Tour of Manchester’s Street Art

Discover Manchester’s Northern Quarter through fresh eyes.

For more than forty years, the walls and shutters here have been transformed from hidden graffiti tags to bold street art, and even full‑scale advertising. Today, the neighbourhood is an open‑air gallery where every corner has a story to tell.

On this walking tour, we’ll explore the busy squares and tucked‑away backstreets that showcase world‑renowned artists such as Akse P19, Hammo and Faunagraphic. From striking photo‑real portraits to playful characters and nature‑inspired designs, you’ll see how these artworks have become part of Manchester’s cultural identity.

But this isn’t just about admiring the paint on the wall. We’ll ask questions.

What messages are hidden in the colours and layers? How do these pieces reflect our city’s social and political life? Why do some murals last while others vanish almost overnight?

Along the way, we’ll uncover projects like Outhouse and Cities of Hope, meet the spirit of initiatives such as Spray Days and Art Battle, and trace how protest, community, music and humour all leave their mark in this ever‑changing urban canvas.

Join us to see the city differently, alive with creativity, history and ideas.

Ready to walk the streets as if they were a gallery? Book your place now.

Emma Fox is an accredited tour guide, bringing the historical, political, cultural stories of her home city to life since 2009. Visit Manchester describes Emma as one of the city’s leading women in tourism.

Her Southern Cemetery tour earned national acclaim when The Telegraph named the cemetery one of Britain’s best “hidden gem” attractions – recommending Emma’s tours as the ideal way to explore it. Reviews of her tours praise her depth of knowledge and lively storytelling; she has been described as ‘vivacious, knowledgeable, accomplished and engaging’ and as a renaissance woman. More information on Emma and her tour guide services

Host or Publisher The Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society