Things to do this June

June is a massive month here on Oxford Road with the crescendo of RNCM’s 50th anniversary, lots of summer theatre, festivals and a ton of music.

Lots to do around Oxford Road this June, starting with a busy summer theatre schedule HOME. We’ve picked out three top shows to see at the First Street art centre this month.

For over five decades, the RNCM has been home to outstanding musicians who’ve forged incredible careers in all areas of the industry. In an evening celebrating its past, present and future, they’re pulling out all the stops for this spectacular 50th-anniversary event. The celebrations continue later in the month as they team up with Opera North for a fantastic evening of opera’s greatest hits.

Manchester Classical will see the Hallé, BBC Philharmonic, Manchester Camerata, Manchester Collective and a host of stellar artists come together for a breath-taking 48 hours of music, film, food and free foyer entertainment at The Bridgewater Hall.

June, of course, means the return of the Festival of Libraries. Take a look at their five-day multi-venue celebration of Greater Manchester’s libraries and the extraordinary stories of everyday creativity that happen within them.

At the end of the month, Factory International brings us the 2023 edition of Manchester International Festival, which continues until 16 July. Working with partners regionally and globally, the wide-ranging programme of original new work by artists worldwide will take place in venues and spaces throughout the city, with many notable commissions right here on the Oxford Road Corridor.

Top things to do this month

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Everything happening in June

Other things to do in June

exhibition At Home with the Pankhurst Family
The Pankhurst Centre | 29 August 2021 – 31 August 2025

The transformation of the Pankhurst Centre exhibition space is incredible thanks to its new permanent exhibition, At Home with the Pankhurst Family.

exhibition (Un)Defining Queer
The Whitworth | 26 January – 26 November 2023

(Un)Defining Queer delves into the Whitworth’s collection to examine how we can use a queer lens to define what the term ‘queer’ means.

exhibition Natural Interaction
HOME | 18 February – 4 June 2023

HOME present Natural Interaction, a solo exhibition by Nick Jordan featuring new films, prints, photographs, painting and sculptural works.

exhibition Is the anybody there?
HOME | 18 February – 4 June 2023

Is there anybody there? at HOME uses archive film to create a monumental study of cultural traditions, procession and ceremony.

exhibition Painting, An Unending
HOME | 18 February – 4 June 2023

Painting, An Unending is a solo show of new work by artist Parham Ghalamdar, his largest institutional exhibition to date.

exhibition Golden Mummies of Egypt
The Manchester Museum | 18 February – 31 December 2023

Golden Mummies of Egypt is Manchester Museum’s re-opening exhibition. This one-of-a-kind cultural experience opens in February 2023.

exhibition Dab Hands
The Manchester Museum | 18 February – 31 July 2023

Dab Hands is an exhibition that celebrates the extraordinary relationship that we have with our hands and the value of the skills that can be acquired

exhibition Archives at Play 2
Castlefield Gallery | 26 March – 4 June 2023

Archives at Play 2 is the second in a two-part series of exhibitions inviting an exciting roster of artists to delve into Castlefield Gallery’s archive.

heritage A Tale of Manchester Life – Elizabeth Gaskell’s Manchester
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House | 2 April 2023

A new exhibition exploring how Elizabeth Gaskell presented Manchester and its people through her novels and short stories, and the impact she had through her writing.

exhibition CIPHER
HOME | 7 April – 11 June 2023

CIPHER makes voyeurs of its viewers; cryptic domestic narratives frame subjects in private states of exchange, isolation, and contemplation.

exhibition Traces of Displacement
The Whitworth | 7 April 2023 – 7 January 2024

Traces of Displacement uses the Whitworth’s collection to address one of the major humanitarian concerns – forced displacement.

exhibition Jill Furmanovsky: Photographing the Invisible
Manchester Central Library | 15 April – 25 June 2023

A fascinating retrospective of photographer Jill Furmanovsky featuring some of the most famous works from 50 years of rock photography

theatre The Talent
HOME | 31 May – 1 June 2023

The Talent is a new show by Action Hero and Deborah Pearson about the legacy of the human voice in a non-human future.

exhibition Richard Kelly: A Time and Place
The Refuge | 1 June – 31 August 2023

Celebrated music photographer Richard Kelly showcases never before seen shots of Amy Winehouse, Florence and the Machine and more.

theatre Starchitects
HOME | 1 – 3 June 2023

Five children dream of reaching the moon from their bedroom…join the ‘Starchitects’ as they plan their daring mission.

music Pride Classical
The Bridgewater Hall | 2 June 2023

The soundtrack to 50 years of love, hope and celebration, Pride Classical fuses anthemic melodies with irresistible rhythms,

music Flowdan
Joshua Brooks | 2 June 2023

A huge name within the Grime scene, Flowdan is coming to Manchester. Catch a British urban music legend live at Joshua Brooks this summer.

music audiobooks
YES | 3 June 2023

Expect heavy dub-driven monsters and irresistible synth-pop bangers when audiobooks play Yes this June.

theatre The Hero Next Door
HOME | 3 June 2023

The Hero Next Door at HOME is a celebration of difference, friendship and working together to do the right thing.

theatre Alasdair Beckett-King
HOME | 4 June 2023

Join the award-winning comedian Alasdair Beckett-King on a ramshackle jaunt through a multiverse of wonders.

literature Festival of Libraries
Manchester Central Library | 7 – 11 June 2023

Festival of Libraries celebrates the role that Greater Manchester’s 133 libraries play in wellbeing, culture, creativity and more.

literature Writing Workshop with Anjum Malik
Manchester Central Library | 7 June 2023

Join Manchester UNESCO City of Literature Multilingual City Poet AnjumMalik for a celebration of South Asian culture.

