In 2013, following investment from Heritage Lottery Fund, Manchester District Music Archive launched ‘Defining Me: Musical Adventures in Manchester’, a 5-month show at The Lowry co-curated by members of MDMarchive’s online community. The exhibition attracted 32,000 visitors. Speaking at the launch were Abigail Ward (MDMarchive), Ivan Riches (HLF) and Michael Simpson (The Lowry).
There were a number of spin-off events featuring Greater Manchester music luminaries in conversation, including Barry Adamson (Magazine, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds); photographer Kevin Cummins; Manchester punk icons Denise Shaw and Dawn Bradbury; artist and promoter Barney Doodlebug; and Buzzcocks manager Richard Boon.
In 2014 the project ended with a community concert at Band on the Wall featuring rave pioneer Graham Massey in collaboration with The Prospectors, a collective of disabled musicians from Stockport.
