Social Experiment

→ artists · programme · entry · access · credits  Updated 31 May 2026

A Social Experiment on 11 June, presented by Word of Warning + Contact

Social Experiment is a free and informal, semi-regular evening gathering at Contact for anyone interested in Live Art and contemporary performance to meet, chat, and try ideas out…

If you’re a Greater Manchester artist — this is your chance to test out a short performance, intervention, or durational work, in front of an informal audience.

If you’re an audience member looking for something a little bit different — this is your chance to take a few risks & meet some artists in our social experiment.

Artists

Ash Cox · Blood Bones Jones · Lauren Temple · special guest Nathan Birkinshaw   Participating artists subject to change.

Programme

June’s Edition, hosted by Peader Kirk, kicks off at 6pm and finishes by 9pm…

Ash Cox · Hot Air

A short live art performance about empty claims.

Content Warning: please click here.
Access: relaxed performance, creative captions, and some BSL.

Ash (they/them) is an artivist (artist + activist), creative access producer, consultant, and facilitator from Salford, focusing on work that reflects their lived experience being a disabled, queer, working-class arts and science nerd.​

ashtronomy.co.uk · Insta @ash_tronomy_

Blood Bones Jones · The Findings of Jacob Charles Trist

An immersive horror piece. Explore the space, and piece together a story. Follow Jacob on his discovery of creatures not of this earth and decide if what he’s seeing is real or a matter of fiction.

Content Warning: please click here.

Faye Jones is a multidisciplinary artist based in the North West. With a passion for combining her dance background with her love for horror cinema, Faye is always striving to create creatures not of this earth through thought-provoking choreography and film.

Insta @blood.bones.jones @faye.joness

Lauren Temple · Ethereal

A queer coming of age story: be guided in self-discovery through goddesses, and gay clubs, and the great outdoors.

Content Warning: please click here.

Lauren is a multi-disciplinary creative from Manchester. Seeing herself primarily as a storyteller, Lauren often uses a narrative style that weaves fantasy with mundanity to examine contemporary life. Lauren’s work often focuses on queerness, feminism, and mental health.

laurentemplepoet.co.uk · Insta @rentemplepoet

Nathan Birkinshaw · How To Be Content

“Making peace with the fact this might be it.”

An exploration of contentment, led by a man brimming with mediocrity.

Through film, performance, song, and an increasingly questionable process, comes a show that investigates how to find meaning in the mundane — that somehow becomes increasingly more performative itself as time slips by.

A Works Ahead 2026 commission by hÅb and Contact; produced by hÅb; supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
Project Mentor: Peader Kirk

Nathan is a performance artist, comedian, and theatre-maker whose work blends humour with the explorations of being human and the general absurdity of what comes with that responsibility (or lack thereof).
With an unhealthy obsession with the internet, you’re just as likely to find him there as well as showing work in theatres, back rooms of pubs, and having work appearing on BBC Radio.

Insta @nathanbirkinshaw · YouTube @nathanbirkinshaw

Entry

FREE: there’s no ticketing… just turn up!

Time: Thursday 11 June 2026, 6pm onwards (ends by about 9pm).

Location: Contact (bar & spaces 0 & 2), Oxford Rd, Manchester M15 6JA.

Access

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

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

Features: four Live Art & contemporary performance works with varied content.

NB works mostly occur on Contact’s step-free ground floor in space 0 & bar, with one in space 2 on the second floor, and vary in format — they could be immersive, participatory, roaming, seated, standing, spoken word, visual, etc.

Queries: please contact Contact via boxoffice@contactmcr.com

Credits

Social Experiment (June 2026) produced by hÅb; supported by Contact and using public funding by Arts Council England.

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