Salford creatives to lead city’s cultural programme in centenary year

The cultural programme will begin on 21 April 2026, the exact date Salford became a city in 1926, and will run across all eight Salford neighbourhoods, finishing with a large-scale finale event in autumn 2026.

Culture across the whole city

Walk the Plank and From The Other will work together as creative co-creative producers to deliver four major creative commissions. These will reflect Salford’s past, celebrate the city today and look ahead to its future – with local people and communities at the heart of every project.

Confirmed highlights:

• Salford Everywhere – Capturing the people of Salford in events across the city to create a monumental living portrait, projected on a canvas of urban high-rises.
• Songs of Salford – No longer a 'Dirty Old Town', From The Other will bring together emerging and established musical collaborators to write new songs for the Salford of today.
• Light Up the City - As the darkness of autumn draws in, an array of media art, light shows and immersive installations turns up the light.
• The Wagon Train - A pop-up festival that will visit neighbourhoods across the city, shaped by the communities it meets

Each project is designed to be free, accessible and rooted in Salford’s communities, bringing high-quality culture into public spaces across the city.

A strong local partnership

Both organisations have long histories in Salford and are known for creating ambitious, inclusive work that reaches wide audiences.

Together, they bring experience, creativity and deep local knowledge to the Salford 100 celebrations.

 
Liz Pugh, Co-Founder at Walk the Plank said:

“We’ve been based in Salford since our theatre ship dropped anchor in Salford Quays in 1992. The change we have witnessed in the past 34 years are immense - not just in the transformation of the Docks to Media City, but in how we celebrate the green spaces and the waterways of the city, and how we support Salford’s residents to thrive in the new careers the technological revolution has brought. We are excited to place local artists and the talents of young people at the heart of this year’s celebrations which we hope will reach the city’s nooks and crannies, finding the extraordinary in the ordinary in our streets, tower blocks, parks and workplaces.”

Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor said:

“We’re immensely proud of Salford’s thriving cultural sector and it’s fantastic that two of our most renowned cultural organisations will be delivering the Salford Centenary Cultural Programme. Both organisations bring a wealth of experience, creativity and unrivalled local knowledge to this project, and I’m extremely excited to experience the unique activities they will deliver as part of our centenary year. 2026 promises to be a truly special year for the city, with this cultural programme at the heart of the celebrations.”