What's On
Oxford Road’s Contact Theatre is officially reopening following £6m transformation
Contact is BACK, and it’s looking better than ever before…
Following its closure in 2018, Oxford Road’s iconic Contact Theatre is officially reopening its doors following a massive £6 million building transformation.
Having established itself back in 1972, Contact has long been a staple part of Manchester’s theatre scene, and has provided a stage for an abundance of budding artists and performers over the years – and now, it’s officially making its long-awaited comeback.
The newly refurbished Contact is returning with a whole host of exciting new facilities under its belt, such as new and improved performance spaces, a purpose-built recording studio for young people’s music projects, a unique health and science development space created in partnership with Wellcome Trust, new offices for artists and cultural organisations to hire, a new and improved public bar and free work and social spaces.
Adrian Lambert
Adrian Lambert
Contact has also secured a partnership with Manchester’s Indian street food icons, Chaat Cart, as well as a number of other exciting new ventures that are yet to be unveiled.
On the theatrical side of things, the theatre’s performance programme will be kicking off in October with Contact Young Company’s Everything All of the Time, a physical and visual journey through a new world, directed by Contact’s Artistic Director, Matt Fenton. Following that, ERGON Theatre will present The Wicked Problem, an immersive performance where audiences will act as the jury in the world’s first ecocide trial.
Mika Onyx-Johnson’s Pink Lemonade is also on the bill, combining original beats, poetry and movement in an explosive autobiographical journey of sexuality, identity and self-discovery. Dibby Theatre and theatre-maker and star of the hit Channel 4 series, It’s a Sin, Nathaniel Hall will present First Time, an award-winning autobiographical show about growing up positive in a negative world.
The Black Pride Manchester Vogue Ball, a collaboration by Contact and House of Ghetto will be hosted in December by the legendary Rikki Beadle-Blair at music venue Gorilla. Contact will also be home to Dick Whittington and his Cat, Eight-Freestyle’s modern, upbeat telling of the classic rags-to-riches story.
Bronwen Sharp
Graham Clayton-Chance
Additional events, shows and exhibitions on the bill include Sisterhood by Speakers Corner Art Director Neesha Tusli Champaneria and photographer Vivek Vadoliya, Come to my Mum’s by Afreena Islam-Wright and Anthology of Joy by The Museum of Half Truths.
Matt Fenton, Chief Executive and Artistic Director at Contact, said on the reopening: “We are overjoyed to be reopening Contact to the public after two years of building works and the challenges of the global pandemic.
“We believe young people deserve the very best resources to create and imagine, and over the last year our new building has been full of early career artists making use of our brilliant new spaces. We have also renewed our vision and mission to reflect the new reality facing our communities, and to ensure all young people are empowered by the arts and creativity.”
For more information, tickets, show times and general updates, head over to the official Contact website and Instagram page.
The full programme listing is as follows:
Everything All of the Time
Wednesday October 6th – Saturday October 9th 2021
Sisterhood
Monday September 27th – Monday December 6th 2021
Open exhibition
Anthology of Joy
Friday October 8th – Saturday October 23rd 2021
Open exhibition
Black Gold Arts Festival
Tuesday october 19th – Friday October 29th 2021
Ergon: The Wicked Problem
Wednesday November 3rd – Saturday November 6th 2021
Pink Lemonade
Tuesday November 23rd – Saturday November 27th 2021
First Time
Tuesday November 30th – Saturday December 4th 2021
House of Ghetto presents The Black Pride Manchester Vogue Ball
Thu December 18th 2021
Dick Whittington and his Amazing Cat
Saturday December 11th 2021 – Monday January 3rd 2022
Queer Contact
Friday February 11th – Saturday February 19th 2022
News News News
Saturday March 5th 2022
The Bread We Break
Thursday March 24th – Thursday March 31st 2022
Frankenstein: How to Create a Monster
Monday May 9th – Saturday May 14th 2022
The Glad Game
Monday May 16th – Tuesday May 17th 2022
What's On
The new FREE Christmas night market with over 40 traders from across our region
Get in the festive spirit!
Get in the festive spirit with a brand new FREE Christmas makers night market, with over 40 traders and small businesses from across the region.
