The North is home to a thriving ecosystem of integrated and digital agencies, always on the hunt for the next big thing for clients. And that next big thing is already here - AI, and it’s evolving at a rapid pace.

According to Sean Downey, Google’s President of Americas & Global Partners, AI is only growing in importance and he believes it will be the single biggest trend in 2024.

Whether it’s how AI might pose a threat to junior jobs and skill sets, its potential to revolutionise the way agencies operate, to transforming work and product development for brands, understanding the impact of AI is of critical importance to agencies.

But how do agencies ride this wave of rapid adoption, and to what extent should / will agencies integrate it into their work in future? For some agencies, it's less about up-skilling to meet AI’s growth but instead, deciding how they should integrate AI in the services they provide.As part of our annual event series Digital City Festival on 18 April, this event will seek to address both the opportunities and challenges AI poses to the region’s digital and integrated agencies, and unite these agencies to address how to keep up and grow with AI’s rapid advancements.

Discover more about the history and architecture of Victoria Baths: ‘Britain’s finest historic municipal swimming pool’.

The Grade 2 listed building was opened to the public in September 1906 and cost £59,144 to build. In his opening address, the Lord Mayor of Manchester described the building as a “water palace”. For 86 years Victoria Baths provided both essential and leisure facilities. Private baths and a laundry were housed there along with three swimming pools and a Turkish bath.

No expense was spared in the design and construction of the building, Manchester having at that time one of the world’s wealthiest municipal coffers. Many of Victoria Baths’ finest decorative aspects can still be enjoyed today. The facade has multi-coloured brickwork and terracotta decoration, the main interior public spaces are clad in glazed tiles from floor to ceiling and most of the many windows have decorative stained glass.

Whilst the facilities, architecture and unique atmosphere of Victoria Baths was enjoyed by local residents for many years, in 1993 Manchester City Council decided to close the building as they couldn’t justify the expense of keeping them open. A Charitable Trust was formally set up in the same year, with the aim of fully restoring the building and bringing it back into public use.

The Trust took control of the building in 2001 and in September 2003 Victoria Baths won the first series of the BBC’s Restoration programme. It was awarded £3.4 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund and a restoration project began in 2007.

Dense. Juicy. Pungent. Sharp. Tangy. Buttery. Crisp. Umami! The vocabulary we use to describe what we eat is as rich and varied as the food itself, and food writing can often be an intimidating world of specialist knowledge, obscure ingredients, and esoteric adjectives.

The Portico Kitchen Food Writing Workshop is here to help demystify the process of translating taste into words by taking the whole thing back to the basics of eating food and writing about it. Join writer and Portico Kitchen manager Joe Fenn for an afternoon of reading, writing, and eating, including blind tasting, ‘guess the dish’ games, and a host of fun creative exercises.

All levels of experience welcome. Price includes all workshop food and a soft drink.

Ending Anxiety is a unique event combining the expertise of three industry-leading professionals with the goal of ending the anxiety of participants, for good. Through the course of the evening participants will be educated on what anxiety is (and what it is not), how it affects us, and why it is such a common problem in the world today.

Looking at the roots of anxiety, as well as why and how it is held on to by the body and mind will then pave the way for us to show you evidence-backed methods to remove it, rather than just learn to live with it, or manage it, as most other courses on anxiety will do.

Participants in the session will be educated on and experience no less than six proven techniques to remove anxiety. Each of the techniques covered is individually capable of completely changing your relationship with anxiety.

By combining all six in one session, we are confident that you will leave your anxiety behind you when you go home.

On top of the unique combination of Ending Anxiety methods, you will also be educated on how the food and drink we routinely consume can hugely affect our level of anxiety, as well as what we can do about it rapidly and easily.

There will also be healthy and mood-balancing foods for you to try at the event as well as recipes to take away with you to help you implement changes.

All participants will also take away a detailed and comprehensive homework workbook in order to put into practice the teachings from the evening and consolidate the results that will be achieved on the night.

Join artist Caroline Coates for an intro to punch needle embroidery, as she demonstrates simple punch needle techniques to create your own piece of textile art. You can either choose from templates or create your own design. This workshop is suitable for complete beginners or for those looking to refresh their skills. All materials included.

Taking place in Bolton, this workshop is in Partnership with Breakdown Bolton

Make the most of this season as we celebrate the glorious arrival of spring’s beautiful and colourful flowers.

