HOME announces First Street Festival 2022

We’re delighted to announce the First Street Festival 2022, taking place across five weekends this summer, right outside HOME in Tony Wilson Place. All events will be free and open to the public. Read on to find out more!

Delivered in partnership with Ask Real Estate, supported by CBRE, First Street Festival will provide a range of free activities throughout June and July 2022, including:

  • live music
  • family events
  • drag performances
  • yoga
  • DJs

The HOME team are programming the opening weekend (the Queen’s Jubilee weekend) and we’re working with four partner organisations to curate the weekends across the rest of the festival, allowing for a wide diversity of artists and voices, all uniquely part of the artistic community of Manchester. This year’s partners are Brighter Sound, SM Music MGMT, All Hands on Deck, and The Untold Orchestra.

We’ll be sharing more details of the artists who will be on stage closer to the time, but in the meantime pop these dates in your diary!

2 – 5 June – Programmed by HOME
Since opening in May 2015, we’ve welcomed over three million visitors to our two theatres, five cinemas, art gallery, book shop and restaurants. HOME’s programming teams work with international and UK artists to produce extraordinary theatrical experiences, producing an exciting mix of thought-provoking drama, dance, and festivals, with a strong focus on international work, new commissions and talent development.

10 – 12 June – Programmed by Brighter Sound
Brighter Sound is a pioneering creative music charity based in Manchester. They nurture the music creators, leaders and industry professionals of the future, with a strong focus on supporting people who are underrepresented, or face barriers. Rooted in the North of England and open to the world, Brighter Sound’s bold and responsive programme includes creative projects, commissions, residencies, workshops, training and events to help people with everything from artistic and career development to building communities, personal confidence and wellbeing. Brighter Sound is a pioneering creative music charity based in Manchester. They nurture the music creators, leaders and industry professionals of the future, with a strong focus on supporting people who are underrepresented, or face barriers. Rooted in the North of England and open to the world, Brighter Sound’s bold and responsive programme includes creative projects, commissions, residencies, workshops, training and events to help people with everything from artistic and career development to building communities, personal confidence and wellbeing.

17 – 19 June – Programmed by SM Music MGMT
SM Music MGMT is an agency working with underrepresented musicians from Manchester and representing them internationally. Focusing on all aspects of music including production, publishing and performing SM Music aims to develop the scene & its audiences whilst creating a sustainable economical industry for the professionals.

24 – 26 June – Programmed by All Hands on Deck
All Hands on Deck (AHoD) are a collective for women, non binary and trans DJs in Manchester. We started out in 2018 and since then have been running workshops and open deck parties as well as hosting radio shows on Reform, Limbo (before its closure), NTS, NARR and Balamii radio stations for our collective, to provide development space and to showcase the talents of our DJs. We also run a mix series which has so far platformed 27 up and coming and established DJs from Manchester and beyond.

1-3 July – Programmed by The Untold Orchestra
The Untold Orchestra is a Manchester based collaborative orchestra aiming to redefine the role of an orchestra in the 21st century. It is founded on the belief that all art forms can be accessible to anyone. We collaborate with a wide array of musicians, artists, venues and communities to ensure that in every project we reach new audience and push new creative boundaries. For the First Street Festival we will be doing something different, showcasing the original music of a variety of our musicians. From classical to soul, comedy to rock, these performances will have something for everyone.

Dave Moutrey, Director and CEO of HOME, had this to say: “We are delighted to be working with these exceptional partners to bring a free, outdoor stage of entertainment to First Street this Summer. We look forward to sharing these five weekends of exceptional Manchester talent with you, right outside HOME’s front door.”

Sign up to our newsletter to get news and updates direct to you inbox and give us a follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to hear our latest announcements.