Contact

Free poetry workshop for young artists aged 18 - 30.

We will take a short walk over to Whitworth Park. We will offer different writing exercises and techniques to try in response to the birds we can see around us.

There will be the option to write collaboratively with others if you would like. We will be exploring birds as symbols of freedom, community and international connection.

There will be the option to add your favourite word, line, or verse, from the workshop to a
collective poem. This collective poem will then be shared with young artists in Beirut,
Lebanon where we are running the same workshop. You will receive their collective poem in exchange.

These workshops offer a supportive environment for seasoned poets, secret writers and anyone that just wants to have a go. It's a chance for us to share ideas and write together in a supportive space. No prior experience necessary.

This workshop is free of charge but places are limited so please reserve a ticket. All
materials will be provided as well as drinks and snacks. You will be asked about allergies
and dietary requirements when you book onto the workshop.

Travel reimbursements are available. Please feel free to share your access needs when
signing up.

🗓️ Sat 1 Aug
📍 Contact, Manchester
🎟️ Tickets On Our Website

We do not use AI in our recruitment process.

With the rise of AI and it’s use in recruitment processes, here at Contact we know that every applicant deserves to have a human pair of eyes assessing their application and connecting with what they could bring to the table. We recently had over 300 applications for one vacancy, and every single one was seen by real people here at Contact. We pride ourselves on transparency in every step from the vacancy post to the interview, and this includes no use of AI at any point.

You can be confident that if you apply for a job at Contact, your application will not be lost in a sea of AI procedures- we are committed to reviewing each application ourselves.

Raise The Bar: From The Ground Up is a powerful documentary exploring the often-overlooked infrastructure of urban music culture in Manchester through the story of Raise The Bar and the wider ecosystem that surrounds it. Through intimate interviews with artists, venue owners, festival directors, cultural leaders and community partners, the film examines what it truly takes to sustain creativity in a city shaped by inequality, ambition and constant change.

Blending personal testimony with a wider exploration of Manchester’s contemporary cultural landscape, Raise The Bar: From The Ground Up asks urgent questions about who gets access to creative opportunity, who shapes a city’s cultural future, and what is lost when grassroots spaces disappear.

This is not a film about what Manchester has been. It is a film about who is shaping what Manchester becomes next.

Alongside the screening, audiences will be invited to explore a photography exhibition featuring work from Manchester photographers who have spent years documenting the city’s music culture, nightlife and creative communities.

🗓️ 8 August
📍 Contact, Manchester
🎟️ Tickets on the website

“Very important valuable experience and venue.”
- Perfect Show for Rachel Audience Member, 2025