A short session demonstrating the basic techniques of structure, colour and styling before giving you plenty of time to master the art and create your bespoke bouquet using the very best blooms and foliage the season has to offer. Your creation will then be yours to take away and display, brightening your home and wowing your friends and family.

The theme of this workshop will be focused on Psychedelia. Whether you want to go for some abstraction, paint some mushrooms or go for something with a pop art style. This workshop will begin with a short demonstration from the teacher to help you get started.

Inkscape is a free piece of software for creating vector graphics. It can be used to create illustrations and documents, as well as files for use with laser cutters and home-cutting machines, like Cricut.

An introductory workshop, which will introduce you to all the many tools within Inkscape. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to create your own designs, as well as receive pointers for producing files for cutting.

What you’ll learn

• How to get to grips with Inkscape, a free alternative to programs like Adobe Illustrator

• How to create your own designs for producing items with laser cutters or home-cutting machines

• How to get started with vector graphics

Join this creative workshop for some stitching, chatting, and sharing inspired by the museum’s collections.

What you’ll get:

• Techniques taught by professional artist Helen Mather

• Materials included for your creations onsite

• A specially designed resource for online sessions

Explore resources and creations to inspire yours.

This month:

As the 40th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike (1984-1985) approaches, we will continue to explore the idea of solidarity in campaigning for rights, looking in particular at Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners, and Women Against Pit Closures. We will discuss recent strike action in the UK, the realities of taking part in and supporting strikes, and current and future threats to the rights of workers to strike.

We will make individual responses using textiles and stitch, to highlight the importance of solidarity, to show support for current industrial action, or to highlight the challenges in protecting workers’ rights.

This is the second workshop exploring this topic; the first being an online workshop on Saturday 27 January. You can attend one or both of these workshops; our accompanying resource will support you to continue making in your home setting.

Part of PHM’s International Women’s Day celebrations.

Ppractice yoga and meditate amongst in the garden, cultivating a sense of calm and reminding us of our connection with nature. Gather inspiration from the garden and let your creativity flow during a mindful art session with Caroline. No prior experience in yoga or art required, just an open heart and mind!

11:00 Arrival - Welcome teas

11:15 Yoga practice in the garden with Emma, welcoming spring.

12:00 Coffee and cake provided by MUD, time for a mindful walk around the garden

12:30 Spring-inspired mindful art session with Caroline

A health and wellness event that promises a perfect blend of physical activity and nutritional enlightenment.

The day kicks off at 11:00 with a meet-up at the MyProtein kitchen, followed by a 5K run (social pace) around Manchester starting at 11:15. After completing the run at noon, we will return to the MyProtein kitchen for some post-run refreshments. We will then hear from Jade Reilly who will teach us how to fuel our bodies in the right way and how to achieve balance in our diet and lifestyle whilst building our own health-fuelled protein bowls for some post-run energy provided by the MyProtein Kitchen! You will also have a chance to write down all of your questions for Jade to answer on our interactive wall! The event concludes at 14:00, leaving you equipped with valuable insights into holistic well-being.

This course is designed to get you as involved as possible - this includes identifying, picking and tasting a range of wild species that will be found on the day. There will also be samples of wild food and drink for everyone to get stuck into and a pre-made wild snack!

Forage Box like to keep some elements a surprise for the day, but here is what you can expect from your foraging workshop:

• A short introduction regarding the safety and format of the day

• Discussions covering foraging tips, safety, ethics, etiquette, sustainability and the law

• A circular walking route taking in different growing environments around the site. Expect a route of around 2-3km predominantly on footpaths.

• A closer look at edible wild species and any poisonous lookalikes by a professional forager

• A chance to slow the pace of modern life down, meet new people and immerse yourself in a soul-nourishing activity, reconnecting with nature and discovering new flavours

• Small tasters of wild food, drinks and other preserves - this includes freshly-picked items straight from the wild and a wild snack. Your wild snack might be something you find on the day freshly cooked in the woods, a hunk of homemade sourdough with some wild pesto or even a big slice of cake

• Each course is run in an informal fashion, where attendee questions and contributions are more than welcome

• After the event, you will be sent a follow-up email containing a list of everything we found on the day

Join Pixiecraft for a new monthly textile arts workshop at Chapter One Books in Manchester.
In this workshop, you will learn to transfer patterns, stretch fabric and a selection of stitches to get you started creating your own hand-embroidered art. Take home your finished piece framed in a cute 3-inch hoop.
You can choose from a selection of patterns or even draw your own.
While you stitch treat yourself to something delicious from Chapter one's food and drink menu.
Suitable for beginners.

