Manchester’s cultural hotspots set to light up After Hours

Manchester’s buzzing cultural scene will get a whole lot buzzier next month with the return of Manchester After Hours, the city’s annual after dark festival of arts, culture and heritage.

It’s part of Museums at Night, the bi-annual UK wide celebration of nocturnal culture when hundreds of museums, galleries and historic spaces all over the UK open their doors after dark to put on an impressive and diverse array of special and unique events.

Manchester After Hours will take northern culture buffs on a night-time adventure around the city for one nightonly on Thursday May 12 to enjoy a strange mixology of cultural combos, odd couplings and unexpected partnerships.

Here’s a taste of what to expect.

Fashion & Freedom at Manchester Art Gallery

Get a sneak peek at the innovative new exhibition Fashion & Freedom, presented by Manchester Art Gallery and 14-18NOW, before it opens to the public. Explore brand new pieces by designers including Vivienne Westwood and Roksanda Ilincic inspired by the First World War alongside historic pieces, accompanied by music and drinks from the bar.

8 – 9pm
Manchester Art Gallery
Free

Poetry Night at Chethams

Spoken word poetry, live music, performance and creative workshops sit alongside a new exhibition of nineteenth century poetry, all inside the atmospheric surrounding of the oldest public library in the UK.

7 – 10pm
Chethams Library, Long Millgate
Free

Voices of the City

Bad Language presents a series of short stories and poems inspired by archival footage of

Manchester in a unique live literature experience from the heart of one of the city’s finest hidden gems – Manchester Jewish Museum.

8.15pm doors, 9pm-10.45pm performances
Manchester Jewish Museum, Cheetham Hill
£5 adv from Quay Tickets

The Photographic Grid

Join Redeye and The Grid Project, to create a photographic map of the city. Photographers and non photographers welcome. Get involved at #MAHGRID16

Jasmine Suite, CFCCA, Thomas Street
Free

Bebop, Beats & Bass

Walrus basement club transforms for a diverse fusion of bebop, jazz and bass, as local musicians and artists come together for musical journey; from 1930’s jazz and swing through to Neo Soul and hip hop.

9pm – late
Walrus, High St
Free

The China Connection

Visit an exhibition created by the public from #TheChinaConnection competition, a selection of images that reflect Chinese culture in Manchester in response to Stanley Chow’s inStanGram exhibition. For more details visit CFCCA.org.uk

6-8pm
CFCCA, Thomas St
Free

International Photobooth Convention

Fred Aldous and The International Photobooth Convention host a creative collaboration;

photobooth mugshots, 3 minute live portraits and the legendary Freds at Night Risograph zine workshop.

6 – 8.30pm
Fred Aldous, Lever St
Free

Neon Sonnets The John Rylands Library and RNCM light up the bard

John Rylands Library celebrate William Shakespeare with light, music and movement as the Royal Northern College of Music perform original compositions inspired by the Library’s Shakespeare collection.

Performances at 6, 7 & 8pm, John Rylands Library, Deansgate
Free

There’s loads more going on with new events being added to the programme all the time. For more information go to www.manchesterafterhours.co.uk #McrAfterHours