Photo Flash: WHAT IS THE CITY BUT THE PEOPLE? Launches Manchester International Festival

Artistic Director John McGrath's inaugural Manchester International Festival opened with an invitation - come to Piccadilly Gardens and join friends, neighbours and total strangers for a self-portrait of the city. Scroll down for photos from the launch event below!

As the working day ended on Thursday 29 June, MIF17 started with WHAT IS THE CITY BUT THE PEOPLE? Raised high above the pavements, a unique selection of individuals from across Manchester walked a bright yellow 100-metre runway stretching through Piccadilly Gardens.

Participants ranged from local beekeepers, to drag queens; cleaning attendants to junior doctors; the co-owner of Street Cars who transported many people on the night of the Manchester attack, to a 100-year-old resident and even an appearance from Happy Monday's Bez and Lemn Sissay.

With live music from Graham Massey assisted by an unexpected mix of local musicians, What Is the City but the People? captured and celebrated Manchester as never before.

Created by the People of Manchester. Directed by Richard Gregory. In association with Islington Mill. In association with Islington Mill. From an idea by Jeremy Deller.

Manchester International Festival (MIF) is the world's first festival of original, new work and special events, staged every two years in Manchester, UK. MIF launched in 2007 as an artist-led festival presenting new works from across the spectrum of performing arts, visual arts and popular culture. MIF has commissioned, produced and presented world premieres by artists including Björk, Steve McQueen, Robert Wilson, Wayne McGregor, Maxine Peake, The xx, Zaha Hadid Architects, Damon Albarn, Punchdrunk, Elbow and Marina Abramovi?.

MIF brings together world-renowned artists from different art forms and backgrounds to create dynamic, innovative and forward-thinking new work, staged in venues across Greater Manchester - from theatres, galleries and concert halls to railway depots, churches and car parks. MIF works closely with venues, festivals and other cultural organisations around the world, whose financial and creative input helps to make many of these projects possible. The Festival also works widely within communities around Manchester, originally with MIF Creative and now with a new initiative called My Festival.

MIF's Artistic Director and CEO is John McGrath, previously the Founding Artistic Director of National Theatre Wales. Earlier this year, MIF was confirmed as the operator of Factory, a new £110 million cultural centre in Manchester due to open in 2020.

For the full festival programme, visit www.mif.co.uk.

Photo Credit: Jon Super for MIF