50 years ago, meadows were mainly viewed as a lost agri-environmental landscape whose passing was not much mourned. Since then, public and professional interest in the meadow’s many incarnations has grown. They are now valued for their aesthetic inspiration, their role in supporting biodiversity, their ability to restore the ecosystem, and as an ‘ecological paragon’.

James Hitchmough’s talk explores his research and practice into how to make meadows and meadow-like vegetation in urban (and sometimes rural) landscapes - in the UK and around the world - and how people view and experience them.

The foundational issues that James’ work has addressed over a career spanning 50 years include: how are meadows seen by the public in the context of urban places (as opposed to a field in the countryside)? And what are the key levers that you could shift as a designer to increase notions of value and therefore acceptance?

James’ research has also considered whether it is possible to use design to maximise the chances of meadows delivering the visual and other benefits they can provide within politically contested urban landscapes. He had observed the awakenings of the ‘nature in the city movement’ from the mid-1970s and it was clear that getting public buy-in to urban meadows was far from automatic.

The final element in the jigsaw was understanding the ecological dynamics of meadows and meadow-like vegetation, and how this could inform management to enable these vegetation types to persist in urban landscapes. James’ interest in meadow-like vegetation has, he states, always operated within the context of the world’s temperature vegetation as a whole, rather than just the UK. This has significantly coloured the nature of his work.

Join us for this intriguing look into how our relationship with meadows has transformed over the years.

About the speaker

James Hitchmough worked as a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer at Burnley College, University of Melbourne, Australia, from 1983-93. He commenced as Reader in the Department of Landscape at the University of Sheffield in 1995, and was later appointed Professor in Horticultural Ecology in 2004, serving as Head of Department from 2014-18. He retired in September 2022.

In parallel with his academic career, James has always worked as a consultant on major landscape projects around the world, often using these to translate his research into practice and policy. He was one of the two lead planting designers on the London Olympic Park from 2007-14, following the publication of Dynamic Landscape - a seminal text on the application of nature-like planting to the urban realm.

Since 2010 he has focused on projects in China, often in collaboration with Chinese Government agencies. His impact narrative for the last REF described his work to advance the use of local native species in large-scale nature-like planting in design projects in China and was based on more than 50 visits and expeditions over the preceding 10 years.

Post ‘retirement’ (not really a retirement at all…), James continues to work on design projects, currently in the UK, China, Australia, Spain and Oman. At the same time, he is undertaking the creation of a large new garden, meadows and wood pasture at the family home in rural South Somerset. He continues to be highly in demand as a speaker around the world.

Welcome to Curiosity Club #4! A fascinating talk by Robbie Carnegie on Peat and Moors for the Future. Discover the importance of these unique ecosystems and learn about conservation efforts to protect them. Don't miss out on this opportunity to expand your knowledge and connect with fellow nature enthusiasts.

Make a no-sew little leather coin purse and then add your own unique decoration!

All materials are provided (upcycled leather or vegan alternative)

A cozy and creative evening at Station South! In this hands-on event, you'll learn to make your own beautiful candles using beeswax sheets and free pours over crackling wooden wicks and pressing techniques to bring your garden into your home. Let your creativity shine as you create unique nature themed candles.

Caroline Dowsett, an artist who works with colour, shapes and forms in a meaningful and medative style, shall guide you through a mindful art session that will leave you feeling inspired and relaxed.

This event is perfect for those who want to explore their creativity in a supportive and non-judgmental environment. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist, Caroline will provide all the materials and guidance you need to create a beautiful piece of art.

This class we shall be painting with Acrylic paint on Canvas, using a still life alter set up by Caroline, and the creative exercises to help inspire you special final piece.

The evening shall look like:

• Welcome glass of non -alcoholic fizz.

• Nells Pizza slices to fuel up on before we create (vegan and vegetarian catered to)

• Settle down at your individual art stations, where you will find your materials.

• A welcome chat from Caroline and her practice, introduction to what we shall be creating and answering any questions you may have about the session.

• We shall go through 4 creative exercises to really allow you to arrive to the session, and let go of the idea of perfectionism and creativity.

• The painting begins! The final piece, your canvas which shall in inspired by the tools we have just practiced and the centre piece/alter that shall be on display in the middle of the room involving flora, incense, candles and ceramics.

