Gig and Event Poster Sizes for Manchester Venues: Choosing A3, A2 or A1
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The Northern Quarter has one of the busiest bar and music scenes in Manchester. Venues sit on top of each other. Basements, back rooms, upstairs spaces off Oldham Street and Thomas Street. Visit Manchester talks about its independent venues for good reason.
With that much going on, every gig is fighting for attention.
So which size poster should you print?
Honest answer: it depends where it's going. This guide walks you through gig poster sizes, what each one is good for, and how far ahead to order so your posters are up while people are still making plans.
Where posters get seen
Before you think about size, think about spot. Where will people actually stand and look?
- Inside your venue. The entrance, the bar, the stairs, the queue for the loo. People stand still there. They read.
- Shop and cafe windows. Lots of independent shops will take a poster if you ask nicely.
- Noticeboards. In cafes, record shops, community spaces.
- Frames by your own door. If your venue has them, use them.
Think about eye level
People look straight ahead, not up. Hang posters at head height where you can. On stairs, put them where people pause, like the landing.
A word on fly-posting
Sticking posters on walls, lamp posts or empty shop fronts without permission isn't allowed, and councils can act on it. If you want posters outside, check the rules with Manchester City Council first. Always ask the owner before using their space.
A3, A2 and A1 compared
Here are the event poster sizes most venues use.
| Size | Dimensions | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| A3 | 297 x 420 mm | Shop windows, noticeboards, toilets, small frames |
| A2 | 420 x 594 mm | Venue entrances, bar walls, bigger windows |
| A1 | 594 x 841 mm | Main walls, foyers, large frames |
A3: the one you spread around
- Small enough that shops will happily take one.
- Good when you want lots of copies in lots of places.
- See our A3 poster.
A2: the all-rounder
- Readable from a few steps away, across a bar or down a hallway.
- Fits most walls without taking over.
- See our A2 poster.
A1: the headline act
- Big enough to read from across a room.
- Perfect for the main night of the month or a sold-out show you want to shout about.
- See our A1 poster.
A3 vs A2 posters: a quick way to decide
- Will people read it from arm's length? A3.
- From a few steps away? A2.
- From across the room? A1.
Most venues end up with a mix. A1 inside, A2 at the door, a stack of A3s for the shops nearby.
Design once, print in any size
Here's a handy fact about A sizes. They're all the same shape. A1 is just A2 made bigger, and A2 is just A3 made bigger. So one design can work at all three sizes without stretching or squashing.
Just make sure your images are sharp enough for the biggest size you plan to print. A photo that looks fine on an A3 can look soft on an A1.
Got frames already?
Measure them before you order. It's a bit gutting to unroll a fresh poster and find it's one size too big.
Foam board for indoor signs
Paper posters are great. But some signs need to last longer and look sharper.
That's where foam board comes in. It's rigid, it stays flat and it won't curl the way paper can. It's best used indoors.
Good uses inside a venue
- A "tonight" board by the door with the line-up and set times.
- Signs for the cloakroom, the bar or the way upstairs.
- A board for your age policy or door rules.
- A branded board for a regular club night that you can use again and again.
An A1 foam board (594 x 841 mm) looks smart by the entrance and is light enough to move about.
Hiring a room for a launch?
A pull-up roller banner (800 x 2000 mm) is handy for album launches and one-off nights in a hired space. It goes up in a minute and rolls away when you're done.
How far ahead to order
Posters need time on the wall to work. In our view, three to four weeks of poster time is about right for most nights.
Now add printing and delivery. Standard UK shipping is 2 to 3 working days of production, then about 2 days for delivery. Same-day delivery is only for London and inside the M25, so it's not an option in Manchester.
Here's a simple plan for venue poster printing.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 6 weeks before | Confirm the line-up. Finish the artwork. |
| 5 weeks before | Order your posters. |
| 4 weeks before | Posters go up around the area. |
| Gig week | Foam board signs up inside. Banner ready if you need it. |
One more thing
Don't print until the line-up is confirmed. A poster with the wrong band on it is worse than no poster.
Design and legibility tips
A gig poster has one job. Get someone to remember the night.
Keep the words to the essentials
- Who's playing.
- Day and date, like "Fri 12 Mar".
- Venue name.
- Where to get tickets.
- Age policy, if there is one.
Make it easy to read
- The act's name should be the biggest thing on the poster.
- Use strong contrast. Dark on light, or light on dark.
- Print a test copy on A4 at home. Stick it on a wall, step back and see what jumps out.
Think about the light
Lots of venues are dim inside. Basements, back rooms, moody lighting. Very dark designs can vanish in a dark corridor, so give your poster some bright areas and bold text.
Get the file right
- Set your file to the exact poster size.
- Use sharp, high-quality images.
- Keep text away from the edges.
- Adding a QR code? Make it big enough and test it on two different phones.
Get your posters up on time
The right size in the right spot makes a real difference to whether people notice your gig. Pick your sizes, upload your design and we'll print and post them to you in Manchester.
Need help choosing? Call us on 020 7701 2515. You can also read more about our poster printing in Manchester City Centre.
