aAh! Magazine X Lights Up Exhibition Launch

The aAh! Magazine X Lights Up Exhibition returns, this time at Station South Cycling Café in Levenshulme! The exhibition celebrates women in cycling, exploring themes of empowerment, inclusivity, representation, and visibility on our roads and beyond.

Created by aAh! – Manchester Metropolitan University’s arts and culture student magazine, it showcases the work of talented student journalists, artists, designers and photographers. The Station South launch offers another opportunity to experience the exhibition, which was previously on display at Victoria Baths in November, and to get involved in the 2026 instalment of Lights Up – Manchester’s annual night-time bike ride raising awareness of women’s safety while cycling.

In 2024, Manchester was named the first European Capital of Cycling, recognising the city’s commitment to safer, more accessible cycling for all. That year, aAh! Magazine partnered with Lights Up to present an exhibition during the annual ride, where 180 women took to the streets to highlight cycling issues. Since then, the exhibition has grown into an annual showcase, previously hosted at Victoria Baths, Station South, and Manchester Central Library on International Women’s Day 2025.

This year’s edition features new artwork reflecting fresh perspectives on cycling, freedom and community. Through storytelling and visual art, it highlights cycling as a tool for freedom, independence and self-expression, amplifying the voices of women reclaiming urban spaces and building community.

The project is led by aAh! Project Coordinator and Senior Lecturer in Multimedia Journalism Natalie Carragher, Manchester School of Art graduate and graphic designer Bradley Sansom, and graduate journalist Makenna Ali, in collaboration with the Institute of Sport, Bee Pedal Ready and Station South.

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