In the lead-up to Manchester Jewish Museum’s reopening in Spring 2021, the museum is excited to announce a launch season of trailblazing performance treats and sneaky peeks. From 26 November 2020, the museum is inviting audiences to connect (largely) digitally through a series of live monthly events to re-imagine the museum, reset the conversation, and reconnect with stories from the museum’s vast and eclectic collection that are bursting to be told right now.

Exploring themes of emergence, transformation and metamorphosis – the extensive and quirky historical collection will be brought to life by artists through a diverse range of events – both online and live. Kicking off in November – is a rollicking high-camp digital drag night with Chanukah Lewinsky, followed in December by musical conversations with Klezmer musician Francesca Ter Berg and Special guests about radical ways of thinking and living.

In January, the museum’s Creative Activists showcase creative responses to Mancunian Holocaust experiences, linking to national Holocaust Memorial Day that same month. February will see audiences literally eating their way through the archives during a live in person event hosted by theatre chef Leo Burtin, and finally in March, another live opportunity to explore personal journeys on foot by walking back in time though Redbank and Cheetham with The Bare Project Theatre Company.

These monthly events, a mix of digital and in person experiences, are a taster for the Jewish Museum’s live year-round cultural programme which will include live weekly Thursday Lates when it reopens to the public next Spring.

Creative Producer Laura Seddon said “Through our trailblazer season, we are thrilled to give audiences a taster of what’s to come in our Thursday Lates when our new museum reopens next year. We will be inviting diverse and innovative artists to connect with our audiences in our stunningly renovated synagogue performance space each week.”