MIODWEEK COLUMN WEDNESDAY 12 AUGUST 2026
- STEVE COOKE AATA
- 4 minutes ago
- 7 min read
Previews, articles, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke
MIDWEEK COLUMN WEDNESDAY 12 AUGUST 2026
Article: The five winners of Manchester Open
Previews: The Great Heywood Gathering: Arts and Wellbeing Festival, Voices in the Library - Langley Library, Shlomo’s Beatbox Adventure For Kids
Review: Voci Voices at TLC
The Great Heywood Gathering: Arts and Wellbeing Festival
Preview by Steve Cooke
Culture Co-op and partners are bringing a community curated arts festival to Heywood across two weeks at a variety of venues indoor and outdoor.
A range of community workshops, events and activities, all free of charge to attend.
The programme includes :
The Forest of Chimes: an opportunity to join in creating handmade wind chimes in Queens Park, becoming part of an outdoor installation in beautiful surroundings.
In Heywood Civic you can absorb the zen vibes of an immersive experience for families including live performances and sensory friendly space.
The festival culminates in a large intergenerational music-making event to celebrate Heywood...
This has the potential to become a new tradition in Heywood!
Until 23 August
Visit: https://www.rochdalecreates.co.uk/whats-on/the-great-heywood-gathering-arts-and-wellbeing-festival
Voices in the Library - Langley Library
Preview by Steve Cooke
Voices in the Library at Langl ey Library will be a great event for the school holidays with friends, families, and other children being encouraged to join in, creating a fun, inclusive, and supportive musical experience.
Whether you want your time in the spotlight or prefer to participate from the sidelines, this activity is designed to promote confidence, self-expression, communication skills, and participation.
Children will be encouraged to engage with music and enjoy singing together in a relaxed and welcoming environment. No singing experience is needed – the focus is on having fun, building confidence, and sharing favourite songs with others.
Voices in the Library is for families with children. [Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.]
No need to book, you can just go along.
2.30pm - 3.30pm, Friday, 28 August, Langley Library, Windermere Road, Middleton M24 4LA
Shlomo’s Beatbox Adventure For Kids
Preview by Steve Cooke
An opportunity at Heywood civic to join world record-breaking beatboxer SK Shlomo who makes amazing music with just a mouth and a mic!
SK Shlomo has performed and collaborated around the world with legends like Bjork, Ed Sheeran, Rudimental and Gorillaz and has performed on main stages at festivals like Glastonbury.
Their 5-star sell-out show, Shlomo’s Beatbox Adventure for Kids, is back… and anybody can become one of this sonic superhero’s sidekicks in a world of funny sounds, brilliant noises, and cool music, whether they’re aged 1 or 101.
Pay What You Can
Standard: £8.93
Lower: £7.88
Higher: £10.50
All prices are inclusive of booking fee.
60 minutes
2pm on Saturday 3 October at Heywood Civic, LCpl Stephen Shaw MC Way, Heywood OL10 1LW
Voci Voices at TLC
Review by Dr Joe Dawson
This uplifting Toad Lane Concert at St Mary in the Baum was the 1,196th since taking over from Rochdale council in 2001.
(Pictured above from left piano Jonathan Ellis, Elizabeth Ambrose, Eric Cymbir and Mackenzie Paget).
Voci Voices usually comprises a quartet with piano accompaniment. However, one member, Margaret Ferguson had to take compassionate leave, so restructuring was required. But we had three experienced vocal ‘busk-it-eers’ Elizabeth Ambrose soprano, Eric Cymbir tenor and Mackenzie Paget baritone, with their one-man orchestral backing, Jonathan Ellis at the piano.
The excellent arrangements for trio and piano made the individual characteristics of the voice parts clear. What a Wonderful World by Weiss & Thiele opened a tremendous songfest of varied styles through 400 years of music: the trio of O Divine Opre Mirabili by the Classical Bajamonti and the beautiful duet by Elizabeth and Mackenzie, Pur ti Miro, Pur ti Godo by Baroque Monteverdi and back to the trio for nineteenth century sacred music by Bellini and Franck.
Then to the opera and musical stage with the famous male duet from La Boheme by Puccini followed by Elizabeth and Mackenzie in a tender scene from the lesser-known Rosmé by Quilter. Eric took Mackenzie’s place with Elizabeth in a moving duet, Make Believe (Show Boat) by Jerome Kern.
The two guys became American gangsters (sadly without the iconic dance routine) in Brush Up Your Shakespeare from Kiss Me Kate (1953) by Cole Porter. This was countered by a plaintive performance of Poor Wand’ring One! From Pirates of Penzance by G & S, with excellent coloratura passages by Elizabeth.
The concluding set of popular numbers, Fields of Gold, California Dreamin’, and Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm. perfectly matched the summer weather; whilst the demanded encore, You Raise Me Up summed up the mood of the audience admirably – suitably uplifted.
The Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts every Wednesday at 12.30pm at the Grade 1 listed church of St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane, Rochdale, OL16 1DZ/1AP. Entrance fee is £6. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.
The five winners of Manchester Open
By Steve Cooke
The Manchester Open 2026 exhibition is a proud celebration of Greater Manchester's creative talent, amplifying a wide range of voices and perspectives through hundreds of artworks.
