We are Contact. A multi-arts venue for Manchester. Come and hear what the future has to say 👉 DMs not monitored, email boxoffice
@contactmcr
.com for queries ✨
📢 HUGE NEWS KLAXON 📢
We are ECSTATIC to announce Keisha Thompson as our new Artistic Director and CEO - the first Black woman, Mancunian and, at 32, the youngest person to run Contact! 👑
Read about Keisha’s appointment and history with Contact here:
There really is no place like home. So today we're thrilled to announce that we've got the keys back from the builders and we can start to plan the housewarming party!🥳
Head to our website to read more, and for a sneaky peek of our amazing new spaces...
📢Today is the first official day our new Artistic Director and CEO,
@Keke_Thom
joins the Contact team, and we're ecstatic about it!
👉 Find out more about Keisha's appointment here:
This should have been our first day open to the public. Though we can't welcome you in just yet, here's a few more pictures of our lovely new spaces. 🤩
We’re shocked and saddened to hear the news of the passing of Sam Malik.
Sam had been a long standing member of the Contact Team and touched the lives of so many people. Our thoughts are with Sam’s family, friends and colleagues at this time.
Sam was a very bright light at
🚀JUST LAUNCHED: When All is Said, curated by
@travisalabanza
✨
When All Is Said - produced + commissioned by
@FuelTheatre
- is a collection of 5 plays, written by 5 Black trans people, in their own voices.
👉 13 - 17 Feb
📍 Live over the phone!
🎟️
BIG NEWS 📢 The Agency has been Awarded £1.28million by the National Lottery Community Fund!
@TNLComFund
This funding will help more young people across the UK to lead programmes for social change with
@Agency_change
We're so pleased. Read in full:
Hey, Alexa! - play Happy Birthday as loud as you can 🎈
We’re over the moon to be celebrating our 50th birthday today. It’s our party and we WILL cry if we want to (tears of joy, obvs) 🎂
(1/6 🧵)
RECRUITMENT ALERT: Young People's Producer
We're looking for someone to support young people's artistic journeys, including the work of Contact Young Company.
More info and application forms at:
#ArtsJobs
#TheatreJobs
#ManchesterJobs
Ahead of
#WorldHealthDay
we’re delighted to announce Rose Sergent as our new Health and Science Producer!
Having started her journey at Contact as a part of Future Fires, Rose will now lead our health and science programme with care and wellbeing at its heart.✨
So, we can't call the
#USElection2020
right now, but we CAN announce with great pleasure that we have appointed the amazing Junior Akinola as the new chair of our Board
@Jr_JT3
At 28, Junior is the youngest chair of a major performing arts venues in the UK
We'd like to take this time to announce that
@MattContactmcr
, Artistic Director/Chief Exec, and
@SuzieHenderson1
, Head of Creative Development, will be handing over Contact to the next generation in 2022.
Learn more about their exciting next steps:
Our doors are open! 🙌
There's still work to be done, but from TODAY you'll be able to:
👉 Explore the venue
👉Chat to our box office team
👉 Buy tickets at the counter
👉 And from 4 Oct Chaat Cart will be serving up South Indian street food
#ContactMcr
#BackInContact
All
@JinkxMonsoon
wants for Christmas is attention, but we made her a cheeky little stocking filler too featuring all her favourite Hollywood sirens. Make Jinkx's Christmas and book tickets for her show in Manchester on 1 December with
@sohotheatre
Times are hard. They are getting harder.
But we know that art will prevail.
That’s why we’ve launched The Pinch ticket - our lowest concession rate is now available for anyone who needs it, with no proof required.
Learn more from AD/CEO
@Keke_Thom
:
We're thrilled to announce that Contact has been awarded funding by GMCVO to develop a Greater Manchester community of practice exploring arts and trauma.
Learn more and get involved here:
MANCHESTER ARE YOU READY FOR TOMORROW?!
@bendelacreme
@JinkxMonsoon
A little song, a lot of eggnog & theatres full of people looking at them – All They Want For Christmas Is Attention!
Final tickets here:
➡️
We're very proud to have been rated as 'Outstanding' by
@ace_national
in their Creative Case for Diversity report - we're always working on it, so it's nice to see our efforts being recognised 😀
We’d like to take a moment to send love and solidarity to our trans and non-binary friends 🏳️⚧️
There will ALWAYS be a place for you at Contact.
Scroll through while we shout about incredible work being done by our peers in the arts and charity space (1/5) 🧵
Drag Race star
@JinkxMonsoon
and
@TheMajorScales
have already been taking London by storm, and soon they will step on our stage in "The weirdest show we've ever written" - Jinkx's words! Are you coming? ✨
👉 Grab your tickets before they go:
Today we say goodbye to the wonderful
@SuzieHenderson1
, our Head of Creative Development. Suzie has made an incredible impact on the lives of so many young people coming into Contact, as well as all those that she has worked with across the 15 years she has been with us.
We are thrilled to have won the Greater Manchester Business Award for Customer Service Excellence for the second year running! Congratulations to all tonight’s nominees!
