Neil Mackenzie at the DAF 2026
Sunday 5th July saw the Big Burnage Parade take place down Burnage Lane, Green End Road, Kingsway and Westcroft Rd, culminating in a Finale event in Fog Lane Park. Bringing roughly 1000 people on to the streets, and 1000 into the park, the project was conceived by curator and researcher Neil Mackenzie in conjunction with a number of community partners, libraries and community centres. It utilised the historic cultural practice of parading along with contemporary artistic practice to celebrate the overlooked and disadvantaged communities along the route, including areas in the top 10 percentile of the National Deprivation Index.
Developed over the last two years, supported by MCC, ACE, PRG and other funders, and with creative practices engaging over 500 people in the last few weeks and months, the project included the community creation of 40 unique banners, now up on the lampposts for the next two years (and documented in a publication available locally) and each featuring a community-nominated person of Burnage, living or deceased. Discussions are underway to exhibit the banner originals in the Peoples History Museum.
The future of the parade as an annual or biennial event is under discussion, along with a series of public discussions with invited practitioners exploring the use of creative practice as community development, and plans to overhaul the technical facilities in Burnage Community Centre, to enable it to function as a music and performance venue for the various local communities.
Neil’s role also included leading the Didsbury Arts Festival (specifically the curation of performance) a biennial event in the neighbouring ward that attracted 8000 people and took place in the lead up to the parade. DAF featured over 70 performances including work by Belgium’s Ontroerend Goed, Victoria Melody, Andy Smith, Dr Prathiba Batley, Mike Garry as well as work by MMU graduate company Less than Three Collective, and a showcase of short films presented in partnership with Horizons Festival, Home and Community Arts Northwest.
