GLASTONBURY is cancelled, Madchester has modernised. Music this summer is all about what's new and original especially at the SWAP Festival 06.

The Song Writers And Performers Festival is back in Manchester on July 14 to 16. Famous songwriters will be playing alongside unsigned artists and emerging talent from across the UK.

With its unique emphasis on modern and original songwriting and performance, Manchester's SWAP Festival is touted to become the destination where the hottest new names are signed.

While the US market already has major festivals dedicated to discovering unsigned talent, aspiring British musicians had no such showcase in this country. Cue the creation of a much more local legendary venue.

Last year, SWAP Festival 2005 delivered three days of incredible performances, with more than 50 different acts appearing on four stages to packed audiences. This year's acts range from the legendary forefather of funk, George Clinton at Academy 1 to the youthful Stephen Fretwell, already voted Top Live Act in Manchester by City Life readers and who will be performing at the Royal Northern College of Music on July 15.

One of the UK's most lauded songwriters, Thea Gilmore, is to perform a one-off intimate acoustic session, while Gretchen Peters and King Creosote are among the other confirmations.

Unlike many other UK festivals staged in a muddy field and remote from civilisation, the SWAP Festival will be staged in the heart of the city centre with bathroom facilities aplenty and a host of even more significant cultural attractions to enjoy.

The three-day programme of events will unite Manchester's live music venues, plus all three Academies and the biggest outdoor performance spaces to create a massive music melting pot unlike any other festival in Britain today.

l SWAP Festival 06, July 14 to 16, across Manchester city centre.