Festival Square, the hub of the Manchester International Festival in the heart of the city, returns 2nd – 18th July in a new COVID-19 safe seated format in Cathedral Gardens with a FREE daily programme of Greater Manchester talent.
With over 100 performers from Greater Manchester, highlights include: Abnormal Sleepz, Akemi Fox, Blanketman, Caoilfhionn Rose, Cheddar Gorgeous, Chloe Foy, Ellysse Mason, Honeyfeet, Kat Brown Sugar, LayFullstop, Lovescene, Matthew Halsall, Pip Millett, Porij, SheBeKeke, Swing Ting, The Untold Orchestra, OneDa and lots more.
Following a public callout for Manchester-based performers earlier this year, 30 acts from Greater Manchester have been selected to perform during the Festival alongside hundreds of artists from across the region and beyond.
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Here’s what’s on at Festival Square over the two weeks…
Friday 2nd July
THE UNTOLD ORCHESTRA – will present a tribute to Nina Simone’s Four Women in a unique piece exploring the experiences of Black women within the creative industries and society at large, and will be joined by DJ Paulette, poet Shirley May, vocalist Yemi Bolatiwa, dancer Maisha Kungu and contemporary circus performer Seren Marimba.
DJ PAULETTE – DJ set
Saturday 3rd July
OUR CITY OUR FESTIVAL – Residents from across Greater Manchester host a takeover for Our City Our Festival, a free day-long event of music, conversations, performances, participatory activities and more celebrating the diversity and talent within Greater Manchester communities.
CHORUS OF OTHERS – Performers and curators include men’s community choir Chorus of Others, music and performing arts youth group KYSO and Muslim community radio station Heritage Radio alongside performances presented by MIF’s Neighbourhood Organisers, selected from their local areas.
Sunday 4th July
THE GRIOT CITY EXPERIENCE – Bringing together spoken word and music, Dave Haslam presents a showcase of Mancunian record label Griot City Records in The Griot City Experience including DJs and performers Werkha, SheBeKeke and Reece Willams.
KONNY KON (CHILDREN OF ZEUS) – DJ set
Monday 5th July
AKEMI FOX – Live music performance
PIP MILLETT – Live music performance
Tuesday 6th July
TYSON – Live music performance
KAT BROWN SUGAR – DJ set
Wednesday 7th July
CHLOE FOY – Live music performance
JANE WEAVER – DJ set
Thursday 8th July
BBC MUSIC INTRODUCING – Singer, songwriter and producer Caoilfhionn Rose
MATTHEW HALSALL – DJ set
Friday 9th July
GROVE – Gender queer dancehall vocalist and producer, Grove brings their Black, queer and feminist sounds to Manchester as part a curated line up by DJ and broadcaster Jamz Supernova.
REFORM RADIO & THIRTY POUND GENTLEMAN – Also presenting some of the finest young emerging talent in the city, multi award winning online radio station Reform Radio and long-time collaborators Thirty Pound Gentleman present nine performances from afrobeat to French electro.
Saturday 10th July
HOMOELECTRIC – Bringing the party atmosphere, Manchester’s infamous LGBTQ+ club night Homoelectric also returns for one night only with DJ sets from residents alongside performances from House of Ghetto.
BBC MUSIC INTRODUCING – Electro dance music quartet Porij
Sunday 11th July
HONEYFEET – Live music performance
QUEER LATIFAH – The legendary DJ Mix-Stress of RebeccaNeverBecky presents a night of forgotten Sunday jams in her new concept Queer Latifah (Sun 11 July) in collaboration with DJ Deb Jump.
BBC MUSIC INTRODUCING – Singer songwriter Ellysse Mason
Monday 12th July
DAVE HASLAM PRESENTS – Specially curated artists from Manchester and beyond including Lounge Society, Blanketman.
Tuesday 13th July
BILLY NOMATES – Live music performance
REFORM RADIO & THIRTY POUND GENTLEMAN – Also presenting some of the finest young emerging talent in the city, multi award winning online radio station Reform Radio and long-time collaborators Thirty Pound Gentleman present nine performances from afrobeat to French electro.
Wednesday 14th July
DAVE HASLAM PRESENTS – Specially curated artists from Manchester and beyond including DJ Mark Rae and Lovescene
Thursday 15th July
SWING TING – Manchester record label Swing Ting host a take over with MCs, DJs and live performances from residents and special guests including Tai Chi Rose, Tarsza and Samrai.
BBC MUSIC INTRODUCING – R&B artist Femi Tahiru
Friday 16th July
MR SCRUFF – Legendary Manchester DJ and producer Mr Scruff presents a night of performances from across the UK including Rebecca Vasmant and Secret Night Gang, ending the night with a special B2B DJ set with hip hop pioneer Mikey D.O.N.
Saturday 17th July
FABARET – Fabaret returns, curated by Greg Thorpe, supported by Superbia (Manchester Pride), with a celebratory showcase of Manchester-based LGBTQ+ artists including drag legend Cheddar Gorgeous, dancer and choreographer Jason Andrew Guest, performance duo Tom Yum Sim and spoken word artist Taylor Le Fin.
ONE MIC STAND – Manchester’s legendary spoken word night One Mic Stand returns with ten spoken word artists including Ella Otomewo, Billie Meredith, Isaiah Hull, and Jardel Rodrigues.
REFORM RADIO & THIRTY POUND GENTLEMAN – Also presenting some of the finest young emerging talent in the city, multi award winning online radio station Reform Radio and long-time collaborators Thirty Pound Gentleman present nine performances from afrobeat to French electro.
KATH MCDERMOTT – DJ set
HIGH HOOPS – DJ set
Sunday 18th July
MISHA B & ABNORMAL SLEEPZ – An epic Festival Square finale Manchester creative agency Big People Music presents Misha B and Abnormal Sleepz performing with the Big People Music Orchestra plus special guest DJ sets from some of Manchester’s best.
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Rivca Burns, Festival Square Producer at MIF said, “Festival Square is back once again as a showcase of what Manchester has to offer the world. Being able to bring such a wide array of incredibly talented and diverse musicians to our three stages in Cathedral Gardens this year is such an honour and a true reflection of this city. We hope that Festival Square will provide a safe and free space where anyone feels welcome to reconnect and celebrate.”
And for the first time, select performances on Festival Square will be live in people’s homes all over the world via United We Stream, Greater Manchester’s world leading cultural streaming platform set up by Stream GM to support the city region’s night time economy, cultural organisations and charities.
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Manchester International Festival (MIF) will take place safely in indoor and outdoor locations across Greater Manchester from 1-18 July. It features a vibrant programme of original new work from across the spectrum of visual and performing arts and music by artists from over 20 countries.
