Cultural things to do in August 2026

Your curated guide to August's arts and culture across the North West

August is the month when exhibitions come to a close ready for galleries to launch their autumn/winter programmes in September - so this month’s highlights include a long list of those you need to catch quickly if you don’t want to miss them.

There are also theatre shows, a festival and the photo of a pair of cat toys/sculptures that will either have you signing the adoption papers or backing away nervously. Let me know which in the comments.

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