Your bumper briefing of news and what to look out for
National Portrait Gallery to go frameless at Media City
Throughout the summer Media City will be hosting an immersive installation showcasing some of the National Portrait Gallery’s most famous works.
Courtesy of FRAMELESS Creative, Stories - Brought to Life, will see portraits of the likes of Charles Darwin, Nelson Mandela and Emmeline Pankhurst writ large like never before.
Running from 2 May to 31 August, the exhibition promises to give insights into the works in new and exciting ways, said FRAMELESS Creative general manager, Rich Storton.
“Through this first of its kind collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery’s curatorial team, we’ve reimagined each of the portraits, adding a fresh, exciting and emotional dimension to each of the sitters’ stories,” said Storton.
“Through excerpts of speeches, archival photography, original animation and a dynamic soundscape our aim is to entertain and captivate new audiences with these incredible portraits, bringing them to life through unparalleled immersive storytelling.”
For more information and to book tickets click here.
New multi-concept venue to open in NQ
Opening in phases from 28 March, renae, will bring a new multi-concept venue to Thomas Street in the Northern Quarter, beginning with the launch of its ground floor space, which will feature a music-led bar, a record and book shop and a bespoke DJ booth powered by Manchester’s only L-Acoustics Syva sound system.
Designed as a community-driven space which aims to blend music, culture and hospitality, renae will expand later in the year with a first-floor event and workshop space for yoga, gigs and exhibitions, followed by a creative workspace on the second floor, complete with hot desks, meeting rooms and a podcast studio.
renae is the brainchild of two long-time friends, Harris Mouridis and Brad Parkins, who met on a dancefloor in 2010 but have since played their parts in developing key Northern Quarter institutions like Evelyn’s, The Whiskey Jar and Trof NQ.
On their new venue, Mouridis and Parkins said: “renae is about more than just music or hospitality – it’s about connection, culture, and creating a home for Manchester’s community to thrive. This is a project from the heart, built on years of friendship and a shared love of the scene.”
Manchester Jazz Festival returns in May
Manchester Jazz Festival returns this May, once again bringing the best in local and international talent to venues across the city.
The festival, which will be celebrating its 30th anniversary, has also taken on four new venues in the city; Aviva Studios, Low Four Studios, Flawd and Stage & Radio.
For further information including the full festival programme click here.
I AM Spring Ball
I AM, the Manchester charity supporting people living with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, is holding its Spring Ball at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday 14 March.
The evening will be one of celebration and fundraising for a charity that has been raising awareness of living with autism since 1968, said CEO of I AM, Nick Foster.
“The I AM Spring Ball is more than just a night out – it is an opportunity for our community to unite, raise awareness, and provide essential support for autistic individuals.
“Every ticket purchased helps fund our life-changing programmes, ensuring that those on the autism spectrum can lead fulfilling lives. Join us for an unforgettable evening and make a real difference.”
For more information and to book tickets click here.
Dear England coming to The Lowry
Dear England, the Olivier Award-winning play about the England football team’s transformative period under Gareth Southgate, is coming to The Lowry for a four-week run this summer.
Running from 29 May to 29 June 2025, the production, written by acclaimed playwright James Graham (Quiz, Sherwood) and directed by a titan of theatre in Rupert Goold, will be the only showing of the play outside of London.
For more information and to buy tickets visit The Lowry website.
Freight Island is back and bigger than ever
Freight Island is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a major expansion of its food offerings, introducing new kitchens from Ornella’s Little Kitchen, Gooey, MOREJOY Chinese BBQ, and Hello Dezato by Hello Oriental.
Alongside the food additions, Freight Island will host its biggest-ever free-to-attend spring/summer music programme from 3 April, featuring performances from Moovin Festival, Wookie, Greg Wilson, David Rodigan, Luke Una, Fat Tony and more.
Adding to the excitement, Freight Island is also home to the UK’s biggest sports fanzone, offering official takeovers and celebrations across major tournaments.