With less than one month left to explore the exhibition, you can now see which stunning artworks have been given award status by the judging panel and public.
Rio Darwin was one of three proud recipients of the Castlefield Gallery Artist
Development Awards. This prize is voted for by a panel consisting of art experts and community representatives and entitles the winner to a package of artist development support managed by HOME and Castlefield Gallery.
Chidimma Urunwa was another proud recipient of the Castlefield Gallery Artist Development Award.
Florian Houlker was the third recipient of the Castlefield Gallery Artist Development Award.
Fleur Yearsley won the HOME Granada Foundation Galleries Solo Exhibition Award.
As the winner of this award, Fleur has won the opportunity to create and develop new work to display as a solo exhibition in HOME's Granada Foundation Galleries, with support from HOME's artist development team.
And finally, in honour of local philanthropist and business leader Kate Vokes’s contribution to the Manchester Open, HOME, and the arts and culture sector in Manchester, the Kate Vokes People’s Choice Award gave visitors a chance to vote on their favourite piece of the exhibition.
Thomas Christian Bradley won this high-profile award.
Visit Manchester Open before Sun 6 Sep to admire all these in person, along with hundreds of other artworks:
Watch video: https://www.homemcr.org/whats-on/manchesteropen2026
RECOMMENDED
Wednesday, 12 August 2026
Toad Lane Concerts - Rochdale's Weekly Music at Lunchtime
This week we have - More than Melody Ladies Choir Conductor Jonathan Gibson Piano Brian Mulligan
Running every Wednesday, Music at Lunchtime is a weekly live classical music concert series that has been going since the 1960s. The sessions were initially run at the old Rochdale Art Gallery by the local authority, but since May 2001 have been run by volunteer-enthusiasts and artistic director, Dr Joe Dawson.
£6
Phone: Dr Joe Dawson 01706 648872
St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane/St Mary's Gate, Rochdale OL16 1DZ
Doors open 12noon, concert starts 12.30pm - 1.30pm
Thursday, 13 August 2026
Bookstart Baby and Bear Club - Smallbridge Library
Free
Every other Thursday during term time. Join Amy and Bookstart Bear for a fun session, especially for babies and toddlers up to pre-school age and their parents or carers.
Booking required: please book a ticket for every baby and/or child who is to attend. Accompanying adults will not need a ticket. See available sessions and book tickets through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/rochdale-borough-libraries-10695506106
When you and your child come along to their first session of Bookstart Baby and Bear Club, they will receive their very own Bookstart passport for you to get stamped each time they come along to a session or visit the library. For every 6 stamps they get in their passport, they'll receive a certificate. If you or your child are not library members already, you can join when you come along to Bookstart Bear Club.
1.30pm - 2.15pm
Smallbridge Library, Stevenson Square, Rochdale OL12 9SA
Thursday, 13 August 2026
Visit Fireground Museum
Join us at Fireground this week to discover Greater Manchester's firefighting story.
Fire museum attractions are on show inside the museum including our collection of historic firefighting artefacts from the 18th century to present day, plus home-made refreshments in the new Fireground Café, and souvenirs from our fantastic new gift shop! We have a wide choice ranging from toddler to collector.
Under 4s Free, Children (aged 4-15) £6, Seniors £6, Students £6, Adults £8, Family (4 people) £24.
Phone: Fireground 01706 341219
Visit: https://www.fireground.org.uk/ Thursday, Friday & Saturday from 10am - 4pm
Thursday, 13 August 2026
Reading group - Castleton Library and Community Centre
2nd Thursday of every month. Discover new authors and discuss different genres of books with other keen readers at our free, friendly and informal monthly meetings.
For adults.
No booking required, you can just turn up.
Free
11am - 12pm
Castleton Library, 604 Manchester Road, Rochdale OL11 3AF
Friday, 14 August 2026
Children's Songwriting Workshop at Langley Library
Join us for a fun and creative session where children will work together to write their own song using a simple songwriting template. Through guided activities, they will come up with ideas for lyrics, choose themes and create a song that celebrates the area where they live, sharing what makes their community special to them.
This interactive activity encourages self-expression, teamwork and confidence while introducing children to the basics of songwriting in an enjoyable and accessible way. Children will be invited to think about their favourite local places, people, landmarks and memories, turning their ideas into lyrics that reflect their community and experiences.
Whether they love music, enjoy creative writing or simply want to try something new, everyone can contribute their ideas and be part of the creative process. No musical experience is needed,
At the end of the activity, the group will come together to perform their newly written song, giving children the opportunity to share their creativity, celebrate their local area and enjoy making music as a team.
Nothing is required. All materials will be provided. Children must be accompanied by a parent, carer or responsible adult.
Free
No booking required, you can just turn up.
2.30pm - 3.30pm
Langley Library, Windermere Road, Middleton M24 4LA
Saturday, 15 August 2026
Bring Your Own Book Club - Rochdale Central Library
This is a book club with no assigned reading and no homework.
Every other Saturday. Fancy a little quiet reading time surrounded by fellow book-lovers? Come along, settle in, have a chat, have a read, and have fun.
For adults and teenagers.
No booking required, you can just turn up.
Free
12pm - 1pm
Rochdale Central Library, Number One Riverside, Smith Street, Rochdale OL16 1XU
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