Brought to you by Renaker, the Manchester Made Christmas night market is coming to New Jackson, Deansgate Square from Friday December 6th to Sunday December 8th.
Following on from a successful summer market in May, the Manchester Made Market is returning bigger and better than before but with a Christmassy twist.
Manchester Made Market
Expect a ‘cosy and magical’ Christmas night market experience, with food, drink, live music and even a grotto for visits to Father Christmas.
There’ll be Christmas trees galore, glittering with lighting, with one huge show-stopping tree taking centre stage.
Bringing together over 40 artisanal traders and small businesses from across the region, the three-day event will showcase a plethora of food produce, homewares, crafts and creations.
Manchester Made Market
Visitors will be sure to find unique Christmas gifts that support local businesses, including from The Cole Men and their award winning sauces, Moon & Sixpence’s handmade jewellery, and fine art photography by Craig Barker.
There’ll be live music from a 20-piece choir, playing Christmas classics, cocktails from Manchester Gin and Gooey’s sweet treats.
The experts from Millington Hall Farm in Altrincham will be bringing a taste of their Wild Grill experience, including live sausage making demonstrations and an array of German sausages served from a festive BBQ trailer.
Manchester Made Market
Families with children can visit the Christmas grotto, where Father Christmas himself will be waiting in a cosy tipi – kids will get a gift from Santa, and bookings can be made online for £8.50 per child.
Manchester Made Market will be open from 4pm to 9pm on Friday December 6th, and 1pm to 9pm on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th – pre-register for a free guest list ticket and 50% off a hot chocolate HERE, or book the Christmas grotto HERE.
What's On
Free one-day Christmas festival returning to Stockport to kick off festive season
Get in the festive spirit in Stockport!
Stockport’s free, one-day Christmas festival is returning this festive season, with 200 performers and more than 50 shows.
Spectacular Sunday will return to the town on November 17th at various sites and venues.
Following the success of last year’s event, hundreds of performers will take over Stockport, with everything from giant roller-skating presents to a living snow globe and roaming Christmas dolls.
There will also be street theatre, including grumpy Christmas grandads, a gigantic balloon man and water show.
Matthew Nichol Photography
Produced by carnival arts organisation Global Grooves and organised by Stockport Council, Totally Stockport, Merseyway and Stockport Market, the town centre will be buzzing with Christmas excitement.
Events will be happening in iconic Stockport locations like Market Place, Underbanks, Merseyway, Redrock and Suffragette Square.
A grand finale in Merseyway will bring together the brass bands of Stockport, ending the day with a huge flash mob and rendition of All You Need Is Love.
Cirq Delight
Cllr Singleton, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Sport, said: “We’re so excited to bring this event back after last year’s amazing success.
“It’s such a fun way to get everyone in the festive spirit and really shows off what makes Stockport special – our sense of community and joy.
“With loads of free performances and activities, plus a chance to enjoy the newly improved areas of Merseyway, it’s a perfect day out for families.
“Stockport’s Spectacular Sunday is all about having fun, making memories, and starting the holiday season in style.”
Spectacular Sunday is happening from 11am to 5pm on Sunday November 17th – find out more HERE.
The prestigious Manchester Art Fair is back in town for its 16th year next month, bringing with it a vibrant gallery space showcasing thousands of works from over 500 artists.
One of the biggest and most significant events in the UK art world calendar, it’ll take over Manchester Central for three days, from Friday November 15th to 17th.
The city will be flooded with art from all corners of the world, championing everything from local heroes to new emerging talent, as well as international artists with worldwide acclaim.
Manchester Art Fair
A wide range of artistic disciplines will be represented at the event, from painters, illustrators, and sculptors to graffiti artists and everything in between.
Expect exhibitions, workshops, Q&A sessions, demos, book signings and parties happening across the event.
Tickets include free access to art workshops and talks from leading artists and cultural experts, and are on sale now.
You can grab them HERE.
Find something to do in Manchester
Powered by 
The VR gaming experience at airport where you can escape reality
The new FREE Christmas night market with over 40 traders from across our region
Free one-day Christmas festival returning to Stockport to kick off festive season
Simmons Bar opens first Northern site in Manchester with free drinks at launch party
The prestigious Manchester Art Fair is back in town for its 16th year