Green Island celebrates fifth anniversary with three festivals
Manchester’s Green Island Festival returns for its fifth anniversary, bringing a three-part series of day festivals to Hulme Community Garden Centre on 7 June, 2 August and 6 September, featuring four immersive stages and a Warwick Street block party in a lush urban setting.
This year’s lineup includes DRS with an 11-piece band in June, Conor Michael & The GreensKeepers in August and Nubian Twist in September, alongside a diverse mix of drum and bass, hip-hop, jazz and global sounds, fulfilling the festival’s mission of platforming the flourishing scene of musicians and DJs in the North as well as celebrating artists from as far as Brazil and Senegal.
Tickets start at £25, with tiered pricing options up to £35, alongside low-income and local community tickets for £12.50, ensuring accessibility for all, while children under 12 can attend for free to encourage families to join the celebration.
Manchester Record Label Sprechen to be celebrated at Kimpton Clocktower
Kimpton Clocktower’s Refuge will host Ein Null, a new exhibition celebrating 10 years of music and artwork from Manchester’s iconic record label Sprechen, launching on 3 April.
The exhibition showcases a decade of bold, genre-defying electronic music designed for the dance floor, with visuals that have become as distinctive as Sprechen’s sound, spanning vinyl, digital, and cassette releases.
Launching ahead of Record Store Day, the collection features digital graphic designs, hand-cut stencils, and screen prints by a collective of artists who have helped shape the label’s unique identity.
Manchester Film Festival heads to HOME and Aviva Studios
The Manchester Film Festival has expanded its 2025 lineup with three newly announced films, including Joshua Oppenheimer’s apocalyptic musical The End, Alex Holmes’ documentary Hill about Formula 1 legend Damon Hill, and the world premiere of Breaking Barriers: The Paula Dunn Story.
For the first time, the festival will screen films at HOME and Aviva Studios, alongside its regular venue at Odeon Great Northern, running from 14 March – 23 March.
Attendees can also look forward to Q&A sessions with filmmakers, including BAFTA-nominated Sandhya Suri (Santosh), Sasha Nathwani (Last Swim) and Ryan J. Smith (Kid), with tickets available now.
Junction celebrates British Pie Week with pasty collab
Manchester’s Junction is celebrating British Pie Week from 3-8 March by teaming up with social enterprise HM Pasties, adding a selection of their pies to the menu for one week only, with a portion of proceeds supporting Eat Well MCR.
Diners can enjoy Steak and Stout, Jerk Chicken and Three Cheese, Potato and Onion pies, all served with local baby beetroots and crushed peas, alongside homemade pork pies and piccalilli at the bar.
Founded to help ex-offenders reintegrate into society through employment and training, HM Pasties is expanding outside of its usual home in Oldham for this one-time collaboration, while Eat Well MCR continues its mission of providing meals to people facing food poverty across Greater Manchester.
The pies will be served at Junction daily from 12pm – 8pm.
P.Louise celebrates doc series launch at Everyman Cinema
Paige Williams, founder and CEO of local beauty and skincare brand P.Louise has launched a monthly documentary series showing a totally unfiltered behind-the-scenes look at The Empire - the Stockport warehouse building turned dreamland where all the magic happens.
This monthly YouTube instalment comes after the huge success of Paige’s first documentary, which has racked up over 8.1 million views of TikTok. Viewers will get a raw and transparent view of the highs and lows of building a multimillion-pound beauty empire.
To celebrate the launch of the first episode which aired yesterday, Thursday 27 March (watch the first episode here), the brand took over Everyman Cinema on Quay Street, inviting influencers, media and fellow beauty gurus for an exclusive premiere.
Watch the trailer for the documentary here.
Main image credit: Antonio Pagano
Get the latest news to your inbox
Get the latest food & drink news and exclusive offers by email by signing up to our mailing list. This is one of the ways that Confidentials remains free to our readers and by signing up you help support our high quality, impartial and knowledgable writers. Thank you!
Join our WhatsApp group
You can also get regular updates on news, exclusives and offers by joining the Manchester Confidential WhatsApp group.
