V&A's Bowie Archive Begins Historic Tour Of The North
Highlights from the V&A's landmark David Bowie archive are to tour the North of England for the first time, with major venues in Scotland, Lancashire, County Durham and Yorkshire all hosting the collection before it moves further south. David Bowie: On Tour will open at V&A Dundee in November 2026, before arriving at Blackpool's Showtown from 30 June to 26 September 2027.
Curtain Up: Yorkshire Throws Open The Doors On Its Own Fringe
A county-wide fringe festival is landing in Yorkshire this July — unfunded, unincorporated, and already boasting more shows than Edinburgh managed in its first year. Tyler Pickles, one of the seven volunteers behind it, talks us through how you build a fringe from nothing but an email and a room full of mind maps.
A Vintage Tale Of True Yorkshire Grit
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It’s 30 years ago since the iconic film Brassed Off first hit the cinema screens, and two years later Mark Herman’s screenplay was adapted for the stage as a play with music by Paul Allen. Now this Yorkshire ‘classic’ has been reimagined, refreshed and given a new sense of purpose by director Amy Leach.
In Conversation With Bella Cutts
Your new single Curious is about modern dating. Is the song written from personal experience? Yes, absolutely. However, it would be incorrect to say the song is written about one particular person but more a series of experiences. We've all experienced relationships, romantic or otherwise, that feel very one-sided.
In Conversation: Velazquez
With his upcoming single Space Invaders, Velazquez looks poised to make the leap from rising talent to mainstream contender. Blending infectious hooks, bold creativity and a sound that feels both contemporary and distinctive, he has been steadily building momentum and attracting attention beyond his core fanbase.
Foo Fighters Score High At Anfield
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When Bruce Springsteen played a three-hour set at Liverpool FC last year, he set the bar high for others to follow. The American rock band Foo Fighters picked up the gauntlet admirably on the second night at Anfield on what was their only British date on a short European tour where the band were at their bulldozing best.
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - The Musical
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Hot, hot, hot is the only way to describe this show! Based on the 1994 cult classic film, this musical is a jukebox joyride and a surprisingly tender road story. We are introduced to two drag queens and a trans woman who, for reasons that later become apparent, trek across the Australian desert to perform at a small-town holiday resort.
Curtain Rises On Milestone Fifth Ripon Theatre Festival With Two Powerful New Plays
The countdown is on for Ripon's fabulous Theatre Festival, which opens its milestone fifth season this coming weekend and runs until July 12 — and this year's programme promises something for everyone, from folklore on the riverbank to a thought-provoking journey into the past.
Acclaimed Cumbrian Musician Collaborating With The CBSO
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Amateur musicians of all ages will get the chance to rehearse and perform with award-winning saxophonist and CBSO Collaborative Artist Jess Gillam as part of ‘CBSO in the City’ which will bring free performances to iconic spaces across Birmingham this summer (27-31 August) for the third year.
In Conversation: TĀLĀ
British-Iranian singer, songwriter and producer TĀLĀ returns with her powerful new single, 11-11 (We Are), available everywhere now. The track is the latest preview of her forthcoming album 11, due on 11th July, and follows acclaimed releases Ghosts and I Need It, which earned support from COLORS, Headliner Magazine and Wordplay.
You Never Really Know: Sinfonia's Stories From Harrogate Review
Harrogate residents stepped into the spotlight at the weekend as local people aged 60 and took over the stage in a new production built from their own memories, experiences and stories. As arts correspondent, Fiona Bennett found out at the weekend, Sinfonia: Stories from Harrogate, presented by The Performance Ensemble at Harrogate Theatre, was a big hit.
In Conversation: Scott Quinn
Few artists capture the complexities of human emotion quite like Scott Quinn. The British singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist returns with his poignant new single, Places in London, a heartfelt reflection on the hidden losses that linger after heartbreak.
Album: The Veils Fragile World
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Across an extensive catalogue, Andrews has explored themes of longing, vulnerability, faith, grief, and human connection through songs that often feel more like carefully crafted narratives than conventional indie compositions.
Their latest release, Fragile World, continues that tradition while presenting a collection that feels remarkably immediate, intimate, and unguarded.
Albums: Zaska - Nectar
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The Papez comes with an R&B and hip hop courtesy of jarjarjr on a number that shows that there are more colours on Zaska's palette than first imagined.
Albums: Bird (Janie Price) On Held Here Together
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Classical Music: Carl Orff: Carmina Burana
That opening 'O Fortuna' is electrifying — dynamics are observed with real precision rather than mere brute force. Anyone of a certain age will recall its rather unlikely second life soundtracking a men's aftershave advert in the 1970s and '80s, which says something about how a single thrilling fragment can eclipse a far richer whole in the popular imagination. It's a pattern that feels uncomfortably familiar in other walks of life too – not least, dare I say, in the way British politics now rewards the soundbite over substance. Orff's wheel of fortune deserves more than fifteen seconds of fame.
