Giant musical instrument to arrive in Market Square

The chimes form part of May’s first Friday event in the city.

First Fridays, Lancaster’s monthly minifestival of the arts organised by Lancaster Arts City, returns on Friday May 6 with a full day of music, art, literature and theatre taking place in venues across the city.

The theme for May is ‘Make, Do and Mend’ with lots of interactive activities and opportunities to try something new. No First Friday is the same and there is something for everyone with many of the events free of charge.

The headline event for May’s First Friday is the chime instrument called Illumaphonium, a semi acoustic, semiautomatic music making sculpture.

Its 250 illuminated aluminium chime bars respond to touch with constantly evolving patterns of sound and light as the daylight fades that spread out in ripples over its surface.

Everyone is invited to play the Illumaphonium and the free event will be in Market Square from 2pm until dusk and is the creation of musician and inventor, Michael Davis.

Another highlight of the festival is the Press Printmaking Workshop at the Print Studio at The Storey on Meeting House Lane. This free drop in session will run from 4pm -7pm and will be led by Lancaster’s own master printer, Iain Sloan.

Partner events also taking place on Friday May 6 include late night opening at The Radish on New Street.

An evening filled with music, delicious food and artwork by talented local artist Bonnie Craig. As well as The North West Literary Salon which returns to Waterstones on King Street for the last event of its season.

For theatre lovers The Dukes will be showcasing Late Night Love, inspired by the confessional radio show of the same name. Late Night Love is an unflinching attempt to unpick the truth from the fiction of power ballads.

Join Eggs Collective in the static between radio stations, for a tender and ridiculous show which clambers up your drainpipe with a rose between its teeth. The show starts at 8pm, tickets cost £13 / £11, on 01524 598500.

Over at The Storey is The Midnight Soup, by Leo Burtin. It tells the story of a woman, who every day, sat down to meticulously record the facts of her life in a diary, until one early summer day, she chose to end her own life. Performances at 12pm and 6pm (allow up to 2.5 hours), tickets cost £10 includes soup dinner and glass of wine.

Full details including a roller disco, a clothing up cycling workshop and music fringe can be found at www.artscity.co.uk/whatson.