WELCOME TO DIDSBURY ARTS FESTIVAL!
Didsbury Arts Festival (DAF) is a registered charity and a community-focused, contemporary arts organisation based in South Manchester. The next festival will take place between 27 June-5 July 2026.
Over a period of 9 summer days, DAF offers a rich programme of music, theatre, visual art, exhibitions, spoken word and more - delivered through events, performances, workshops, immersive experiences and participatory projects.
We want everyone to be able to find something inspiring and enjoyable, with events taking place in the daytime and evenings, both indoor and outdoor, and delivered in collaboration with our community partners, schools and venues across South Manchester. We also want the festival to profile artists working with exciting new approaches to and across the art-forms, and to be relevant to audiences of all ages, cultures and backgrounds.
All of this is made possible thanks to the support and collaboration of our partners, sponsors, funders, donors, volunteers, venues, artists and of course YOU - our audience and our inspiration!
Do explore this website to see more what we are all about...
THE DAF TEAM
Creative Producer – Daisy Lee
Visual Arts Coordinator – Janie Lucchese
Volunteers Coordinator - Siobhan Donnelly
Live Music Consultant – Mike Healey
Production Manager – Matt Lee
Website – Light Bulb Web Design
DAF BOARD
Samantha Crowe
Fiona Howard
Yasmin Hussain
Neil Mackenzie
Hannah Mahaptara
Bethan Marriott
Imelda Raine
Suzanne Russell
OUR PATRONS
Thank you to our patrons, whose substantial and ongoing support directly contributes to making the festival happen, and to making it accessible and relevant to everyone in South Manchester.
Our patrons are:
Edwina Dyson
John and Penny Early
Debs Grace
Sue and Dave Kaberry
Reshma Ruia
Dr Vikas Shah
Terry Sheldon and Carole Isis
Neil and Sue Smith
Jeff Smith, MP
Maria Stripling
Please do get in touch via the form/link below if you are interested in becoming a patron (anonymously if you prefer) of Didsbury Arts Festival.
OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
One of the privileges of making this festival happen is the chance to work with those who work all year round to support and enrich the lives of everyone who live in this area, and particularly those most in need. With very limited funding themselves they help to build a real sense of community, support smaller local groups and have been unbelievably welcoming to Didsbury Arts Festival, and keen to help make the arts meaningful to the lives of everyone.
Didsbury Library, Didsbury Good Neighbours
Burnage Library, Activity and Information Hub
Burnage Good Neighbours, Burnage Community Centre
Westcroft Community Centre, Southway Housing
Manchester City Council South Neighbourhood team
Parrs Wood High School, Barlow RC High School
Didsbury High School, Levenshulme High School
Burnage Academy for Boys, Acacias Primary
Beaver Road Primary, Green End Primary
St Bernards Primary, Broad Oak Primary
St Cuthberts RC Primary, Old Moat Primary
Cavendish Road Primary, Ladybarn Primary
St James and Emmanuel Church
Cornerstone United Reform Church
Didsbury Baptist Church, Didsbury Mosque
St Nicholas Church Burnage, St Margarets Church Burnage
Burnage Mosque, Christ Church West Didsbury
Kingsway Athletic, Bud Garden Centre
Burnage Buddies, Sofra CIC, Dahlia House
South Manchester Credit Union, Burnage Foodbank
Sure Start Burnage/Old Moat
AND THANK YOU!
We can't do any of what we do without you - all of our amazing audiences, artists, venues, funders, sponsors, patrons, volunteers, associates and friends. Thank you to everyone for everything you put into the Didsbury Arts Festival.
Want to chat?
If you are interested in finding out more, taking part, volunteering, supporting and/or becoming a patron, you can email us on the address below, or just drop us a message here:
info(at)didsburyartsfestival.org
Thanks for your interest!
