What’s on in April?
30 Mar 2026
Welcome to April’s edition of ‘What’s on?’. Here you will find everything you can get involved in for free each month, ranging from cultural, extracurricular and celebratory events and activities.
Events
Wellbeing workshops for colleagues and students
The University’s counselling service invites you to a series of free mindfulness, meditation and stress management workshops for colleagues and students to support their mental health.
- Book one or more workshops throughout April
Research Café – Religion, Culture and Community
This St George’s Day, Creative Manchester and the Manchester Museum will discuss how cultural institutions and faith spaces bring people together, build understanding, and nurture a shared sense of belonging.
- Book your place on Thursday, 23 April 12pm to 2pm at Manchester Museum
Open session: Civic engagement
Find out more about university’s civic engagement activities and impact across Greater Manchester. We’ll share case studies featuring partnerships in civic engagement.
- Book your place on Wednesday, 22 April, 12pm to 12.45pm (online)
Public engagement community of practice
Are you interested in public engagement? Would you like to hear and share some inspiring ideas and practice? Would you like to network with other like-minded people interested in engagement? Join our community of practice to share, learn and connect around the theme of inclusive practice.
- Book your place on Wednesday, 15 April 12.30pm – 1.45pm at 5.206 University Place, Oxford Road (in-person).
People as Infrastructure: The Architectural Wisdom of Informality
Explore the spontaneous and ingenious adaptations found in China’s urban marketplaces, where everyday materials become functional art.
- Book your place on Thursday, 16 April 6pm to 7pm at Manchester Central Library
Research Data Conversations with Dr Victoria Yorke-Edwards (UCL) and Dr Christopher T. Tibbs (University of Exeter)
Dr Victoria and Dr Chris discuss their roles as research data stewards at UCL and Exeter, entering the profession, and the data stewardship infrastructure in the UK today.
- Book your place on Thursday, 30 April 10am to 11am (online)
Our cultural institutions
Manchester Museum
Various dates: Clay Play
Tuesday, 7 to Thursday, 16 April (2pm to 3pm): Dadikwakwa-kwa Come Out to Play!
Wednesday, 8 April (6pm to 7pm): Common Ground: Universal Experiences of Play and Learning
Saturday, 11 April (10am to 4pm): Manchester Museum Celebrates Vaisakhi
Sunday, 19 April (1pm to 3pm): Chinese Culture Corner: Chinese Language Day
Wednesday, 22 April (12pm to 12.50pm): Introductory tai chi qigong sessions
Whitworth Art Gallery
On Thursdays (10am to 2pm): Everyday Art School – Venture Arts Artist in Residence
Thursday, 2 April (6.30pm to 8pm): Japanese Ukiyo-e Prints: art for the masses talk
John Rylands Research Institute and Library
Thursday, 23 April (6.30pm to 7.45pm): Solstice and Equinox series: Cottonopolis-The Origins of Global Manchester
Our community
Religious celebrations and traditions
Passover (Judaism) Wednesday, 1 to Thursday, 9 April
End of Lent (Christianity) Thursday, 2 April
Good Friday (Christianity) Friday, 3 April
Holy Saturday (Christianity) Saturday, 4 April
Easter Sunday (Christianity) Sunday, 5 April
Easter Monday (Christianity) Monday, 6 April
Birthday of Guan Yin / Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Buddhism) Monday, 6 April
Theravada New Year (Buddhism) Monday, 13 April
Vaisakhi (Sikh) Tuesday, 14 April
Rohini Vrat (Jain) Monday, 20 April
Awareness days
Autism Acceptance Week begins – Wednesday, 1 April
International Asexual Day – Monday, 6 April
Earth Day – Wednesday, 22 April
St George’s Day – Thursday, 23 April
Lesbian Visibility Day – Sunday, 26 April
Want to feature your event next month?
If your event is free and open to all colleagues at the University, you can advertise it here next month!
Submit your suggestion to uninews@manchester.ac.uk by 25 of each month to feature in the following month. Please send us a short description (max 30 words) and any relevant links you may have too.
Please note that we unfortunately cannot guarantee your submission will feature, but we will do our best to feature as many as we can.
The deadline to feature in May’s ‘What’s on?’ is 25 April. Any questions, just drop us an email!