Manchester’s soundtrack comes to life in an art trail like no other

Following the success of the Bee in the City art trail, which captivated the city in 2018, Manchester is set to host another exciting city-wide art project this summer: Music for the Senses.

Produced by Wild in Art in partnership with Manchester City Council, this trail will run from the 7th of July to the 31st of August 2025, and is open to the public.

Music for the Senses

Like Bee in the City, which drew thousands of visitors to Manchester to explore colourful, larger-than-life bee sculptures, Music for the Senses will bring the city alive with artworks, exhibitions, painted instruments, and sound installations.

The trail will feature a range of pieces inspired by Manchester’s iconic music scene that celebrate key moments, people, places, and instruments that have shaped the city’s musical legacy.

At the end of the trail decorated guitars will be auctioned to raise money to support grassroots music projects and venues throughout Greater Manchester via a dedicated music fund managed by our charity partner Forever Manchester, in collaboration with Manchester Music City.

Oasis and the Stone Roses

To kick-start the celebrations, Oasis and Mani from The Stone Roses have both generously donated guitars for auction.

Oasis’ signed guitar and Mani’s iconic bass guitar will raise funds to support the trail and other music-related projects.

Guitar Street

At the heart of Music for the Senses is Guitar Street, an interactive installation on King Street. 

Liam’s artwork will lovingly repurpose broken guitars, donated by members of the public.

Meanwhile, guitars, donated by the public, will be painted or adorned by professional artists, turning them into individual artworks, and displayed in shop windows and venues around the city.

At the end of the trail, the decorated guitars will be auctioned to raise money to support grassroots music projects and venues throughout Greater Manchester via a dedicated music fund managed by charity partner Forever Manchester, in collaboration with key music partners in the city.

Fancy your face painted on a guitar?

Wild in Art have invited Manchester’s emerging music artists to have their portraits featured on ‘Guitar Street’.

Forty guitars featuring the faces of grassroots artists stencilled on the back by artist Liam Hopkins (Lazerian) will hang in an exhibition as part of Guitar Street on King Street for the duration of the trail

Musicians can register their interest via email and then names will be drawn out of a guitar case to decide who will be involved.

An exciting summer of music in Manchester

This donation marks the beginning of an exciting summer of music in Manchester, adding even more local star power to the initiative.

The trail offers visitors a chance to explore famous music venues like the Hacienda and the Albert Hall while discovering artworks dedicated to local music legends from all genres.

Drawing on the success of past projects like Bee in the City, Music for the Senses invites locals and tourists alike to engage with the city’s rich cultural history through art in a fun, interactive way.

How to get involved with Music for the Senses

The trail is free and open to all, offering a family-friendly opportunity to experience Manchester’s musical soul while taking in the art and history that define the city.

For more details and a full list of locations, visit the website here