What's on
There are tonnes of great musical, cultural and sports events taking place in Manchester this month. Check out our event listings below.
Exhibitions
The Art of Star Wars
A month-long exhibition featuring licensed Star Wars artwork from Hollywood.
Generation Pop Art Gallery, until Feb 20. Free. Tel: 0161 848 0880.
Urbis has left the building
Before Urbis closes its doors to prepare for the building's transformation into the National Football Museum, a retrospective farewell exhibition celebrates the diverse range of programming that earned it international renown as a pop culture palace.
Urbis, until Feb 27. Free. Tel: 0161 605 8200.
HomeGrown: The Story of UK Hip Hop
The first major exhibition to chronicle the development of the UK Hip Hop scene, with photography, music, film and fashion from the best private collections.
Urbis, until Feb 27. Free. Tel: 0161 605 8200.
Manchester, Television & the City: Ghosts of Winter Hill
A celebration of Manchester's remarkable contribution to television history and exploration of the cultural impact that television has had on the city itself.
Urbis, until Feb 27. Free. Tel: 0161 605 8200.
Wythenshawe
MOSI celebrates an area of Manchester that has produced some of the city's most famous cultural icons. Wythenshawe is the birthplace of Factory Records' Rob Gretton and the setting for TV drama Shameless.
MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry), until Feb 28, 2010. Free. Tel: 0161 832 2244.
Arts by Offenders
The Koestler Trust's first exhibition in the North West of artwork produced in prisons, special hospitals and by people on probation in the region.
Holden Gallery, Manchester Metropolitan University, Feb 24 - March 16. Free.
Tel: 0161 247 1751.
Artist Rooms
Manchester Art Gallery plays host to an exhibition of work by Ron Mueck, as part of Artist Rooms on Tour with The Art Fund. Mueck's hyper-real sculptures of the human figure are tender portrayals of people in their most intimate moments.
Manchester Art Gallery, Feb 4 - April 11. Free. Tel: 0161 235 8888.
Anderson & Low: Circus
Internationally acclaimed fine art photographers Anderson & Low capture a circus troupe working at Blackpool Pleasure Beach in a photography exhibition studying the relationship between the performers' costume and identity.
The Lowry, until April 11. Free. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
Facing East
Manchester Art Gallery presents an exhibition of major contemporary works from China, India and Japan, from the Frank Cohen Collection. Raised in Manchester, Cohen is one of Britain's leading collectors of contemporary art, and Facing East showcases 11 paintings and sculptures by some of the world's leading artists.
Manchester Art Gallery, Feb 4 - April 11. Free. Tel: 0161 235 8888.
Walls Are Talking: Wallpaper, Art and Culture
The first ever major UK exhibition of artists' wallpapers, including work by Damien Hirst, Thomas Demand and Anya Gallaccio.
Whitworth Art Gallery, Feb 6 - May 3. Free. Tel: 0161 275 7450.
Shaped by War: Photographs by Don McCullin
The largest ever UK exhibition about the life and work of Don McCullin, one of the world's most acclaimed photographers. It contains over 200 photographs, contact sheets, objects, magazines and personal memorabilia.
Imperial War Museum North, Feb 6 - June 13. Free. Tel: 0161 836 4000.
Da Vinci - The Genius
Giant original colour and infra-red versions of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, as well as his visionary inventions, such as the helicopter, parachute, scuba diving suit and military tank, take centre stage in MOSI's new exhibition.
MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry), until June 13. £7.50. Tel: 0844 847 2261.
Theatre
Les Miserables
Cameron Mackintosh returns to Manchester with a brand new 25th anniversary production of Les Miserables - the world's longest running musical - based on the novel by Victor Hugo.
Palace Theatre, until Feb 13. £15 - £48.50. Tel: 0844 847 2275.
Forward into Battle in the Name of Love
Join British performance artist, actor and comedian David Hoyle for a unique take on unconventional, unconditional love and its trappings.
Contact Theatre, Feb 13. £12. Tel: 0161 274 0600.
A Raisin in the sun
Set in 1950s Chicago, this iconic American drama by Lorraine Hansberry follows the Younger family as they struggle against racial and social prejudice to improve their lifestyle.
Royal Exchange Theatre, until Feb 20. £8.50 - £29.50. Tel: 0161 833 9833.
Calendar Girls
The West End hit returns, starring Lynda Bellingham, Gemma Atkinson, Judith Barker, Letitia Dean, Jan Harvey and Hannah Waterman. Calendar Girls tells the story of a group of women, members of a very ordinary Yorkshire WI, who spark a global phenomenon when they decide to pose for a charity calendar with a difference.
