Afternoon, Noon-5pm
Bait · Ben Hodge · chris brown · Emergency Chorus · Emma Geraghty · Joss Affleck · Kellie Colbert & Deborah Newton · Lisa Ford · Mimosa Art House & Rosie Fielding · ON · Pablo Pakula · PHØBIA · Rachel Gomme · Rowena Gander · Ruby Antonowicz‑Behnan & Yui Yamamoto · Sweætshops® · Terri Jade Donovan

Evening, 5pm-10pm
Alex Billingham · Chris Jenkins · Emily Bold · Id Est Performance Company · Isabella Victorie A. · Lee Fletcher · Lowri Evans · Reckless Sleepers & UoS Performance · Sap Dance & Desire Lines Dance Theatre

Participating artists subject to change.

Pay What You Can: there’s no ticketing, just turn up & donate by cash/card.

Time: Saturday 26 September 2026, Noon to 10pm (last entry at 9.30pm).
Some artists will take breaks on an ad hoc basis, some works have a short duration, some have limited capacity on a first-come first-served basis, and some occur at the same time — you might not see everything.

Age Advisory: typically 16+ (aimed at adults, parent/guardian/carer discretion).

Content Warnings: some works involve interaction and/or participation; specific warnings are listed here.

Features: about 26 Live Art & contemporary performance works with varied content. Multiple spaces on the ground/first/second floors will be in use, and works will vary in format — some roaming, some seated, some standing, some spoken word, some visual, some participatory.

Queries: please contact us via boxoffice@contactmcr.com

hÅb's annual platform for Live Art and contemporary performance, Emergency offers a sneak preview of new live work over a single day in Manchester every autumn — this 26th edition will present about 26 works from lunchtime till late throughout Contact’s building and its multiple spaces.

Probably England’s longest-running Live Art event, Emergency aims to be:
— a free to access public micro-festival and open submission platform;
— an opportunity for artists to meet, show, and peer review work;
— a selection event for a number of small Works Ahead commissions.

First held at greenroom in 2000, Emergency also took place at International Anthony Burgess Foundation, BLANKSPACE, Castlefield Gallery, Z-arts & STUN Studio, NIAMOS, before finding a new home at Contact from 2020…

Get a feel for it with 2025's programme and gallery of images; 2024’s programme and gallery of; 2023’s programme and gallery.

Emergency 26 produced by hÅb; supported by Contact and using public funding by Arts Council England.