Programming the public realm of Salford Quays and MediaCity
Based at Lowry, Quays Culture works in partnership to enrich the cultural life of Salford Quays and MediaCity.
We produce We Invented the Weekend, the largest free festival in Greater Manchester with 117,000+ visitors in 2026. It is a two-day event celebrating free time, established in 1843 by Salford Lyceum Director and activist Robert Lowes (also Sir Ian McKellen’s Great Grandfather) who campaigned for workers’ right to leisure time on Saturday afternoons.
Since 2015, we have produced the Lightwaves festival in winter, which presented light art from across the North of England and internationally. Our commissioned works are available for hire. We are now building on this legacy to reimagine an bolder, more ambitious programme on light, sound, water and darkness.
We are a member of Light Up The North and the international Lighting Urban Community International (LUCI) Association.
Dance, Digital, Installation, Light Festival, Music, Visual Arts
Additional Areas of Focus
Community Engagement, Environmentally Focussed, Outdoor Arts Sector Development, Participatory, Placemaking