The Lowry, Feb 9 - 20. £15 - £27. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
I Ought To Be In Pictures
Neil Simon's comedy, I Ought To Be In Pictures, is a touching tale of reconciliation between Hollywood screenwriter Herbert Tucker and his long-lost daughter Libby - a wannabe actress who turns up unannounced at his door.
Library Theatre, Feb 11 - 27. £9.50 - £18. Tel: 0161 236 7110.
Dreamboats and Petticoats
West End musical Dreamboats and Petticoats rolls into Manchester as part of an extended UK tour. Inspired by the hugely popular albums, the show features hits from music's golden era, including Only The Lonely, Blue Moon and Let's Twist Again.
Opera House, Feb 22 - 27. £14.75 - £34.50. Tel: 0844 847 2295.
Opera
Cosi fan tutte
Opera North presents Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, sung in English. When two men accept a wager and set out to test the fidelity of their fiancees, they discover that women are much more fickle than they thought.
The Lowry, Feb 25. £14 - 51.50. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
Comedy
Stephen K Amos
British stand-up comedian Stephen K Amos embarks on his third solo UK tour.
The Lowry, Feb 21. £16.50. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
Music
Rammstein
German pyro-rockers Rammstein are back in town to perform tracks from their latest album, Love Is There For All Of Us, alongside hits from their back catalogue.
M.E.N Arena, Feb 2. £40.87. Tel: 0844 847 8000.
Nanci Griffith
American singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith brings her genre defying, Grammy award-winning music to Manchester.
The Lowry, Feb 5. £22. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
The Sunshine Underground
The indie rockers from Leeds hit the road to promote their second album, Nobody's Coming To Save You.
Ritz, Feb 5. £11. Tel: 0871 2200 260.
Mariza
Grammy Award-winning singer Mariza returns to wow audiences with her personal take on fado.
The Bridgewater Hall, Feb 6. £22 - £25. Tel: 0161 907 9000.
Kelly Clarkson
American pop star Kelly Clarkson performs hits from her latest album, All I Ever Wanted, plus her signature pop anthems such as Since U Been Gone and Because of You.
Apollo, Feb 7. £28.50. Tel: 0871 2200 260.
Imogen Heap
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Imogen Heap embarks on a UK tour following the success of her latest album, Ellipse.
Academy 2, Feb 7. £17.50. Tel: 0871 2200 260.
Tinchy Stryder
Hailed by the Guardian as 'Britain's hottest new rapper', Tinchy Stryder is back with a second UK headline tour.
Academy, Feb 11. £14. Tel: 0871 2200 260.
Ne-Yo
US R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo returns to Manchester to perform tracks from his latest album, Year of the Gentleman.
M.E.N Arena, Feb 13. £35. Tel: 0844 847 8000.
Divinity
Indian classical music ensemble Raga Jyoti and musicians from the Halle Youth Orchestra collaborate in a show that features traditional Indian instruments played alongside their classical Western equivalents.
The Lowry, Feb 14. £12. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
Lady Gaga
New York electronic pop queen Lady Gaga makes her M.E.N Arena debut as part of her Monster Ball 2010 tour, with support from Alphabeat.
M.E.N Arena, Feb 18. £27.50 & £35. Tel: 0844 847 8000.
JLS
Britain's favourite new boyband, JLS embark on their first headline UK tour.
Apollo, Feb 22. £26.50. Tel: 0871 2200 260.
Swing Out Sister
Mancunian keyboard genius Andy Connell and statuesque lead singer Corinne Drewery bring their special brand of sophisti-pop to Manchester.
Band on the Wall, Feb 22 & 23. £16.50. Tel: 0845 2500 500.
Europe
Veteran Swedish rockers Europe play a rare concert in Manchester as part of their Last Look At Eden UK tour.
Academy 2, Feb 26. £17. Tel: 0161 832 1111.
BBC Philharmonic
HK Gruber makes his formal debut at The Bridgewater Hall in his new role as the BBC Philharmonic composer/conductor, with the UK premiere of his trumpet concerto, Busking, featuring soloist Hakan Hardenberger.
The Bridgewater Hall, Feb 27. £9 - £31. Tel: 0161 907 9000.
African Soul Rebels 2010
The sixth African Soul Rebels tour brings together some of the continent's most remarkable performers - the Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou, the Kalahari Surfers and Oumou Sangare.
The Bridgewater Hall, Feb 28. £17 - £20. Tel: 0161 907 9000.