Cultural things to do in July 2026
Your curated guide to July's arts and culture across Liverpool, Manchester and the rest of the North West
This is one of those editions of Stored Honey that has jogged my own memory of things I have planned to go and see but haven’t quite got round to. Small Wonders at the Williamson is definitely on the list as well as a proper look at the programme for this year’s (and this month’s) Liverpool Arab Arts Festival.
What is on your own list of must-sees for July? Let me know in the comments.
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Visual art: opening this month
Jalsaghar by Debjani Banerjee, Bluecoat, Liverpool: Banerjee reimagines the idea of a ‘music room’ - which is the exhibition’s Bengali title - and transforms the gallery into a sensory space where you can reflect with music, stories and artworks that connect the past and the present. Her work playfully merges traditional craft, religious imagery and modern culture, encouraging audiences to think about what it feels like when different ways of life interplay. Saturday 11 July to Sunday 6 September, free entry
Ai Weiwei: Button Up!, Aviva Studios, Manchester: Ai Weiwei’s first major exhibition in the North of England will confront 200 years of turbulent world history in a show centring on two major new commissions created especially for the venue, including the world-leading artist and activist’s largest 2D artwork to date - made from more than one million toy bricks. Thursday 2 July to Sunday 6 September, tickets from £20, concessions available. Early bird deal of £15 tickets ends today (30 June).
