Free things to do this weekend ft. Spotifriday, Ether E + more

Spotifriday at Deaf Institute (pictured)
Every Friday at Deaf Institute it’s anything goes, as long as it’s streamable. For Spotifriday, they source their playlist from the #spotifriday hashtag, so you need to get on Twitter and start suggesting songs. Ideal for an after work drink, provided you don’t mind handing your evening’s entertainment over to the whims of the masses. It runs from 5pm – 10pm, so there’s still some evening left once you tire of shuffling.
Fri 8 Jan, Deaf Institute, 135 Grosvenor Street, Manchester, M1 7HE. 5pm – 10pm, www.deafinstitute.co.uk

Ether E at Night & Day
Later on on Friday evening, you can check out resident DJ Ether E for exactly nil pounds. Swooping in after acoustic duo Maybe Frank – £4 in if you fancy it – play the legendary Oldham Street venue, Ether will be spinning funk, soul and much much more into the small hours. It’s a guaranteed cheap night out.
Fri 8 Jan, Night & Day Café, 26 Oldham Street, Manchester, M1 1JN. 11pm, www.nightnday.org

Saving a Century at John Rylands Library
Curated by architectural historian Gavin Stamp, this exhibition covers the work of the Victorian Society and their tireless efforts to save various 19th and early 20th Century buildings. Stamp has assembled a rich collection at the John Rylands library, featuring photographs, written material and other documents that paint a picture of an organisation that has significantly shaped how we view this important period of our heritage. The exhibition opens this weekend and runs through until the end of March.
Fri 8 Jan – Thu 24 Mar, John Rylands Library, 150 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3EH. Tel: 0161 306 0555, www.library.manchester.ac.uk