A Salford hospital will host a free collaborative performance, bringing live classical music and visual theatre directly to patients, visitors and staff.
The event at Salford Royal on 17 September forms part of the wider Here We Are Festival, a regional arts initiative designed to deliver high-quality cultural experiences across all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester. It’s designed to deliver high-quality cultural experiences across all ten boroughs of the metropolitan county.
By bringing live arts into public facilities and clinical spaces, wider Manchester Camerata aims to break down physical barriers to cultural events and ensure professional music remain accessible to every resident, regardless of their circumstances.
The afternoon showcase features a professional wind quintet performing alongside a non-profit touring theatre company.
Specialising in mask work, puppetry, clowning and non-verbal play, the theatre group focuses on dreamlike visual storytelling to connect with audiences who may not usually visit traditional performance venues.
Two separate sessions are planned for the day. At 1:30pm there will be a free public performance in the hospital’s main lobby by Goofus Theatre. This will be followed by a private, tailored session conducted directly on the hospital’s dementia ward.
The initiative reflects a growing effort by regional arts organisations to integrate live creative performances into clinical environments.
Organisers hope the combination of live chamber music and interactive visual storytelling will offer moments of ‘comfort, engagement and wonder’ to patients and staff alike.
For Salfordians seeking ongoing creative support beyond one-off hospital visits, Music in Mind runs regular, free Dementia Music Cafés across the city.
These relaxed, interactive group sessions use music-making to foster non-verbal communication, boost wellbeing and offer comfort to people living with dementia and their carers, with no prior musical experience needed.
Salford hosts two regular weekly gatherings: Thursdays at the Humphrey Booth Centre, where participants arrive at 1:30 pm for a 2:00 pm session, and Fridays at the Chandos Sports & Social Club from 10:00 am to 11:30 am. These events are slated to run through toe December 2026.
