The 30 Best Music and arts programs in Manchester

“An amazing place to bring your child(ren). Each class is different and fun. Becky and Loz do a fantastic job of bringing so much excitement, colourful props. Their cheerful and empathetic personality, makes you feel valued. Me and my girl always looked forward to the classes. Thank you for offering your services which are highly recommended. If you've got a child or children under 4 please do them a favour and bring them to toddler sense. It was the best thing I ever done to bring my girl here. She loved this placed and so did I! ❤️”

“Honestly footlights has been such an amazing experience for me, it’s genuinely supported me throughout my life and given me something to look forward to every weekend. I’ve been going to footlights since I was six and have made so many incredible memories and met just the most amazing people. Apart from learning to sing, dance and act, footlights is so much more than that! It’s a family and being apart of it is something I will never forget!!”

“I can honestly say this school feels like a second home. From the very first day, the atmosphere was welcoming, and the teachers made it easy to settle in. They really care, not just about grades, but about each student as a person. What I appreciate most is the sense of community – you don’t just come here to learn, you also feel supported, listened to, and encouraged to grow. It’s a place where children can learn home from home. The classrooms are bright and full of energy, and there’s always someone ready to help if you’re struggling. The school brings families together too, with events and activities that make you feel like you belong to something bigger. Whether it’s academics, creativity, or just finding your confidence, this school gives every student the chance to shine. It’s more than just a school – it’s a community. Anna was amazing helping us all the way through. Thank you”

“Amazing performing arts club. Molly and her crew are amazing facilitators and my two daughters absolutely love them and the club. It’s such a supportive, fun and positive organisation and they’ve made so many friends. Can’t recommend enough!”

“My daughter has been attending the juniors class for a year and absolutely adores it. She has grown in confidence indeed her class teacher mentioned it at parents evening. The tutors are fabulous . I can thoroughly recommend First Act”

“Fantastic dance school!!! All of the teachers go above and beyond for all their students. My daughter has grown and developed so much here, they also have great SEN provisions including a teacher with specific experience who is amazing, as they all are!!! We honestly can not thank you enough for all you do!!! Xxx”

“Fantastic dance school!!! All of the teachers go above and beyond for all their students. My daughter has grown and developed so much here, they also have great SEN provisions including a teacher with specific experience who is amazing, as they all are!!! We honestly can not thank you enough for all you do!!! Xxx”

“Last night's show was well presented it involved children of all ages and abilities who all displayed confidents.”

“We love KAS Academy. We have been coming for years, ballet, acrobatics, drama and contemporary dance lessons, all excellent! We also love the school holiday camps, such a great experience and the family get to enjoy an amazing show at the end. Highly recommended!”

“My daughter attended a piano trial session and really enjoyed it. The teacher was friendly and engaging, and she felt comfortable straight away. We’ll definitely be enrolling her for regular lessons.”

“This is an amazing dance school it has given our daughter so much confidence. She loves going every week to see her dance family , we have loved seeing her progress over the last few years, it is such a welcoming and friendly dance school”

“Corey has been a member of Stage and Screen since March when he joined part way through the rehearsals for The Sound of Music having been cast as the role of Max. We honestly can not speak highly enough of Sophie and Matt and all the staff at Stage and screen. They have nurtured and encouraged Corey to be the best he can be on stage whilst making every weekly session enjoyable. The end of year performance of The Sound of Music was just amazing, super professional with great casting and so much talent! I would also like to add that Corey has made a great group of new friends who have the same common interest and champion/encourage eachother along the way. Corey absolutely loves going to rehearsals and can not wait to be part of the next show Legally Blonde whilst also being part of the stage and screen community. I can not thank you enough for giving Corey a great platform to continue his love of performing in musical theatre.”

“We went for Smugs one man show which was absolutely brilliant, it is a small theatre and worked well to give a really intimate feel. A lot going on behind the scenes to provide such a great show, for me it was everything the theatre should be, special mention for front of house staff who were lovely. Wish them ATB for the future.”

“I too, am a 'mature student' and have thoroughly enjoyed my piano lessons over the years. I've been attending Dawson's Music School since 2012 and in that time, not only have I reached Grade 6 but have met some lovely people of all ages and abilities. I totally agree with previous comments and find the small group classes just perfect for me. I would heartily recommend giving Dawson's a call, no matter what age or experience you may or may not have.”