Part of Festival of Libraries

literature Underscore: A Round-Table Discussion on Poetry and Text in Live Performance
Manchester Poetry Library | 7 June 2023

A discussion on poetry and text in live performance, Chaired by John McAuliffe, Professor of Poetry at the University of Manchester.

Part of Festival of Libraries

music Jen Cloher
The Deaf Institute | 7 June 2023

Jen Cloher’s taut, terse brand of rock is charged with the static tension that comes with being an eternal misfit. Admirers have naturally gravitated towards Cloher’s incisive, generous songwriting.

theatre we were promised honey!
HOME | 7 – 10 June 2023

we were promised honey! is a hopeful, hopeless prophecy for humankind. A story of us, our future, of paradise and how we get there.

literature Re:Sound
Manchester Central Library | 8 June 2023

Creative work produced by Manchester-based community groups in response to music by artists working with the Greater Manchester Archives.

Part of Festival of Libraries

literature “Love to Read: This Beating Heart” with Laura Barnett & Livi Michael
Manchester Poetry Library | 8 June 2023

Manchester Poetry Library welcomes novelists Laura Barnett and Livi Michael to discuss their work as part of the Love to Read series.

Part of Festival of Libraries

literature Masterclass with Simon Armitage
Manchester Central Library | 9 June 2023

Join Simon Armitage for an inspiring one hour poetry writing masterclass to celebrate the Festival of Libraries 2023.

Part of Festival of Libraries

festival Fiesta De Las Artes
Sandbar | 9 – 10 June 2023

This weekend The Bread Shed and Sandbar team up for Fiesta De Las Artes, a two-day arts festival centred around the Grosvenor Street bars.

literature Inspired by Libraries: Kit Fan In Conversation with Andrew McMillan
Manchester Poetry Library | 9 June 2023

Join poets Kit Fan and Andrew McMillan for an intimate in conversation on the importance of libraries in their work and art.

Part of Festival of Libraries

theatre Underscore
St Peter’s Square | 9 June 2023

Underscore is a digital experiment that disrupts the silent power structures of public space through live writing and projection of personal statements.

Part of Festival of Libraries

exhibition Manchester School of Art Degree Show 2023
School of Digital Arts (SODA) | 10 – 21 June 2023

Manchester School of Art’s Degree Show is an unmissable event in the summer calendar with a wide array of exhibitions in every art discipline

literature Inspired by Libraries with Linda Brogan
Manchester Central Library | 10 June 2023

Join in the conversation with award-winning playwright and artist Linda Brogan at Manchester Central Library.

Part of Festival of Libraries

literature Tasting children’s literature – An edible readathon
Manchester Central Library | 11 June 2023

A free session for young children and parents at Manchester Central Library as part of the Festival of Libraries 2023.

Part of Festival of Libraries

theatre The Rest of Our Lives
HOME | 13 – 14 June 2023

Hopefully hopeful, The Rest of Our Lives at HOME is a joyful dose of dance, theatre, circus and games.

literature Windrush NHS Stories Launch
Manchester Poetry Library | 15 June 2023

Untold Stories celebrates the contribution of workers from diverse backgrounds, in a range of roles, to the delivery of care and to the wider NHS story.

Part of Festival of Libraries

exhibition Gherdai Hassell / Undercurrents: Colour and the Shifting Self
HOME | 17 June – 13 August 2023

Gherdai Hassell presents a new body of work at HOME in an exhibition that explores the multifaceted nature of identity.

music Screaming Females
YES | 17 June 2023

Catch Screaming Females at YES this June, one of the most dynamic and devastating touring bands going today.

theatre Rhys Nicholson Rhys Rhys Rhys
HOME | 17 June 2023

Star of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, Rhys Nicholson brings a new show to Manchester.

music Manchester Sacred Harp June Concert
The Whitworth | 18 June 2023

Join Manchester Sacred Harp for an afternoon of uplifting social singing. Their door is open – sit and sing if you want to join in – or pop in to listen.

music Friends of the Whitworth June Sunday Concert
The Whitworth | 18 June 2023

Students from the Royal Northern College of Music perform in the South Gallery, overlooking Whitworth Park.

literature Honouring Una Marson – Pioneering Caribbean Poet, Publisher & Broadcaster
Manchester Poetry Library | 20 June 2023

Join Manchester Poetry Library for an evening honouring and celebrating Una Marson, with conversations, readings and Q&As.

music RNCM 50th Birthday Celebration
Royal Northern College of Music | 22 June 2023

