The Edge Theatre to Mark 15th Birthday With Edge Fest Celebration

One of Manchester's most cherished arts venues will invite the community to join Edge Fest, a special day of celebration as it marks its 15th birthday and launches an ambitious new heritage project exploring 140 years of local history.

The Edge Theatre & Arts Centre will throw open its doors from 11am until 11pm on Saturday 29th August for a day packed with entertainment, workshops, performances, food and drink, bringing together artists, audiences, volunteers and local residents to celebrate everything the venue has achieved since opening in 2011.

The one-day celebration will feature the fantastic Mr Wilson's Second Liners – where the spirit of New Orleans meets the legendary sounds of 1990s Manchester club culture. 

Music fans can join in the festivities where the The Edge House Band Jam Night will perform highlights from their repertoire and open the stage to musicians of all abilities for an inclusive celebration of live music across genres. 

Adding to the atmosphere throughout the day, vinyl DJ Pasta Paul will be spinning a hand-picked selection of records, while Salford Badge Club will invite visitors to get creative through its artist-led, community-focused badge-making workshop.

Plus, film buffs can put their knowledge to the test with The Edge Cinema Quiz, celebrating the venue's newest addition – a state-of-the-art cinema! Created by Matthew Faggiani of the Matt and Mike Pull Focus cinema podcast, the quiz will be hosted by actor, comedian and Edge patron John Thomson.

Edge Fest will also mark the launch of 140 Years of Stories, a year-long community heritage project made possible through funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Through this project local people will work together to uncover, preserve and celebrate the history of the building and the communities that have shaped it over the past century and beyond.  140 Years of Stories will create both digital and physical archives capturing the memories, experiences and stories that have helped define Chorlton over the decades.

Local volunteers will become 'Heritage Detectives', learning skills including oral history interviewing, archive research and heritage documentation. For many participants, it will be their first experience of engaging with local heritage in this way. The project will also ensure that voices often missing from traditional heritage projects are represented. Current participants from The Edge's diverse communities, including people with learning disabilities and others who can face barriers to accessing heritage activities, will play a central role in documenting their own place in the building's ongoing story.

Artistic Director Janine Waters said: "This is a really special moment for The Edge. We're celebrating 15 wonderful years as an arts centre, but we're also recognising that we're part of a much longer story that belongs to the whole community.

"The building has witnessed 140 years of local life, change and creativity, and through this project we want to uncover those stories, preserve them and share them with future generations. We're particularly excited that people from all backgrounds and experiences will be able to take part, learn new skills and contribute their own memories and perspectives.

"The Edge Fest birthday celebrations are about looking back at everything that's happened here, while also looking forward to the next chapter. We hope people will come along, join the celebrations and help us begin this exciting journey of discovery together."

Since opening in 2011, The Edge Theatre & Arts Centre has become one of Greater Manchester's most distinctive cultural venues, producing theatre, supporting artists and delivering creative projects that place community participation at their heart.

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