Free things to do this week ft. Backgammon, Barthes + more

Backgammon Social at Oddest Bar
Chess clubs, poker nights and board game societies have all enjoyed a renaissance in Manchester’s bars over the past few years – and now it’s backgammon’s turn. The age-old dice game is being played out in Wilbraham Road’s Oddest Bar, with boozy prizes and optional side pools. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting out, there’s room at the table for all. And you don’t have to pay a penny to enter.
Mon 7 Dec, Oddest Bar, 414-416 Wilbraham Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, M21 0SD. Tel: 0161 860 7515, 7pm, www.oddestbar.co.uk

Roland Barthes exhibition at Castlefield Gallery
Marking a century since his birth, the Castlefield Gallery hosts this exhibition celebrating the life and work of French philosopher Roland Barthes. Artist Magnus Quaife has tried to re-examine Barthes’ work through his own lens, and this exhibition features a number of Quaife’s older pieces along with cut ups of Barthes’ work and a freshly commissioned diptych. It’s an exhibition with amazing breadth and ambition, and well worth checking out this week.
Fri 4 Dec 2015 – 31 Jan 2016, Castlefield Gallery, 2 Hewitt Street, Manchester, M15 4GB. Tel: 0161 832 8034, 1pm – 6pm (not Mon-Tue), www.castlefieldgallery.co.uk

Enlighten at Central Library + Bridgewater Hall
Running for three nights only, this is a multimedia celebration of light and sound. Over at Central Library, the reading room has been taken over for the exhibition Surrounded by Strangers: a digital choir projecting from 14 LCD screens. At the Bridgewater, you have Kathy Hinde’s origami bird sculptures. In among all this is a packed programme of talks, light shows and every kind of visual and auditory art. Check out our full preview here.
Thu 10 – Sat 12 Dec, Central Library and the Bridgewater Hall, Civic Quarter, Manchester, 5pm – 8pm, www.enlightenmanchester.co.uk

Filmworks at Contact
It’s your last chance to catch this short film exhibition at Contact before it packs up this weekend. Featuring the work of Hetain Patel (pictured) and Tim Etchells. Both renowned visual artists, their work encompasses time lapse and found footage as well as traditional filmmaking techniques. It’s fun, referential stuff that also scrapes out a deeper meaning and holds the mirror up somewhat.
Wed 23 Sep – Sat 12 Dec, Contact, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6JA. Tel: 0161 274 0600, 10am – 8pm, www.contactmcr.com