FutureEverything is an annual festival of art, music and ideas hosted in Manchester, UK. Listed as one of the ten best ideas festivals in the world by The Guardian, and ranked as a must see by Resident Advisor, the festival is held over four days at venues across the city and includes a conference at MOSI Museum of Science and Industry.

We scan the horizon of art, innovation, society and the environment to create a two-day conference of international speakers with the latest thinking on the hottest topics. The art exhibition pushes the boundaries of contemporary digital art from international platforms alongside a digital craft fair at Victoria Baths. And continuing the festival into the night, the music strand is a celebration of sonic pioneers, from the best emerging talent to established musicians who continue to innovate and inspire.

FutureEverything 2012 takes place Wed 16–Sat 19 May 2012 in Manchester city centre. It features 52 artists, 45 musicians and 70 speakers across 11 venues over three main days with exhibitions and partner events extending over 3 weeks.

FutureEverything Art

The FutureEverything Art Exhibition, FutureEverybody, is hosted at the MOSI 1830 Warehouse between 16 May-10 June, with participatory art happening across Manchester 16-19 May. Over 18 international and UK artists will exhibit work from the cutting edge of sculpture, video and new media art.

Highlights include – immersive theatre group Blast Theory premiere a new work ‘I’d Hide You’, a game that connects virtual worlds, video streaming and performers on the streets of Manchester; ceramicist Lawrence Epps & Sykey Collective distribute 8000 handmade little clay men into secret city locations for commuters to use in online artworks; and Ollie Palmer displays the world’s first ballet to feature computer controlled ants.

Admission is free, the exhibition preview takes place on Weds 16 May.

Handmade at Victoria Baths

Handmade is a digital DIY craft fair hosted at the recently restored Manchester heritage site, Victoria Baths. This exciting event includes a craft fair, talks, events, Fab* Manchester, Victoria Baths Fanzine Convention, and a vegan cafe. Collaborators include Manchester Craft and Design Centre, Manchester FabLab, Salford Zine Library and an array of jewellers, ceramicists and sculptors. Handmade is hosted on Saturday 19 May. Admission is £2 and free to conference ticket holders.

FutureEverything Music

In collaboration with venues and promoters including Salford’s Islington Mill & St Phillip’s Church, Instituto Cervantes, RNCM, Manchester Cathedral, Contact, Quay House Spinningfields and Manchester Academy – FutureEverything hosts live music and DJ/Club events across Manchester between 16-20 May 2012.
Confirmed music acts include Amon Tobin ISAM (Live), Matthew Herbert One Pig, Dieter Moebius, Polinski, Tim Hecker, Forest Swords, The Haxan Cloak, DJ Cheeba, Alt J, Shabazz Palaces, John Talabot, Falty DL, Deadbeat, Andy Stott, No Ceremony, Money, Marcel Dettmann, and Holy Other. Tickets can be purchased via our music website pages.

FutureEverything Conference

The FutureEverything Conference, panels and workshops will be hosted at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester on Thurs 17 & Fri 18 May. Confirmed speakers include Birgitta Jonsdottir, Bilal Randeree (Al Jazeera), Cesar A. Hidalgo,  Carlo Ratti, Rohan Gunatillake, Dr. Ian Brown, Loz Kaye, Sanaz Raji, Moritz Stefaner, Juha van’t Zelfde, and Andy Miah.

Festival Locations

FutureEverything 2012 offers a festival footprint around MOSI and the city centre. Our venues have been carefully chosen to allow a natural progression from daytime event to evening show to late night events. We will be re-using venues across each night, to allow a festival ‘feel’ and will combine large scale venues (Manchester Academy and RNCM) with smaller, underground venues such as Islington Mill, St Philip’s Church and Quay House, Spinningfields. A free bus is available on Saturday when events take place at Victoria Baths and MediaCityUK.

Download brochure and timetables here.
Buy tickets here.

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Random Acts is a new arts series currently showing nightly on Channel 4.

Television as art, rather than about art, Random Acts is providing a platform for both established and emerging visual artists to create their own pieces and experiment with form, unfettered by the conventions of traditional arts television. Spanning spoken word, dance, animation, fashion photography, video art and music.

The series has already created a stir with its distinctive approach to arts coverage – showcasing exciting new work from artists as varied as film-maker Emily Wardill, musicians Pepstar and Clean Bandit and dance team the BalletBoyz. Over the coming months the likes of Ghostpoet, David Shrigley and Sergei Polunin will all have original commissions in the strand.

Random Acts has also unearthed and given a platform to the most imaginative young talent in the UK, working with organisations such as Dazed & Confused, Vice, Tate Media, and Lupus Animation as well as developing partnerships with The Saatchi Gallery, Frieze, Film London and the Jarman Awards to uncover new artists.

If you haven’t seen the films yet, or you have missed the odd one take a look at the online gallery bringing together all of the films broadcast so far. You can also follow the chat on twitter by using #RandomActs.