#GMBA18
Some changes at Contact 👇
To secure a long-term sustainable future for Contact, our senior management + board are working on a new business model involving many changes, including to leadership roles.
We appreciate your sensitivity towards our staff, supporters and audiences
Could you be our next Artistic Director and CEO?
Working to deliver Contact’s Mission to Change the Face of UK Culture, you will shape Contact’s creative output, as well as ensuring its operational and commercial effectiveness.
Apply here:
INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY KLAXON! 💥
We're on the lookout for an amazing Manchester-based poet to get involved in a super exciting project next month ✍️
Reply below to us and
@Keke_Thom
with anyone you think may be interested! 👇
Queer Contact is back, baby! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
We can’t wait to celebrate queer culture with a line-up of the UK’s most extraordinary LGBTQ+ talent.
Learn all about our flagship queer arts festival here:
(1/2 🧵)
QUEER CONTACT IS BACK!
February 2022 sees Queer Contact return for the first time in our newly transformed venue.
Tickets are available for members TODAY and on general sale tomorrow 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
We know many of you will have been affected by the sentencing of 10 young men in Manchester last week.
To find out what you can do to help, please head to
@KidsOfColourHQ
who are doing incredible work to support those involved 💛
'Manchester. Your theatre’s will be back. One in particular Contact. It’s been a while. A pretty hefty change of style.
But the same muscle beneath. Still fiercely northern
with eyes abroad. Still changing lives through open doors.'
A fantastic poem by:
@rory_aaron1
🤩🎭
NEW IMAGES ALERT🚨
@mandla_rae
is a queer Zimbabwean writer, performer & curator. This month as part of
#QueerContact
their short film 'as british as a watermelon' will be airing & look at these incredible new images 🤩 Book now -
📸Graham Clayton-Chance
If you haven't heard yet, we have appointed the UK's first ever young chair at a major performing arts venue.
We are extremely excited to have
@Jr_JT3
as the new chair of our Board of Trustees.
Read more about our new chair here:
They’re getting too old for this skit…
@JinkxMonsoon
and
@TheMajorScales
are “Together Again, Again!” It’s the year 2065. Reptiles rule the planet. Jinkx and Major have somehow survived! Find out what they are up to...
👉Coming to Contact 6 - 7 May:
APPLY TO BE OUR NEW CHAIR OF CONTACT
We’ve decided that at least 50% of our board will be young people under 30 & we're appointing a young Chair to play a key role in shaping the strategic development of Contact as we prepare to move back into our refurbished building!
As the days inch closer we're getting more excited for
@JinkxMonsoon
's return to our stage! Make sure you're there for her and
@TheMajorScales
' 'Weirdest show yet'.
👉Secure your place now:
One night down of
@JinkxMonsoon
's and
@TheMajorScales
' show Together Again, Again and one more to go!
👉 Catch the remaining tickets for tomorrow night here:
Help us light up the stage and complete our journey to rebuild Contact for the next generation!
We're raising £20,000 to buy vital equipment for our music, drama and leadership projects.
Donate to our appeal:
#LightUpContact
Are you ready for some AMAZING NEWS?! 💥
Contact has been shortlisted in FOUR categories at this year’s Manchester Culture Awards!!!
Scroll down to learn more about our nominees 👇
(1/6 🧵)
‘The category is multi-talented drag queen supremeness, and Jinkx Monsoon wins.’ ★★★★ – Attitude
Have you booked your tickets to
@JinkxMonsoon
and
@TheMajorScales
: Together Again, Again yet? Only one week to go!
It's officially the start of the 3 day run of
#Saturnalia
our first outdoor,live show in what feels like forever! Showcasing the skills of CYC & Level Up, directed by Dom
@HighRise_UK
it's going to be epic. Check out this pic from our Production team of the space all dressed up🥳
@DidymusBrush
Hey Paul. We always adore having Jinkx with us but we're now in the midst of refurbishment until 2019. Funnily enough
@JinkxMonsoon
+
@TheMajorScales
's
#Vaudevillians
has a special place in our hearts as it was the last show performed in our main space until we reopen.
We are proud to have signed up to the
#TransCasting
Statement. We will always cast trans people in trans roles & will never endorse a production that casts a cis person in a trans role. Read more here:
Join us in making a small commitment to a big change.
Today we said a massive thank you, farewell and good luck to Barry, Senior Marketing Officer and
#QueerContact
Producer, after an amazing 10 years at Contact!
Thank you Barry, you'll be greatly missed!
Post Pride blues?We've got just the ticket.
General tickets are now onsale for
@bendelacreme
and
@JinkxMonsoon
's fabulously festive All I Want for Christmas is Attention at
@PalaceAndOpera
on 1 December.
Prices from £16.90
A little while ago, we told you about the
#BeeTheChange
commission, for artists to explore themes around climate change.
We're delighted to announce that the commission has gone to
@ergontheatre
, and they told us a bit about their plans here:
QUEER CONTACT FESTIVAL IS BACK! We’ve been teasing this one for a while, but now we can bring you the full details of
#QC21
in all it’s vibrant glory.
