The Warehouse Project has announced its 2026 season, starting on Friday, 18th September, marking 20 years since their first season at Boddington’s Strangeways Brewery in 2006, which set the blueprint for club and rave event series around the world. 

With its inception in October 2006, The Warehouse Project pioneered a brand new format for late-night music consumption. 

From its raw beginnings at Boddingtons Strangeways Brewery, through its formative years at Store Street, to its current home at the cavernous Depot Mayfield, The Warehouse Project has pioneered this seasonal format of hosting events in temporary spaces with an industrial backdrop for part of the year. 

Over the past two decades, it has become not just a Manchester institution but an iconic force at the forefront of global nightlife and music culture.

The Warehouse Project has welcomed some of the most influential names in electronic music and beyond (Aphex Twin, Four Tet, Andrew Weatherall, Disclosure, Nia Archives, Bicep, Fred Again.., The Blessed Madonna, DJ Paulette, Overmono and many more), spanning global headliners and emerging talent. 

Its impact extends far beyond the dancefloor, becoming a defining fixture in Manchester’s cultural landscape and a recognised institution within the international music scene.

WHP Founders Outline Global Media Partnerships for Landmark Anniversary

The introduction of the multi-channel broadcast strategy integrates digital streaming with print media to document the regional clubbing heritage for a worldwide audience. 

WHP Founders, Sam Kandel and Richard McGinnis, said: 

“Reaching 20 years is a huge moment for us. 

“The Warehouse Project has always been about progression and pushing the boundaries wherever possible. 

“Since that first event when Public Enemy played the opening night at Boddingtons Brewery, we’ve always tried to keep things moving and respond as the music and culture around us has evolved. 

“That feels like only yesterday!

“We have some truly incredible parties and line-ups in the pipeline for this 20th season, and both feel so proud to still be here in Manchester being able to do this.”

To mark its 20th anniversary this season, The Warehouse Project is releasing a new film, ‘Twenty Years In Manchester’ directed by esteemed filmmaker Leigh Powis, offering a striking visual retrospective of 20 years of the WHP. 

Filmed across three nights in Manchester, this definitive art piece positions the city itself as a central character alongside a cast of authentic local dancers and clubbers. 

The narrative seamlessly interweaves archival footage with new material captured on some of the world’s final remaining rolls of Kodak Ektachrome film. 

The six-minute film stands as a powerful celebration of two decades of UK dance music heritage.

Depot Mayfield Set to Anchor Extended Autumn Calendar of Live Broadcasts

The upcoming schedule utilises localised installations and dynamic streaming archives to broaden consumer engagement throughout the milestone season. 

The WHP film is set for a global online release on Thursday, 29th May, and will be available exclusively to Apple Music subscribers 48 hours before general release.

Alongside the film, 20 Years of WHP celebrations will continue throughout the year with a series of special projects and initiatives reflecting on two decades of music, nightlife and culture. 

This includes an outdoor art exhibition down The Avenue, Spinningfields, launching in July, alongside a dedicated WHP podcast series exploring stories and voices from across the project’s history.

A new WHP print magazine will also launch during the 2026 season, documenting the people, artists, spaces and communities that have shaped The Warehouse Project since 2006. 

The Warehouse Project also continues its partnership with Apple Music into 2026, building on a successful collaboration across recent seasons. 

Together, WHP and Apple Music will once again deliver a series of exclusive DJ mixes in Spatial Audio, capturing the atmosphere and energy of the dancefloor for a global audience. 

Mixes from the WHP24 and WHP25 seasons are available to listen back on Apple Music. 

New for this year, in addition to special perks for Apple Music subscribers, the partnership will expand to include select live audio streaming for free on Apple Music Club. 

Apple Music will also host a dedicated WHP Archive/Vault collection, featuring never-before-released mixes from iconic artists across WHP’s 20-year history. 

Further details are to be announced in the coming weeks. 

Shows announced so far for the WHP26 season can be found here.

Further shows will be announced in the next few weeks, with more news about the 20th anniversary plans.

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