions requests participants to sing out for peace and was curated specifically for Manchester.
Another event we are excited to see is David Lynch’s art exhibition. For those of you who don’t know, David Lynch is a legendary artist, musician and director of works such as Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet. His artwork will take over every corner of HOME for 18 sensational days. In the cinema there will also be screenings of Lynch’s classic films as well as some rare shorts. Fingers crossed that he may actually turn up for his own mini festival at HOME!
For fans of grime, Skepta has curated a piece called ‘DYSTOPIA987’, taking place in a secret location in Manchester that presents his vision of the future. This will feature a live performance from the Mercury Prize winner himself, as well as handpicked DJs.
For those of you who love the idea of a festival but don’t quite fancy the camping bit, MIF will be turning Albert Square into its own miniature festival, featuring art pieces from Manchester School of Art and free live music as well as fabulous food and drink. Admission is free and festival square will be open till late throughout the duration of MIF.
If you’re looking for ways to get involved with the festival, there are many opportunities such as volunteering, joining online forums, artist development opportunities and MIF traineeships/internships. MIF is even offering a budget for people to throw their own mini-festival in their home with help from experienced producers.
Event listings and tickets can be found here. However, don’t forget more special events will be announced closer to the festival, including conversations, master classes and much more.
By Megan Levick A new exhibition celebrating female cyclists and tackling issues around women’s safety in urban spaces has launched at Manchester Central Library this month in celebration of International Women’s Day 2025. The aAh! Magazine X Lights Up Exhibition will run from 03 March to 29 March 2025 and showcases a range of multimedia…
Featured image: Alison Hall Future Media Production student Gracie Hall takes home top music photography award A Manchester Metropolitan University student has claimed a top national photography award, winning the Photographer of the Year title in the music category at the London Camera Exchange 2025. Gracie Hall, a BA Future Media Production student, impressed judges with her…
Featured image: Edward Firman There is no better combination than a good book and a hot cup of coffee; it’s the ultimate feeling of cosiness no matter the season. However, there’s something comforting about rainy days in Manchester, when the skies are gloomy and you stumble upon an independent bookstore. Over the years, bookstores have…
Featured image and gallery: Eden-Hopkins Fermo Manchester Met’s GoGlobal Week initiative continued on Wednesday with an event featuring award-winning poet Jason Allen-Paisant and acclaimed writer and Contemporary Fiction Professor Monique Roffey. Launching his first non-fiction book, The Possibility of Tenderness, Allen-Paisant and Roffey explored the themes of his memoir, dissecting his personal history and the…
Leave a reply