A hand-picked selection of the many creative, cultural and community-oriented events happening across Manchester over the first term.

SEPTEMBER

FRESHERS FAIR
24–25/09/24
No Freshers Week experience is complete without a trip to the Freshers Fair. Taking place across two days at Sugden Sports Centre, it’s an opportunity for you to explore the clubs and societies Manchester Met has to offer — and bag freebies and free Domino’s pizza.

PAINTING MANCHESTER RED
29/09/24
Flow4Equality presents Painting Manchester Red, a new pop-up day festival taking place at Brickhouse Social, designed to support and empower women while raising awareness of period poverty. The event will feature guest speakers, craft stations and art workshops.

TRAPLORD
26–29/09/24
This Olivier Award-winning show from world-renowned artist and cultural innovator Ivan Michael Blackstock comes to Factory International’s Aviva Studios. The show fuses dance, live music, and spoken word to explore life, death and rebirth.

UNION FILM FEST
27/09/24
Sit back and relax at The Union’s very own Film Fest. With screenings of classics such as Shrek 2, Dune: Part Two, Hot Fuzz and The Cabin in the Woods, there’s something for everyone. Enjoy free sweet treats and Domino’s pizza with every film.

MANCHESTER SCHOOL OF ART VERTICAL GALLERY
Until 30/09/24
Explore the Vertical Gallery exhibition, located in the Manchester School of Art’s Lowry Building, as part of the 2024 Degree Show. Students from across the School of Design showcase work addressing subjects such as disability rights, motherhood, identity, workers rights and climate change.

OCTOBER

aAh! THE FRESHERS ISSUE WELCOME SOCIAL & 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
03/10/24
Join aAh! to celebrate ten years of your student magazine! Come along, meet the team and discover how you can get involved with the online and print magazine. Hosted at the Manchester Poetry Library, the editorial team will be on hand to talk you through the new opportunities for 24/25.

MANCHESTER LITERATURE FESTIVAL
04–20/10/24
This year’s festival returns with big-name authors like Jackie Kay, Matt Haig, and Rebecca F. Kuang. Expect spoken-word and poetry events, author talks, book launches, and more. With events happening across the city, explore the full programme to ensure you don’t miss out.

QUDUS ONIKEKU AND THE QDANCE COMPANY – RE:INCARNATION
08–09/10/24
The QDance Company presents a vibrant celebration of Nigerian culture at The Lowry, where dance, music, fashion and art joyfully come together. The show delves into Yoruba philosophy through afrobeats, striking visuals and dynamic choreography.

BEYOND THE MUSIC
09–12/10/24
Manchester’s new global music conference arrives at Aviva Studios. Grab a delegate pass for two days of summits on the future of music and content — then enjoy a series of gigs across the Northern Quarter to discover new sounds.

WEST ART COLLECTIVE PRESENTS: SÉANCE
18/10/24
The historic Antwerp Mansion hosts this annual art event by creative organisation West Art Collective. Expect an evening of performance art, market stalls, workshops, tarot readings and more, in anticipation of the most haunted night of the year.

NOVEMBER

HOMOBLOC
09/11/24
Depot Mayfield hosts one of the most exciting events on Manchester’s LGBTQIA+ calendar. Christine and the Queens, hyperpop icon Shygirl, Swedish singer and record producer COBRAH and many more will perform at this celebration of queer expression and connection.

MANCHESTER ART FAIR
15–17/11/24
The annual Manchester Art Fair returns to Manchester Central, boasting a huge line-up of independent artists, galleries and studio stalls to explore. Expect tons of stalls, expert-led talks, demonstrations and free art classes. Be sure you make some space on your bedroom walls.

ARK: UNITED STATES V
12–24/11/24
Fresh off the back of receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Grammys, legendary multi-media artist Laurie Anderson brings her latest work to Aviva Studios. Music, visuals and storytelling will come together in this unmissable stage performance exploring the world as we know it today.

LIGHTS UP: NIGHT-TIME BIKE RIDE
09/11/24
Join women from across the city region for an empowering night-time bike ride through Manchester’s streets. Leading the event from All Saints Park, Greater Manchester Bicycle Mayor and founder of Bee Pedal Ready, Belinda Everett, encourages participants to decorate their bikes with lights, reclaiming the darkness and our streets.

ART SCHOOL LIVE
21/11/24

Art School Live is back for its fifth year this November. The team is delving into the area of electronic music production and performance, as well as hosting a series of interactive workshops delivered by industry educators and artists. This year, they’re mixing things up by featuring three industry-leading UK electronic dance music artists, each hosting a workshop during the day followed by a live performance in the evening.

16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
25/11–10/12/24
Manchester Met presents 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a mini-festival exploring how poetry can drive transformational social change. The event features Everyday Sexism project founder Laura Bates, psychoanalyst and author Katharine Angel, and poet and playwright Joelle Taylor.

DECEMBER

MELANIE WILSON – BUNKER TALK #144
03/12/24
Join interdisciplinary performance maker Melanie Wilson at The Salutation for Bunker Talk #144. The event will delve into her acclaimed work, which blends sound, experimental composition, language, technology, and live performance, as well as her efforts to elevate sound-led performance as a recognised art form in the UK.

DEEP FOCUS
06–07/12/24
Manchester Met’s School of Digital Arts (SODA) presents Deep Focus, an experimental lab featuring a programme of workshops, guest lectures and expert events. In partnership with the arts organisation Abandon Normal Devices, the events will explore themes of misinformation, conspiracies and online communities.

THE WAREHOUSE PROJECT PRESENTS: THE HAÇIENDA
07/12/24
The infamous Warehouse Project returns for another year of music, movement, and utter mayhem with your mates. The Haçienda event celebrates the legacy of 90s acid house birthed in Manchester. Expect a whopping line-up of big name regulars to keep you bouncing until the early hours.

DAVID HOCKNEY: BIGGER & CLOSER (NOT SMALLER & FURTHER AWAY)
From 10/12/24
Bradford-born creative juggernaut, David Hockney, debuts his latest exhibition at Aviva Studios, marking its first showing outside of London. It promises to be a feast for the senses with art projections, sound systems, and experimental lighting, and students can bag discounted tickets.

DISCO PUSS: NEW YEAR’S EVE
31/12/24
It’s never too early to start planning your New Year’s Eve. One of the city’s most beloved venues, YES, is hosting a party in their first-floor Pink Room, with DJs Rich Reason and Lariska on hand to usher you into 2025 with a night of disco, house, funk, and soul.