Click the link to unleash the
#QC21
magic!
📢CALL-OUT - WRITING OPPORTUNITY 📢
Along with
@HOME_mcr
we're looking for 10 north-west based writers to create monologues for Hear Me Now Vol. 2, from
@titiandherlife
@tamashatheatre
. Head here to find out more:
It's been a pleasure hosting
@ArdenSchool
for
#unTaPpedFestival
over the last few days, they have filled our theatre with so many beautiful performances!
Thank you for the flowers, you've made our night!
We're really pleased to be hosting MELANIN MARKETS MANCHESTER 🌲 encouraging all communities to replace their Xmas purchases with products from Black-led businesses, with the hope that spending Black will become a normalised practise throughout the year ➡️
"We're all just rainbows drawn in chalk" - Tony Walsh, Know This. An emotive, heartfelt piece. Part of Our City Speaks May 2020, a joint venture between
@StreamGm
Contact,
@MCRCityofLit
filmed at Bury Met.
Watch here:
#WorldPoetryDay
Guess what... CONTACT YOUNG COMPANY AUDITIONS ARE NOW OPEN! 📢We are recruiting for the next cohort of company members, who will work towards creating a show that will premiere in our newly refurbished building in October 2021 on our main stage! RT/Apply➡️
Meet the DIRECTORS of Vignettes!
Presented by
@productions_her
, Vignettes is an evening of six short plays by local female & non-binary writers.
Join us to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Greater Manchester Rape Crisis's vital service💜
📅 4-5 Oct
🔗
📢 RECRUITMENT ALERT 📢
We're looking for a Production Manager and Casual Technicians to join the Contact team - you'll find all the details at the link below, and applications close 26 October. 👇
Our 2023 Autumn Season is HERE ❤️🔥
Experience a heady combination of shows that will challenge perceptions, platform today’s most exciting artists and advocate for a brighter tomorrow ☀️
🎟️Tickets on sale NOW
👀More announcements COMING SOON
🔗Book today:
Exciting news 🤩
@aliwil267
has 3 artistic commissions up for grabs as part of
@everybrainuk
pls RT!
Looking for neurodivergent artists based in Manchester. All info here:
• 2 x Artist-in-Residence positions
• 1 x Film Maker position
We know that the festive period can be a difficult time, especially right now. We have listed some resources, websites and services for young people in Greater Manchester and beyond, including crisis phone lines and online support⬇️
We’re bursting with pride on behalf of our Contact Young Company alumni who are out in the world THRIVING. Come along with us while we spotlight the incredible work that they’re all doing 🧵
A very good morning to all our twitter friends - we are delighted to announce that this smiley fellow
@CarlAustinBehan
will be introducing/hosting
@russelldavies63
In Conversation With
@NathanielJHall
on Friday 30 April😃
Book tickets:
Today we are getting settled in to our new base for the year at Moss Side Powerhouse and looking forward to the start of our events IN THE CITY! Exciting times ahead!
#MondayMotivation
#ContactInTheCity
This evening we
#LightItInRed
to stand in solidarity with all of our friends in the live arts & music, cultural sector. This week marks 1 year since we & many other arts venues closed our doors, not knowing if/when we'd be open again. We can't wait to welcome you all back in. ❤
We have been thinking about how best to respond to the horrific events that have been happening in the US over the last few days, including the tragic and preventable death of George Floyd...
Remember to book your ticket for our Queer Contact 2021 event, where
@russelldavies63
&
@NathanielJHall
discuss depictions of HIV & AIDS on stage & screen. The evening includes the premiere of short films about life with HIV today made by
@DibbyTheatre
"What
@sophiewillan
found was Contact, a theatre company in Manchester for young people. Instead of the largely middle-class figures she’d seen on TV and in films, here she felt she was among people she recognised" ✨
Learn more about
@sophiewillan
here:
Did you catch
#ItsASin
last week? It's great (though we already know the later episodes are going to make us cry!) Anyway, did you know that the show's writer
@russelldavies63
and actor
@NathanielJHall
are virtually joining us in conversation this April?
We are thrilled to be presenting Barber Shop Chronicles with
@rxtheatre
in March 2019!
Keep an eye out for more exciting announcements about our upcoming season later this month!
#ContactInTheCity
#ComingSoon
Barber Shop Chronicles opens the season.
With
@ContactMcr
@FuelTheatre
@NationalTheatre
@LeedsPlayhouse
For generations, African men have gathered in barber shops. Sometimes they have haircuts, sometimes they listen, more often than not they talk.
>>
We're recruiting a Freelance Producer for a short term position.
Work with the Agency team to co-produce the launch of Something To Say, a book that promotes young black leaders from Moston and Harpurhey, produced by two young people.
Apply here:
Don't miss Contact's Artistic Director and CEO
@Keke_Thom
on
@BBCFrontRow
this evening!
Head to
@BBCRadio4
at 7.15 to get a glimpse into Keisha’s incredible work as a leader and as an artist 💫
📸 Audrey Albert