Unwind, sip on some delicious alcohol-free beverages, and let your creativity flow in a supportive and welcoming environment. This event is a perfect opportunity to destress, connect with others, and tap into your artistic side.

Mindful experience of creating with clay, in this relaxing evening workshop. You will learn all the skills you need to craft your own beautiful, spring vase. The perfect addition to brighten up your home or a lovely, little gift for Mother's Day.

During this workshop, you will be taught how to slab-build your vase . You will then use carving and imprint techniques to decorate and make your plant pot unique. You will then be able to choose a high-quality glaze for your vase.

The workshop is 2.5hrs. After the workshop, your vase will be fired and glazed ready for collection in 4 weeks' time.

Bonus! Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided.

The workshop is suitable for a range of abilities, including beginners. Participants must be aged 16 + only.

All tools and materials will be provided. Clay can be a little messy, so I would recommend wearing relaxed clothing or bringing your own apron.

Please note, that because materials and tools need to be ordered in advance, cancellations will need to be made 7 days before the start date, in order to be refunded or rescheduled.

Manchester Communicators is a Toastmasters International Club committed to supporting our members to develop their public speaking and leadership skills, following an internationally recognised and respected educational program called Pathways.

They are quintessentially Mancunian: warm and welcoming, creative and challenging, pioneering and passionate. Our mission is to provide a supportive and positive learning experience, empowering members to develop their public speaking and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.

A hands-on experience at GRUB! Immerse yourself in the ancient art of Japanese Woodcut printmaking and create your own prints. Collaborating with local artist and printmaker Rachel Evans from Little Lion Studios. She will guide you through the process through designing your very own woodcut print, intricately carving them into a high quality wood block and then using ink and all the traditional Japanese woodprint materials to print them onto Washi Paper.

Beginner friendly - all levels welcome. This workshop is strictly for ages 16+ only.

Materials (all provided) - Wood block, Sumi Ink and Coloured inks & Washi Paper and other traditional Japanese printmaking materials.

What to bring

• Comfortable clothes that you don't mind getting a little ink on.

• A carrying bag for take your artworks home.

A morning of fun, fitness, and self-care at zeno Health Club in Manchester, UK. Get ready to sweat it out and feel good about yourself without any guilt!

Enjoy a 60 minute Rhythm class with Holli, followed by a 20 minute release and recover self care chat, Q&A, goodies and more! Refuel with a gorgeous smoothie bowl and protein treats. This event is all about making friends, connection and finding the fun in fitness. Each ticket will be in with a chance of winning prizes and extra goodies.

The premiere of Head Above Water, explores Alex Staniforth's journey of identity, discovery, and completing the Frog Graham.

Garth and Alex will discuss making the film and the Frog Graham challenge, followed by a Q&A.

It promises to be an inspiring evening for adventurers and budding swim runners, helping to fuel your 2024 goals!

All ticket costs are being donated to Mind Over Mountains.

About the athlete:

Navigating ill mental health, epilepsy, and bullying since school, along with surviving two major disasters on Mount Everest, Alex is no stranger to overcoming challenges.

An adventurer, author, and founder of mental health charity Mind Over Mountains, he is the fastest ever to climb all 100 UK county tops by human power. In 2020, Alex ran the National Three Peaks Challenge, covering 452 miles in 9 days and 12 hours. 2022 saw Alex face a different kind of challenge, Long Covid.

While unable to pursue his goals as an athlete, he discovered the healing power of open water swimming in the Lake District. This formed an ambitious attempt at a comeback challenge, the Frog Graham Round. The UK's ultimate swim-run challenge, competitors run roughly 40 miles, ascend over 15,000 ft, and swim two miles across four lakes.

Joining Everyday for their first Masterclass is visual artist, Ella Louise Jones!

Ella Louise Jones is a visual artist working in Wales and the North West of England, making interactive and play-centered artwork for exhibitions and facilitating workshops in different education settings. Ella will be sharing her journey into her arts practice career and how she works alongside this in a part-time technician’s role in a university.

To find out more about Ella Louise Jones and her work, click here.

17:00 - 17:30 - Enjoy pizza and drinks and networking with other attendees

17:30 - 19:00 - Presentation, Q&A and activity

Everyday Creatives is a programme intended to support young people aged 15-25 to gain experience in creative workplaces, develop arts leadership skills, and receive respite from academia through creative and cultural activities. And they will be running every month until March 2024, so make sure to check out their other event listings to see the other special guests we have on the line up!

What does it take to save lives in war, disaster, and disease?

