Audio Described theatre, cinema, exhibitions and cultural experiences for blind and visually impaired audiences
Manchester knows how to do a summer calendar.
Theatre nights.
Gallery mornings.
Cinema afternoons.
A reason to stay in town a little longer after lunch.
This first Access Manchester Summer Culture Edit brings together Audio Described events and cultural experiences taking place across Manchester and Salford during July and August 2026.
Every event included here offers Audio Description, an Audio Described tour or Audio Described screenings.
The guide has been shaped with research and recommendations from Siobhán Dowd, a voice artist specialising in Audio Description.
Siobhán works across voiceover and Audio Description, voicing for agencies, publishers, producers and broadcasters. Her interest in this part of the industry grew after she recorded the Audio Description for a documentary, which opened up a deeper curiosity about how description is written, voiced and produced, and how much it can change the way blind and visually impaired audiences experience culture.
Together with Siobhán’s research, we’ve created a practical summer edit of Audio Described theatre, cinema, exhibitions and cultural experiences across Manchester and Salford.
It’s a place to start if you’re looking for something lovely to book, something new to try, or simply a way to enjoy more of the city while summer is still very much happening.
Because a good cultural experience should begin with interest.
Not detective work.
A quick note on Audio Description
For anyone new to Audio Description, it gives spoken access to visual information that might otherwise be missed.
In theatre, a trained Audio Describer may describe movement, facial expression, costume, set, lighting and scene changes through a headset.
Within cinema, Audio Description is usually prerecorded and delivered through a headset.
In galleries and exhibitions, it can become more conversational, with a describer guiding visitors through the space, the work and the visual details that shape the experience.
Some theatre performances also include a Touch Tour before the show. These give blind and visually impaired audience members the chance to explore the stage, understand the layout and, where possible, touch selected props, costumes or parts of the set before taking their seats.
It’s not about adding something separate.
It’s about making more of the experience available.
The Lowry, Salford
The Lowry has two Audio Described productions included in this summer edit, both with Touch Tours before the performances.
Live Audio Description is available through a headset or the Mobile Connect app.
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
John le Carré’s Cold War thriller comes to the stage in a new adaptation starring Ralf Little.
This Audio Described performance will be delivered live by Caroline Burn, with a Touch Tour before the show.
Date: Friday 24 July 2026
Touch Tour: 6.30pm
Performance: 7.30pm
Venue: The Lowry, Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ
Telephone: 0161 876 2183
A strong choice for anyone drawn to slow-burn thrillers, Cold War intrigue and theatre with a little tension in the air.
The six wives of Henry VIII take centre stage in the international hit musical, told through the energy of a pop concert.
There are two Audio Described performances on Saturday 15 August, both delivered live by Caroline Burn and accompanied by a Touch Tour.
Date: Saturday 15 August 2026
Afternoon performance
Touch Tour: 3pm
Performance: 4pm
Evening performance
Touch Tour: 7pm
Performance: 8pm
Venue: The Lowry, Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ
Telephone: 0161 876 2183
A bright, high-energy choice for musical theatre fans who want music, humour and a summer afternoon or evening with plenty of personality.
Royal Exchange Theatre
The Royal Exchange is one of Manchester’s most recognisable cultural spaces, with its theatre-in-the-round set inside the city’s former Cotton Exchange.
That setting gives performances a very particular atmosphere. The audience sits around the stage, close to the action, which can make a Touch Tour especially useful for building a sense of the space before the show begins.
Based on Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir, Fun Home is a Tony Award-winning musical about growing up, coming out and looking back at family with the complicated tenderness that often comes later.
The Audio Described performance is listed for Saturday 25 July, with live description by MindsEye and a Touch Tour before the show.
Date: Saturday 25 July 2026
Touch Tour: 1.30pm
Performance: 2.30pm
Venue: Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square, Manchester, M2 7DH
Telephone: 0161 833 9833
A thoughtful choice for anyone drawn to intimate musical theatre, layered family stories and writing that explores identity, memory and belonging.
HOME Manchester
HOME brings theatre, cinema and visual art together in one city-centre venue.
For this guide, its strongest summer offer sits across gallery Audio Description and Audio Described cinema.
Manchester Open 2026 Audio Description Gallery Tour
The Manchester Open is HOME’s celebration of creative talent from across Greater Manchester.
Held every two years, the exhibition brings together work from artists at different stages of their practice, including first-time exhibitors, emerging names and established professionals.
A live Audio Described gallery tour will be led by Anne Hornsby of MindsEye.
Date: Monday 20 July 2026
Time: 11am
Venue: HOME Manchester, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN
Telephone: 0161 200 1500
The tour is designed for blind and visually impaired audiences, with description of the exhibition, the works and the surrounding space.
It’s a lovely way to experience the city through the people making work in it.
Audio Described cinema at HOME
HOME also offers Audio Described cinema screenings, with prerecorded description delivered through a headset.
Film titles and times change throughout the summer, so it’s worth checking HOME’s current listings when planning a visit.
A good option if you want something easy to plan around: a film, something to eat or drink afterwards, and a summer afternoon in the city.
Factory International at Aviva Studios
Aviva Studios, the home of Factory International, is one of Manchester’s newest major cultural spaces.
This summer, it’s hosting Ai Weiwei: Button Up!, a major exhibition by one of the world’s most recognised contemporary artists.
The exhibition explores power, empire and cultural exchange through Ai Weiwei’s work.
Audio Described tours will be delivered by Anne Hornsby of MindsEye on selected dates across July and August.
Audio Described tour dates:
Wednesday 15 July 2026, 10am
Sunday 2 August 2026, 10am
Tuesday 11 August 2026, 10am
Saturday 22 August 2026, 10am
Venue: Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester, M3 4JQ
Telephone: 0161 817 4531
Visitors should select the relevant Audio Description ticket when booking or contact Factory International’s access team for support.
A prerecorded Audio Described guide is also available for the duration of the exhibition.
A strong option for anyone interested in contemporary art, history, politics and exhibitions that invite you to spend time with the ideas behind the work.
Before you book
Access arrangements can vary between venues and events, so it’s always worth checking the latest details before travelling.
You may want to ask:
- whether Audio Description needs to be reserved in advance
- whether a Touch Tour is available
- whether the Touch Tour needs separate booking
- where headsets should be collected
- what time to arrive
- whether a companion can join the Touch Tour
- whether support is available on arrival
Good information makes a difference.
So does knowing what to expect before you leave home.
What have we missed?
This is the first Access Manchester Summer Culture Edit.
It’s a starting point, and hopefully a useful one.
If you know of an Audio Described performance, exhibition, screening, tour or cultural experience in Manchester that should be included in a future edition, we’d love to hear about it.
The Inclusive Edit will be developing this as a seasonal feature, bringing together cultural experiences that more people can plan, book and enjoy with confidence.
So tell us what’s coming up.
Tell us what we’ve missed.
And if you’re a venue, theatre, gallery, museum, cinema, festival or experience-led brand with an accessible event to share, please get in touch.
A final thought
Culture isn’t only about being in the room.
It’s about following the story.
Feeling the atmosphere.
Catching the detail.
Understanding what everyone else came to experience.
Audio Description helps make that possible.
And this summer, Manchester has places to begin.
This guide was created by The Inclusive Edit with research and recommendations from Audio Description voice artist Siobhán Dowd. Event information was correct at the time of publication. Please check the latest dates, times and access arrangements directly with each venue before booking.
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