Royal Northern College of Music celebrates its 50th birthday and half a century of forging incredible careers across the music industry.

music Neil Brand Live: Anthony Burgess at the Piano
HOME | 22 June 2023

Neil Brand and Andrew Biswell delve into the world of silent film piano and Anthony Burgess’s understanding of music.

theatre Endurance
HOME | 22 – 24 June 2023

In a blend of dance, theatre, and an attempt at a sports spectacle, Endurance looks at how we endure, why we endure.

music Manchester Classical
The Bridgewater Hall | 24 – 25 June 2023

Manchester Classical sees the Hallé, BBC Philharmonic, Manchester Camerata, Manchester Collective and a host of stellar artists come together.

exhibition The Poetics of Water
Castlefield Gallery | 25 June – 24 September 2023

The Poetics of Water asks visitors to look at landscapes, borders and centuries and think deeply about soil and water’s fundamental elements.

literature Poetry and Health
Manchester Poetry Library | 26 June 2023

Come along to Manchester Poetry Library and celebrate the 75th anniversary of the NHS with an evening of poetry.

theatre I, Daniel Blake
HOME | 27 June – 1 July 2023

I, Daniel Blake is one of the most important stories of a generation. A glimpse behind the headlines and the stark reality of what happens…

music Opera Gala with Opera North
Royal Northern College of Music | 28 June 2023

Join RNCM vocal students and the Orchestra of Opera North for a fantastic evening of opera’s greatest hits.

theatre The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions 
HOME | 28 June – 2 July 2023

The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions at HOME brings together theatre, dance and song for the ultimate anarchic bedtime story.

Part of Manchester International Festival 2023

festival Manchester International Festival 2023
Various Venues | 28 June – 16 July 2023

Manchester International Festival returns, this year with many of the biggest commissions found at cultural spaces around Oxford Road. Here’s what’s happening here on the Corridor.

music RNCM Wind Orchestra with Mikhail Nemtsov (cello)
Royal Northern College of Music | 29 June 2023

RNCM’s Wind Orchestra returns this summer for a riveting evening of new works, including Luis Serrano Alarcón’s Cello Concerto.

See what’s on

Museums & Galleries

The Whitworth Gallery - Parkside
The Whitworth

A visually stunning art gallery located at the heart of Whitworth Park, with a collection containing around 55,000 items.

External shot of Elizabeth Gaskell's House
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House

This beautifully restored Grade II listed villa was once home to Elizabeth Gaskell, one of the UK’s most important Victorian writers.

The Pankhurst Centre
The Pankhurst Centre

Discover the story of the suffragettes and learn about women’s activism, past and present, at the former home of Emmeline Pankhurst and her family.

External shot of Victoria Baths
Victoria Baths

Victoria Baths is located just outside of the Oxford Road Corridor, but it’s an iconic treasure that’s well worth a visit.

Exterior HOME Theatre Arts Centre Manchester Oxford Road Corridor
HOME

Manchester’s multi-purpose hub of creativity and discovery, bringing together film, theatre, art, and some of the city’s best social spaces.

The Holden Gallery

Manchester School of Art’s Holden Gallery curates an exhibitions programme that focuses exclusively on recent developments in international contemporary visual art.

Live Music

Green Spaces

People enjoying the sun in All Saints Park Manchester Oxford Road Corridor
All Saints Park

All Saints Park is a beautiful green space in the heart of the Oxford Road Corridor. Perfect for a quick moment of calm on a busy day.

A squirrel eating a nut in Whitworth Park on Oxford Road in Manchester
Whitworth Park

This 18-acre park opposite the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust is an eye-catching green space and home to the Whitworth Art Gallery.

A person with headphones on enjoying the sun in Bruswick Park
Brunswick Park

Enjoy views of some of the best architecture in Manchester in this green space which was opened in 2018 by The University of Manchester.

People enjoying sunshine outside Brewdog on University Green one of the many green spaces on Oxford Road in Manchester
University Green

University Green is a modern home for retailers and food and drink outlets as well as a tree-lined green space for the public to enjoy.

An overhead view of Symphony Park at Circle Square on Oxford Road in Manchester
Symphony Park

Circle Square is home to Symphony Park, a beautifully landscaped green space designed for socialising, entertaining, relaxing and exploring.

Alan Gilbert Square

The outdoor area directly in front of the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons, the University of Manchester’s 24/7 study and learning space, provides green spaces for students to enjoy during breaks from teaching and learning.

Where to stay

The lobby of Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in Manchester's Oxford Road Corridor
Kimpton Clocktower Hotel

Kimpton Clocktower Hotel offers an unforgettable stay on Oxford Road Corridor in one of Manchester’s most iconic buildings.

Midland Hotel Lobby Manchester Oxford Road Corridr
The Midland Hotel

The Midland Hotel is one of the most famous places to stay in Manchester, and one of Oxford Road Corridor’s most lavishly decorated hotels.

Image of the chandelier at Holiday Inn Express Oxford Road
Holiday Inn Express

The Holiday Inn Express on Oxford Road is a centrally located hotel that offers visitors great value for money.