What's on

In Praise of Blandness

First Floor Exhibition Hall

An exhibition of works by Manchester based photographer, Robert John Watson. Here's what Robert says about the exhbition: 'In Praise Of Blandness is in no way mundane. I see the silent in the world. It is a coincidence that most of my pictures have very few or no people in them as we are just […]

Windrush Generations Manchester Voices Exhibition

Archives+ Ground Floor

Windrush Generations Manchester Voices is a digital exhibition, on the ground floor of Central Library in Archives+, that focuses on the personal histories and stories of 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation African Caribbeans in Manchester. Discover personal perspectives on: struggles and achievements art and activism the history and legacy of immigration #BlackHistoryMonth Free - please […]

75 Memorial Flames Exhibition

First Floor

A new Holocaust Memorial Day exhibition at Manchester Central Library.  Here's more information about the exhibition from the organisers. Holocaust Memorial Day 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. In commemoration of this landmark anniversary, we ran an exciting project that organisations and community groups all over the UK took part in. […]

Reds & K 1000 – Exhibition

First Floor Display Cases

‘Reds’ Andrew Redmond met documentary photographer Karin Albinsson after completing a prison sentence. When ‘Reds’ told Karin of the 1,000 photos he had taken and lost six years ago, this project was born. During the last couple of years, they have met up regularly to retake the photos lost. Reds has spent most of his […]

I Love You Too

Wolfson Reading Room

Kemang Wa Lehulere collaborates with 11 Manchester writers and over 100 residents of the city to create a surprising collection of love letters – a new book for Central Library South African artist Kemang Wa Lehulere spent MIF19 in residence in Manchester’s network of libraries – and two years on, we’re now presenting I Love You […]

Behind Closed Doors

Lower Ground Floor Exhibition Space

Behind Closed Doors is a photographic exhibition featuring life within an Intensive Care Unit at the height of the pandemic. The photo’s were taken by Petro Bekker who volunteered to go back and work in the ICU at the start of the pandemic.  Petro re-joined her colleagues, where she had been a Senior Sister and […]

Queering the North

Performance Space

The OUTing the Past International Festival of LGBT+ History (est. Manchester in 2005) has teamed up with the Museum of Free Derry to create the first retrospective showcase of NI Queer Activism. A rare insight into the previously unacknowledged tenacious heroism of queer activism in Northern Ireland before, during and following “The Troubles”. The project […]

#Like Chopin – Mysterious Story in Manchester

Henry Watson Music Library

#LikeChopin – The Mysterious Story of Chopin in Manchester   In August 1848 Fryderyk Chopin travelled to Britain. During the visit he also gave a performance in Manchester.  The concert took place at the Manchester’s Gentleman Concert Hall on Peter Street. The Hall was demolished in 1887 and The Midland Hotel was built on the […]

Venture Arts Presents – Completely A Hustling Place

First Floor Exhibition Hall

Venture Arts Presents Full Studio Show - Completely A Hustling Place – With Work From 70 Artists This autumn, one of Manchester’s leading visual art studios, Venture Arts, which supports learning disabled and neurodivergent artists to play an active role in the cultural sector, is presenting a thrilling full studio show where you can experience […]

Art of Oesophageal Cancer

First Floor Display Cases

Art of oesophageal cancer is a visual representation of one patient’s experience of going through treatment, surgery and then coming to terms with a new normal. The subject matter touches on wider public health issues and covers the pre-cancer condition Barrett’s oesophagus, as well as the artist’s experience of chemotherapy, surgery and post-operative period in […]

For those who are to come

Wolfson Reading Room

For those who are to come presents the diverse faces and colours of Amazonia. The exhibition was first shown at COP26 and is now in Manchester for the first time as part of the festival. Curated by Eduardo Carvalho and Vanessa Gabriel–Robinson the exhibition presents photographs from three influential photographers that show the different Amazonias […]