Tony Redmond has over 30 years of experience in responding to wars, disease outbreaks, and sudden-onset disasters all around the world. In this engaging talk, he will detail the lessons learned, the improvements that have been made in the international response, and how we can continue to ensure the assistance provided is both effective and focused on those most in need.

He will describe the type of medical assistance that is needed across the various types of humanitarian emergencies and how international support can best complement, and not compete with, the work of others and that of the affected country itself.

Delivering medical assistance during humanitarian crises, especially during conflicts, can be incredibly dangerous. Tony will outline how we can attempt to mitigate these risks, though never eliminate them. He will describe his personal experiences of practicing medicine under fire.

A particular focus of the presentation will be his work in Ukraine and that of his colleagues in UK-Med. He will explain how the programs they are running there been shaped by their experience of delivering emergency medical aid to Sarajevo and Kosovo for the duration of the wars in the Balkans.

Helping those in need during a Humanitarian Crisis is not without personal cost. Tony will discuss how we can look to reduce this among team members. He will also give an insight into the physical and mental challenges he has had to deal with – the legacy of over 30 years of committed work.

About the speaker:

Professor Tony Redmond is a Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Professor Emeritus of International Emergency Medicine at the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute at the University of Manchester, Emeritus Professor of Emergency Medicine at Keele University, and Past President of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine.

In 1995 he founded UK-Med, an International NGO that provides emergency medical humanitarian assistance to countries affected by war, disease outbreak, and disaster. In 2008 he cofounded the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute which runs teaching and research programmes across the humanitarian response.

He is the author of Frontline: Saving Lives in War, Disaster and Disease, published by HarperNorth.

An afternoon of inspiration and celebration at 'HerLegacy' a Women's Day event dedicated to honouring the profound impact and enduring legacy of women around the world. In a world where women continue to redefine boundaries, break barriers, and leave an indelible mark on society, we gather to celebrate their achievements and acknowledge the richness they bring to our lives.

Your FREE ticket will include:

• Unlimited refreshments and drinks

• An array of foods both hot and cold dishes

• Inspirational words by some of Manchester's leading women

• Share and hear stories from amazing women in the room

• Dance performances, Singers and an exclusive DJ playing tunes of women's triumph

• Networking opportunities to help you build your connections and invest in your legacy

• Wrap the night up with a DJ session and dance away!

Dress code: ALL SHADES OF PURPLE

"Spill the T” is a series of morning talks designed to inspire, educate, and foster meaningful discussions among the vibrant community of creatives in Manchester.

Short Supply will be discussing 'Navigating Creative Challenges'.

Short Supply is an acclaimed artist-led organisation based in the North West of England that creates opportunities for emerging artists within an increasingly competitive industry, producing exhibitions, talks and workshops that address the barriers creatives face to employment and education. They are well known across the UK for their practical advice and playful energy – artist development and grins guaranteed!

Complimentary light breakfast & brews are provided!

Ready to start creating professional-looking designs?

Canva is a free online design tool that you can use to create stunning social media graphics, presentations, marketing materials, and more.

This workshop will give you a basic understanding of Canva and show you how to create your own unique designs. You will leave this workshop with the confidence to use Canva for your personal and professional projects.

What you'll learn

In this introductory workshop, you will learn the basics of Canva (app and website), including how to:

• Set up your free Canva account

• Choose the best template for your project

• Add and style text

• Upload, place and edit images

• Download and share your designs

Who’s this for?

• This workshop is ideal for those who would like to create posters, leaflets, presentations or graphics for use on social media

• Canva is perfect for design beginners as well as those with more experience

What you need to bring

• A laptop that can connect to the internet

Light refreshments will be provided at the event

About the facilitator

Claire Worthington is a web developer and digital skills tutor from Stockport.

She is the founding director of Village Web Company CIC, a social enterprise that builds websites and teaches people how to do things online. Village Web Company offers student work placements through local high schools and colleges and delivers activities that develop digital skills and confidence to those in her community.

She’s also a tutor at Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Sheffield specialising in web development and has been working in digital since 2013.

In her spare time, Claire runs a small charity called S.P.A.C.E.(SPACE Stockport) which supports families who have children with ADHD.

The perfect beginners’ course in traditional silversmithing and jewellery-making techniques.

Using 100% recycled silver, explore some basic techniques including sawing, soldering and shaping/forming to create a simple sterling silver ring. By the end of the afternoon, you will have your very own silver ring to take home, handmade by you.

All materials are provided.