About us

The Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama is a performance space situated at the heart of The University of Manchester’s campus.

Since it opened in 2003, the Centre has contributed to the cultural life of students, staff, alumni and the wider community. It hosts new and emerging artists, as well as more established, internationally renowned figures.

The Centre offers a varied programme of arts events, many of which are free, in order to educate, stimulate and engage audiences, as well as provide memorable and inspirational experiences. Events are open to the public and include concerts, theatre productions, literature and spoken word events, seminars and lectures.

It incorporates two major performance spaces: the 350-seat Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall and the John Thaw Studio Theatre, which can accommodate approximately 100 people, and an electroacoustic music studio.

The Centre is fortunate to display a collection of stunning textile wall hangings by contemporary textile/fibre artist, Alice Kettle. These striking pieces of artwork; Red and Blue Movement in Three, and The Birth of Motives in the Clouds, are unique in their grouping and were commissioned by The Oglesby Charitable Trust.