Show & Tell is an exhibition by the Urbis Creatives art collective; a collective comprised of Urbis staff. The exhibition will give the Urbis team a chance to show their work and tell the visitors about what they do outside of the creative environment of Urbis. It will comprise of many different disciplines from photography to illustration, painting and also projects the members are involved in such as community work and music events.

You can get a sneak peak of the kind of talent on show by reading more about Urbis Creatives artists. Show & Tell opens on Tuesday 29 September and runs until 12 October.

Meanwhile, I couldn’t write about Urbis without mentioning the potential transfer of one of Preston’s star attractions, the National Football Museum, over here in 2010. I’m sure it would be a great addition to this football-rich city – although Kate over at the Manchizzle expressed the other side of the argument concisely: ‘Art 0, Football 1′.

This website has been lovingly crafted by Manchester Museums Consortium, a group of nine museums and galleries in Manchester, separate venues that have a single vision: the desire to stage intelligent, thought-provoking exhibitions and events. Oh, and to celebrate the city in which we live, work and play.

We are rightly proud and passionate about this city of ours; we hope that, by reading about some of the things happening here, and finding out more about our outstanding historic collections, you’ll start to feel the same.

This celebration of our fair city is what has particularly drawn me to the project – the promise of original, substantial editorial coverage of Manchester, the likes of which is a rare treat right now. The launch content ties in with Manchester International Festival of course – Marina Abramovic and Jeremy Deller both make appearances – but there’s also a feature connected to the Videogame Nation currently on at Urbis, for example, and another about ‘Manchester hermit’ Ansuman Biswas.

The blog section is shaping up nicely too, with the Manchizzle’s Kate Feld doing a MIF ‘cultureometer’ roundup, among other posts. Kate’s another member of the CreativeTourist team, which is being overseen by editor Susie Stubbs – winner of last year’s Manchester Blog of the Year no less. Check out the site now, and if you find it interesting sign up for regular email updates, follow it on Twitter, or become a fan on Facebook.

We are a collective group of cab companies operating in Manchester United Kingdom. Follower our group and next time you need a cab tweet us

What a great little idea. If I didn’t live on Europe’s busiest bus route I’d be tempted to try it out.

Has anyone else spotted any fun or innovative Twittering in Manchester?

VERY IMPORTANT
PLEASE NOTE

IT IS VITAL THAT YOU WEAR SENSIBLE SHOES WHEN YOU ATTEND THE PERFORMANCE OF
IT FELT LIKE A KISS AT THE MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL THAT YOU ARE
BOOKED IN FOR.

PEOPLE WEARING FLIP FLOPS, OPEN-TOED SANDALS OR HIGH HEELS WILL NOT BE
PERMITTED TO ENTER.

YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT THE PERFORMANCE CAN TAKE CONSIDERABLY LONGER THAN
THE ADVERTISED 75 MINUTES. SOME PEOPLE ARE STAYING IN THE EVENT FOR UP TO 2
HOURS.

WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THE SHOW, OUR PERSONAL ADVICE IS TO HAVE A DRINK BEFORE
GOING! IT IS PRETTY SCARY!!

On the other hand, I know that people aren’t lasting the full duration. The theatre/film/music performance is generating as much chatter as Kraftwerk, which is obviously very impressive – even if the reviews haven’t been overly gushing.

ANTIFREEZE is an exhibition about the high-end art market delivered within the format of low-end trade. It is the grass-roots answer to hugely commercial art fairs allowing independent and non-commercial practitioners to explore ideas of value, exchange and independence with artists and artist-led organisations responding to the physical, social, economical, geographical and literal situation.

Taking in sculpture, printing, drawing, video, performance, installation, photography and collage, Contents May Vary’s ANTIFREEZE offers extreme clowning, trespassed pictures, Nazi poster art, Kun(S)t stylings, Tranni Bingo, naff music, Regal defacement, automobiliart, a gift shop, zines, hunting women, masked men from the woods, black dogs, Kipling, turd polishing, Mainlining (Intercity), dogs in hot cars, Nail art (modern), vernacular diamonds and bread, neatly packaged in the car park of a building lifeless without art.

‘Manchester’s first art car boot fair’ features work by the dozens of artists listed here. It takes place on Saturday 4 July, 12-7pm, at the CHIPS Building, Upper Kirby Street, off Old Mill Street, New Islington, Manchester, M4 6EB – click here for a Google map.

While you’re in that area, check out Hope Mill, which is hosting some interesting music and arts events right now.

Soup o’ th’ Day offers a week-by-week guide to events happening in the city, in a visual calendar form. Next week, for example, you choose between Sketch City’s Sketchbook Sessions at Odder on Wednesday, a Blur aftershow party at Ruby Lounge on Friday, Carol Ann Duffy’s poetry, or even ‘Women on the Edge of HRT’, both at The Lowry.

There’s also a Soup o’ th’ Day blog with videos, from Not Part of, Islington Mill and gigs, for example.

And remember to check out The Shipping Forecast if you’re interested in music event listings in particular.

Yup, the Best of Manchester Awards posters have been re-imagined as ‘Best of Manchester Notions’ – click above for a larger version, and check out the ninja symbol top right in particular.

The (official) organisers love it and are appealing for the designer to come forward. They’ll get their space within the BoMA exhibitions. Alternatively, anyone who helps out with some detective work will get a couple of tickets to the awards night. Email marketing at urbis dot org dot uk.

It’s our 10th year anniversary and are celebrating by giving you the chance to win VIP tickets to see Antony and the Johnsons perform at Manchester Opera House on 3 July. Simply go to http://www.cityinn.com/tenth-anniversary/,  select the exclusive event you wish to be in the draw for and submit your email address.

The prize this time includes two tickets to the show and champagne reception, plus a room, three-course meal and full English breakfast for two people.

The chain is also offering the same prize for the Kraftwerk/Steve Reich show on 2 July – click here for more information.

Salford Film Festival is seeking short films and features for the Sixth Salford Film Festival, scheduled for the third week of November 2009, final dates to be confirmed. The Festival prides itself on having a local accent but a truly international perspective: We are particularly keen to receive work with a strong Salford connection (and failing that a Greater Manchester or North West focus), but we welcome submissions from all over the world.

Submission forms and contact details are available from the festival’s website. There’s no submission fee and the deadline’s still a while away – the end of August to be exact. Good luck.

Thought you’d be interested to know that the good people at Boosey & Hawkes are giving away 2 tickets to the sold out Kraftwerk/Steve Reich gig, complete with hotel, dinner and… backstage passes!

And in fact the prize includes two nights at the Radisson Edwardian, dinner at The Market Restaurant – plus a chance to meet Reich. To win, you need a Twitter account and then to visit @SteveReich for a series of questions. Check out the latest answers here, and get your own answers in by Friday.

The American composer (a bit of a hero of mine) will be having his new work 2×5 premiered by Bang on a Can at the Manchester Velodrome on 2 July. I’m sure you know what Kraftwerk are all about, but for an introduction to Reich’s music, visit his Myspace. Or if you fancy splashing out, I highly recommend this album by Powerplant, which features music by both.

Finally, I hear that a handful of tickets might be released nearer show time – so keep checking the MIF site if you don’t win.