When the MOBO Awards arrive in Manchester later this month, they won’t just be a single night inside Co-op Live. For the first time in the awards’ history, the city will host the ceremony — and the celebrations will start a full week earlier.
That’s where MOBO Fringe comes in. Running from Thursday 19 March through to Tuesday 24 March, the programme is designed to turn Manchester into a city-wide stage for Black music, culture and creativity ahead of the awards themselves on Thursday 26 March.
Expect live performances, club nights, industry conversations, workshops and cultural activations spread across venues throughout the city. And importantly, much of the programme has been shaped by Manchester’s own creative community through the MCR MOBO Fringe Assembly — a group of local organisers, producers and platforms helping lead the programming.
The result is a week that feels less like a traditional festival and more like a snapshot of what’s already happening across Manchester’s music and cultural scenes.
Here are some of the highlights….
The Black Sound Gala
Thursday 19 March – Whitworth Gallery
MOBO Fringe kicks off with The Black Sound Gala at Whitworth Gallery, an evening celebrating the journey and influence of Black music.
The programme blends choir performances, saxophone, spoken word and tribal drumming inside one of Manchester’s most distinctive cultural venues. Delivered in partnership with Black Creative Trailblazers, the opening night sets the tone for the rest of the week – combining live performance with cultural reflection on the impact Black music has had across generations.
SHIMRISE Selects
Friday 20 March – Deaf Institute
House music takes centre stage at Deaf Institute as Mancunian DJ and production duo SHIMRISE return with the latest edition of SHIMRISE Selects.
The event continues the duo’s mission to spotlight Black artists shaping the future of UK house music. Expect a cross-city lineup featuring talent from Manchester, Birmingham and London, including Omari, Kieron Dacapo and Meeshy.
It’s likely to be one of the more dancefloor-driven nights of the programme – rooted in house music’s Black origins while pushing the sound forward.
MOBØRIGINS
Saturday 21 March – Renae
MOBØRIGINS brings together conversations, sound and visual art for a multidisciplinary event at Renae. Curated by 54 Agency, journalist Amelia Fearon and Melophile founder Adele Tondu, the evening includes discussion sessions with figures such as DJ Paulette and Ellen Beth Abdi, alongside creative installations, a live lounge featuring indie, alternative and neo-soul artists, and a Melophile club night to round things off.
It’s part panel discussion, part live music showcase and part club night – very much reflecting Manchester’s crossover creative culture.
Habitat x MOBO Fringe
Saturday 21 March – Cupra City Garage
Manchester club brand Habitat takes over the Cupra City Garage for a showcase featuring a secret headline guest.
The event is expected to bring the full Habitat energy, with hosting from Faro alongside sets from emerging artists Pooch and Sharari. The headliner remains under wraps for now but organisers have hinted it’s a MOBO nominee and one of the biggest names associated with UK funky house.
If you’re looking for a classic late-night club moment during Fringe week, this is likely to be it.
Manchester Made: Roots, Rhymes & The Future
Sunday 22 March – Niamos Centre
At the Niamos Centre – an iconic venue where Nina Simone once performed — Studio 88 will host a cultural showcase celebrating Manchester’s musical heritage and its next generation of artists.
The event includes a live headline showcase, a MOBO Fringe cypher and discussions exploring the evolution of Manchester’s Black music scenes. Studio 88, one of the city’s leading independent recording studios, has supported thousands of artists through recording sessions, live shows and talent development initiatives.
This event puts that work front and centre.
Aarchive House
Sunday 22 March – Side Street
Presented by Aaspire Records, Aarchive House is an interactive listening session designed to bring audiences closer to the creative process.
Artists will play unreleased music directly from their vaults, sharing tracks that haven’t yet been heard publicly while inviting feedback and discussion from the room. Feature writer and broadcaster Amelia Fearon will also be involved in the conversation, helping guide discussions around the music and the creative ideas behind it.
It’s a rare chance to hear new material before it reaches the outside world — and to hear the stories behind it directly from the artists themselves.
Crib Sessions with Faro
Sunday 22 March – Side Street
Later that evening, Side Street shifts gears as Crib Sessions with Faro takes over the space with a house-party style gathering built around music, conversation and community.
The night is hosted by Manchester creative Faro (Karl John), whose career spans MCing, directing music videos and hosting major festival stages including Creamfields, Parklife and Red Bull events. Over the years he’s become a familiar figure across the city’s music scene – the kind of host who can move easily between live shows, club culture and creative conversations.
Crib Sessions reflects that energy. Expect DJs spinning a no-skip soundtrack throughout the evening, a relaxed kickback atmosphere and a crowd of artists, creatives and music fans connecting in a more intimate setting than your typical club night.
The event will also feature an in depth conversation with Pyjamas Club host and content creator Romy Gama, alongside Faro as he breaks down his new Crib Sessions brand & how he plans to contribute to the events scene.
Think less traditional club night, more creative house party – the kind of space where new ideas, collaborations and connections tend to happen naturally.
MOBO Summit
Tuesday 24 March – Aviva Studios
One of the biggest moments of the week arrives with the MOBO Summit at Aviva Studios.
Presented in association with Amazon Music, the day brings together artists, industry figures and emerging creatives for panels, workshops and networking focused on the future of music and creative careers.
Topics range from building an independent career in music to the evolving influence of northern cities in the UK industry. Sessions will also explore technology, AI and inclusive leadership through the MOBOLISE x Salesforce AI programme.
The day closes with the MOBO x PPL Manchester Talent Development Programme showcase, where ten emerging Manchester artists will perform for invited industry guests.
Education and youth programmes
Alongside the public events, MOBO Fringe also includes a strong focus on education and youth engagement.
Activities include school tours of Co-op Live and recording sessions at the arena’s adidas x Abbey Road Studios space. Students from Contact Theatre’s Studio School will record new verses inspired by Nas’ classic track I Can, while more than 70 primary schools across Greater Manchester have been learning the gospel anthem Optimistic by Sounds of Blackness.
To register for free tickets and view the full programme, visit: mobo.com/fringe.
Follow @mobofringe on social media and download the MOBOLISE app for live updates
throughout Awards week.