Discovering The Slave's Ghost Letter That Became A Cathedral Play
Next month, the transept of Ripon Cathedral will come to life with a 1723 plea for freedom, written by an anonymous enslaved Virginian and almost certainly addressed to the Archbishop of Canterbury himself. The story behind its rediscovery is, in its own way, as remarkable as the play it inspired.
Review: There's No 'F' In Wonderful By Bill Broady
Few writers are able to nail the retrospective surreality of a place and time in history with the elegant efficiency of Bill Broady. Set against the backdrop of a seedy, institutionally misogynistic and terminally necrotic Leeds of the 1970s, the unnamed narrator of There’s No ‘F’ In Wonderful is a knowing flâneur, a recorder of the sociocultural zeitgeist.
Sunshine On A Sheffield Stage
The deckchairs were out on the beach in Tudor Square, the buckets and spades ready in the sand, the sun shone brightly and the sky was blue – close your eyes and you could imagine that you were on your summer holidays, both inside the theatre and beyond.
Rob Jones & The Restless Dream
Rob Jones & The Restless Dream is the project of UK singer-songwriter Rob Jones, a former teacher turned full-time musician, whose songs blend big choruses, rich instrumentation, and a storyteller’s eye for life’s detours. Rooted in classic songwriting and narrative-driven lyrics, Rob’s work draws influence from artists like Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty.
Walt Strony Plays At Victoria Hall, Saltaire
Walt Strony is one of America's most celebrated concert organists, and we are delighted to welcome him across the Atlantic for our July concert at the Victoria Hall, Saltaire, on Sunday, 12th July, at 2.30pm. Born in Chicago in 1955, he began music lessons at the age of seven and made his public debut in 1974 at just eighteen. Over fifty years on, he shows absolutely no sign of stopping.
Young Chamber Music Stars Win Dorothy Parkinson Memorial Award
Talented quintet Lumas Winds have been awarded the prestigious Dorothy Parkinson Memorial Award for Young British Musicians following their mesmerising performance at the HACS Harrogate Music Festival.
Magical Spiegeltent Festival Is Back In Town
The much-loved Spiegeltent is back with a bang and a sizzling summer programme of jazz, rock, burlesque, dance and much more. The Spiegeltent Festival 2026 – in association with Ogden of Harrogate, one of the country’s best known family jewellers – runs from 25 June to 4 July in Crescent Gardens, featuring an exciting line-up curated by award-winning saxophonist and composer Camilla George.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Returns To Hull To Celebrate Landmark 80th Anniversary Season
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) announces it will return to Hull to perform four concerts as part of its 80th anniversary concert season, starting in September.
Winner Announced In Hunt For Uk’s Best Classical Vocal Talent
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The 2026 winners of the Northern Aldborough Festival New Voices Singing Competition have been crowned as countertenor Tom Lilburn and his accompanist Jack Redman. Now in its fourth year, the nationwide search spanning concert halls and conservatoires has become a showcase of the hottest rising stars, with a £7,000 prize fund.
Lily Allen On Tour
From the release of her debut single, Smile, back in 2006, for just over a decade, Lily Allen was seen as a musical force to be reckoned with. Armed with an intelligent playfulness to her lyrics and an uplifting lilt to her melodies, she easily soared up the charts and set stages alight with her presence the world over.
Festival Legends Oddsocks Are Back In Town
Festival favourites Oddsocks are back in town this summer bringing their irresistible mixture of mayhem and family fun with them. The travelling troubadours return to the sumptuous grounds of RHS Harlow Carr on 30 June and 1 July, with their new take on Shakespeare’s classic tale Romeo & Juliet. A family feud divides the community. Violence stalks the streets.
In Conversation: Thirsty Quireboys
The London-based rock project Thirsty Quireboys returns with God Bless America – Best Of Thirsty, a striking collection that serves as both a heartfelt tribute to the late Guy Bailey and a bold reimagining of the music he created with lyricist Irina D.
A Brilliantly Bonkers Wartime Romp - Operation Mincemeat
Bursting with English eccentricity, the plot of Operation Mincemeat comprises all the ingredients of a theatrical farce peppered with a dash of Bond.
Brick Explorers comes to RHS Garden Bridgewater for a summer of family fun
Families across Greater Manchester are invited to discover a summer of creativity, play and outdoor exploration as Brick Explorers arrives at RHS Garden Bridgewater from 18 July to 31 August 2026. Set within 154 acres of beautiful garden, this engaging summer programme offers a packed schedule of family-friendly activities designed to inspire curiosity about nature and wildlife.