15 Best Performing Arts Venues in Manchester, Liverpool, and the Peak District, England

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We've compiled the best of the best in Manchester, Liverpool, and the Peak District - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

Bluecoat

City Centre Fodor's choice

The city center's oldest building is now a creative hub encompassing contemporary visual arts, live art, literature, music, and dance, along with a café and bistro.

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University Quarter Fodor's choice
This cutting-edge contemporary arts venue houses a main 450-seat theater, a studio theater space, a gallery, five cinema screens, and digital production and broadcast facilities, as well as a bar, a café, and a bookshop.

Manchester International Festival

Fodor's choice
This biennial multi-arts festival has played a major role in Manchester's cultural development since it launched in 2007. With international artists such as Björk and Marina Abramović making appearances, it often premieres events that go on to tour nationally or globally. Events take place in some of the city's most popular performing arts spaces, as well as obscure locations such as disused buildings.

Recommended Fodor's Video

Royal Exchange Theatre

City Centre Fodor's choice

Housed in the city's one-time cotton exchange, this innovative venue for classic and contemporary works includes a glass-and-metal structure cradling a theater-in-the-round, plus a studio space.

Bridgewater Hall

St Peters Square

This dramatically modern venue—which sits on 280 springs to reduce external noise—is home to Manchester's renowned Hallé Orchestra, as well as the BBC Philharmonic. It also hosts rock and pop concerts.

Buxton Festival

This renowned event, held for two weeks during mid-July each year, includes opera, drama, and concerts.

Everyman Theatre

City Centre

This vibrant theater in a prize-winning contemporary building focuses on British playwrights and experimental productions from around the world, as well as hosting a playwrights' workspace. There's also a café and a basement bistro. A nearby sister theater, the Playhouse, stages slightly more mainstream productions.

FACT

City Centre

The Foundation for Art and Creative Technology offers up a unique mix of exhibitions, films, and participant-led art projects, plus a café.

Liverpool Empire

City Centre

This theater presents musicals, live music acts, and occasionally dance and opera.

Opera House

City Centre

This elegant historic venue hosts musicals as well as opera, classical ballet, concerts, and Christmas pantos.

Palace Theatre

City Centre

One of the city's largest theaters presents mainly touring musicals and tribute acts.

Philharmonic Hall

City Centre

This large art deco concert hall and sometime cinema plays host to concerts by the resident Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as contemporary rock, pop, folk, roots, jazz, and blues performances.

Royal Court Theatre

City Centre

This restored art deco venue is one of the city's most appealing sites for stand-up comedy, theater, and more. Visitors can also take a heritage tour of the building.

Royal Northern College of Music

University Quarter

The College hosts classical and contemporary music concerts—everything from opera to jazz.

The Kings Arms

Salford
Live music, plays, and comedy feature on the bill of this intimate, bohemian space above a traditional pub.

Not finding what you're looking for?

We've got a few suggestions for nearby spots.
London

Dance Umbrella89.1 miles away

London, Greater London, England
We recommend 45 Performing Arts in London
Bath and the Cotswolds

Everyman Theatre108.9 miles away

Regent St., Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 1HQ, England
We recommend 11 Performing Arts in Bath and the Cotswolds
Bath and the Cotswolds Fodor's Choice

Literature Festival109.4 miles away

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
We recommend 11 Performing Arts in Bath and the Cotswolds
Bath and the Cotswolds

Science Festival109.4 miles away

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
We recommend 11 Performing Arts in Bath and the Cotswolds
Bath and the Cotswolds

Cheltenham Jazz Festival109.5 miles away

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
We recommend 11 Performing Arts in Bath and the Cotswolds