SICK! Festival CPR - Beat One programme by SICK! Productions

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Presentations

Engagewithvitalartistsandartworksthatputlivedexperiences ofhealth,inequalityandidentitycentrestage.Thisiswhere differencesbecomedialogueandordinarypeoplerespondto extraordinarycircumstances.

SocialPrescribing

Buildconfidenceandsparkconnectionthroughinclusive,artistledsessionsthatsupportmentalwellbeing.Findpracticaltools forself-expressionandsharedexperiencethatinspires.

CreativePathways

Getrightintotheheartofthings.Shapeideas,influence commissionsandbuildskillsforthefuture.Don’tjustwatch,bea co-creatorwithrealculturalownership.

CALENDAR

WED 6

THUS 7

Building the Auntiverse (Crumpsall) 11am EXXY 8pm

Pro Workshop: Dan Daw Creative Projects 11am EXXY 8pm

WED 13 Stories of a Queer Home 6pm

FRI 16 Building the Auntiverse (Harpurhey) 11am

TUES 19SAT 23 Come From Away 7.30pm (2.30pm Sat)

MON 25 Dinner with Krishna Istha & Geetha Shankar 6pm

WED 27THURS 28

FRI 29

Sperm Donors Wanted! free for Second Trimester ticket holders 7pm & 7.20pm Second Trimester 8pm

(I) Miss America (2026) no booking required From 6pm Philosophy of the World 8pm

SAT 30 Music and Mental Health with Hypes 2pm

(I) Miss America (2026) no booking required From 4pm Philosophy of the World 8pm Beat One Afterparty no booking required 9pm

VENUES

ACCESS

Harpurhey Neighbourhood Project, M9 5PR

Abraham Moss Library, M8 5UF

Lowry, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ

The Horsfall, Ancoats, M4 5AG

NWTAC, 270 Lightbowne Rd, M40 5HQ

Contact, Oxford Rd, M15 6JA

Australian slang for “that’s expensive, mate”

Photo:HugoGlendinning

Wed6 -Thurs7May2026,8pm

WrittenbyIreneSankoffandDavidHein

Presented by The NWTAC Players

Photos:EllaHorniman

Tues19-Sat23May2026,7.30pm,(matinee2.30pmSat)

Image:JoshQuinton

Wed27-Thurs28May2026,8pm

DINNER WITH KRISHNA ISTHA

ETHA SHANKAR

Photo:AnnaHay

Mon25May2026,6-8pm

Venuedisclosedfollowingreservation.

Fri29-Sat30May2026,8pm

Miss America

H a n n a h B a l l o u & P e t e r C a s e

SCREENING

Fri 29 May, 6 - 7.45pm / Sat 30 May, 4 - 7.45pm

Screening (4:49 minutes) takes place within an installation setting.

Ahead of performances by Krishna Ishta and Geetha Sankar’s Second Trimester, experience screenings of Sperm Donors Wanted!, a bold, funny, and intimate work where Krishna interviews potential sperm donors live, diving into queer familymaking, connection, and the search for the “perfect” donor. The film incorporates excerpts from First Trimester, offering a candid and compelling glimpse into the origins of this journey. Free for Second Trimester ticket holders.

Wed 27 - Thurs 28 May, 7pm & 7.20pm Screening (Aprox 13 minutes).

Photo:HugoGlendinning

Tracing overlapping post-industrial histories through participatory, bordercrossing storytelling, installation, sound and performance.

Between March and November 2026, commissioned artists will work with communities in Oulu and Manchester to uncover complex and surprising connections between place, industry and belonging transforming these stories into new artistic works that resonate across cultures and generations.

As part of SICK!’s Festival CPR – Beat One, Creative Pathways workshops will invite the public to become co-creators, with two artists leading open sessions to shape and develop new work together.

These new artworks will be presented as part of the Oulu 2026 European Capital of Culture and SICK! Festival. The collaboration is supported by the Finnish Institute UK and Ireland.