“My daughter has attended the dance school for 9 years and currently takes classes 5 days per week. It’s her home from home and she thoroughly enjoys the challenge of the classes and the interactions she has with her teachers and classmates. The variety of class types available is great, including musical theatre which my daughter loves. The encouragement and careful teaching has allowed my daughter to excel and progress through grades gaining high marks at each step. The highlight of our Summer is always the week of Summer School!”

“Always enjoy my classes at Act up North and feel I have learnt somthing new every time. Teachers are great and the effort they put into the showreals also are excellent.. Ive been with Act up North for over three years and intend to keep going. Safe fun place to be.. :)”

“Went to watch Cinderella over the Christmas period. The cast were brilliant and the script very well written. As others have mentioned, the ugly sisters were the stars of the show with lots of interaction with the audience. Overall, very good value for money on the initial purchasing of tickets and what the play delivered. I wasn't sure on the parking arrangements and it appears limited where you can park but there were some spaces behind and around the row of shops. We caught the bus to the local precinct and walked the 10 minutes so that is a viable option. The venue itself has food and drink on sale that is very reasonably priced and you can pay both with cash and card. It is a small venue that until recently I did not know even existed. It's intimate and seating, while seen better days, was adequate and even after the near 3 hours being there, was not feeling uncomfortable. Overall, an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon with family”

“My son Oliver has been attending Aura music Academy for several years now learning to play drum (acoustic). He attended a couple of different taster sessions so he could decide where he wanted to learn and chose Aura. He has had a few different tutors along the way but has connected well with them which is important for him to engage fully. Regular updates on the school and lesson notes shared so we can see how he continues to progress.”

“Hey guys! I would first like to express my gratitude to this school for being so welcoming and it would be there when I needed it! The teachers are amazing and I loved the teaching method! Here we can interact with many people from many countries, in addition to very easy access to the Board of Directors and other employees of the School! I definitely recommend the school to anyone wanting to study in Manchester! See you guys and once again thank you so much for your support and experience :)”

“Very impressed with the facility and the staff members charity and donation based very much worth taking a look all different programs running.. I had a tour of this place and in-depth tour and was very impressed from Dance Studio to outside turf area indoor fully sized gym basketball court inside upstairs definitely worth popping over..”

“From the moment we walked through the doors, Tiny Steps has exceeded all of our expectations! The staff made us feel welcome, supported, and confident in the care they provide. The nurturing environment, thoughtful curriculum, and genuine love shown to the children have been outstanding. Our child has grown emotionally, socially, and intellectually during their time here. Each day is filled with engaging activities, outdoor play, and lots of learning through fun. The staff are not only professional and well-trained, but also warm, approachable, and truly invested in each child’s development. What sets this nursery apart is the level of individual attention and care. The communication with parents is excellent — we always feel informed and included. Most importantly, our child is excited to go every morning and comes home smiling and full of stories. We’re incredibly grateful to have found such a wonderful place. Highly recommended to any parent looking for a safe, caring, and enriching start to their child’s early years.”

“My son has been attending J star academy for 3 months now and honestly I have found the whole experience with him amazing. I have seen his confidence grow and watching the recent performance put together with the acamdemy brought a lot of happiness. Highly recommend this academy for parents looking for activities with their young ones.”

“A massive thank you to Sandra and all the teachers for all their hard work keeping the school going. A special thank you to Shane for his great zoom lessons, me and the lads really appreciate being able to continue our guitar lessons, which keep us sane in these trying times. If you want to learn how to play a musical instrument I highly recommend Stockport Music School”

“Such a warming environment of people, the best instructor! All so welcoming :)”

“My daughter loves here. This place is more than a school /nursery. The teachers are so caring and loving-kindness people... They treat my daughter like someone of theirs family.I see a lot of affection on their part with us parents too. Besides that it is impressive how they put all effort to create new and different activities all based on Montessori approach. I really could see changes in my daughter since the begging. She became more confident, concentrated and with More self- esteem.”

“Both my children went here and they have good teachers and great activities for the kids.”

“Well organised, friendly & professional. Highly recommend it.”

“excellent Stage school, the team are fantastic with the kids and the shows are brilliant.”

“A very lovely music school with passionate and devoted teachers who constantly putting in tremendous effort to make the best of out of the little one’s potential! The little cute puppy makes the music school even more lovely! Do pat the little puppy if you happen to be there!”