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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251107
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260331
DTSTAMP:20260405T215044
CREATED:20251103T103407Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260330T073850Z
UID:12045-1762513200-1774868399@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Architecture for the People - Exhibition
DESCRIPTION:Architecture for the People \nManchester City Architect’s Department\, 1902-2003 \nFor 101 years\, the City Architect’s Department in the Town Hall served the citizens and met diverse civic needs by designing hundreds of different municipal buildings. They ranged from grand airport terminals to the small public lavatories\, from the high profile like the new Free Trade Hall to the hidden away but essential facilities like mortuaries. \nFor the first time\, this exhibition presents a selection of the works delivered under the direction of the seven official City Architects spanning across the twentieth century. In the early days of the Department\, Manchester Corporation controlled gas and electricity undertakings\, most public transport\, schools\, police\, fire and ambulance services\, waste collection\, parks and recreation\, housing\, libraries\, crematoriums and more. Such responsibilities meant a need for new buildings and the upkeep of existing facilities. The City Architect’s Department designed and delivered these\, changing the face of the city and its suburbs\, providing thousands of new homes\, and scores of schools\, libraries\, public baths\, amongst a host of civic buildings. Using archival photographs\, drawings and ephemera\, the exhibition traces the Department and its buildings\, showing how architectural commissions mirrored the constitution of the Corporation and the changing fortunes of the city. \nCurated by Martin Dodge (University of Manchester) and Richard Brook (Lancaster University) \nFree – just drop in \nPlease make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/exhibition-architecture-for-the-people/
LOCATION:First Floor Exhibition Hall
CATEGORIES:Exhibition
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Picture2-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251126T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260530T170000
DTSTAMP:20260405T215044
CREATED:20251127T153720Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260227T143117Z
UID:12209-1764144000-1780160400@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:The Great Hall Exhibition
DESCRIPTION:Manchester Town Hall closed in January 2018 and work then began on a labour of love: a once-in-a-lifetime chance to repair\, protect and update this architectural masterpiece for future generations. The Great Hall is the Town Hall’s centrepiece. It includes a huge variety of conservation and restoration projects and is a great example of the work we’re doing throughout the building. Our approach to the unique elements of this  space reflects the level of care needed for the whole project. This exhibition looks at just three details of the Great Hall to tell some of the story of the Our Town Hall project. \n\n\nFree – just drop in \nPlease make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/the-great-hall-exhibition/
LOCATION:Lower Ground Floor Exhibition Space
CATEGORIES:Exhibition
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/3-250430-MCC-DSC_0166-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260212T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260530T170000
DTSTAMP:20260405T215044
CREATED:20260129T083202Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T083306Z
UID:12703-1770883200-1780160400@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Shakespeare and Manchester: A Victorian Powerhouse Exhibition
DESCRIPTION:For the first time\, this exhibition tells the story of how seven personalities transformed Manchester into a global centre of Shakespearean theatre in the Victorian era and reveals present day evidence of the city’s innovative engagement with the works of Shakespeare. \nFree – please drop in \nPlease make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/shakespeare-and-manchester-a-victorian-powerhouse-exhibition/
LOCATION:First Floor Display Cases
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260301T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260530T170000
DTSTAMP:20260405T215044
CREATED:20260224T141955Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260227T143044Z
UID:12936-1772352000-1780160400@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Building China: People’s Infrastructure
DESCRIPTION:“Building China: People’s Infrastructure” invites audiences to encounter China from the kitchen table and the street corner rather than the skyline. Bringing together photographs and prints from the 1950s to the 1980s with field images from the early 2000s and contemporary works\, the exhibition traces urban change through the ordinary spaces where life unfolds. \nAcross work unit housing\, factory yards\, courtyards\, pavements\, parks and markets\, the exhibition foregrounds infrastructure as lived experience. Socialist era photographs reveal campaigns that sought to educate as they built\, capturing moments of collective labour and care. Reform era scenes register development in motion\, with unfinished structures and provisional arrangements shaping everyday routines. Contemporary contributions attend to elevated roads\, pavements and public spaces as shared infrastructures\, animated through drawing\, film and photography that remain attentive to movement and sound. \n“Building China: People’s Infrastructure” offers a portrait of continuous infrastructuring\, understood as the ongoing adaptation of spaces\, rules and materials to meet everyday needs. By bringing the intimacy of routine practices into focus\, the exhibition reframes one of the world’s most discussed urban transformations through the ordinary scenes that sustain it. \nThis exhibition is supported by The Confucius Institute at The University of Manchester. CI is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026 and this exhibition forms part of our celebrations. Exhibition launch details will be announced shortly. \nLead curator: Prof Deljana Iossifova (Architecture & Urban Studies)\, University of Manchester \nWith contributions from Deljana Iossifova\, Xin Li\, Qiwei Peng\, Ziqiu Ren\, Rujin Wang and photographs by the late David Lea. \nMore information: Building China: People’s Infrastructure | Events at The University of Manchester \nFree – please drop in \nPlease make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/building-china-peoples-infrastructure/
LOCATION:Lower Ground Floor Link
CATEGORIES:Exhibition
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260302T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260530T170000
DTSTAMP:20260405T215044
CREATED:20260303T144435Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260303T144435Z
UID:13035-1772438400-1780160400@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Heritage Meets Heritage - Echoes of Sahyadri
DESCRIPTION:Exhibition featuring 12 UNESCO Heritage Forts. \nOrganised by Leena Desshmukh\, Founder of Sahyadri CIC UK\, in collaboration with Sahyadri Pratishtan India. \nThis exhibition honours the extraordinary hill forts of the Sahyadri mountain range\, recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites for their outstanding universal value. These formidable structures stand as enduring symbols of architectural innovation\, strategic brilliance and cultural legacy. \nCarved into rugged landscapes and rising majestically above valleys and coastlines\, the forts represent centuries of vision\, resilience and statecraft. Their sophisticated defence systems\, water management engineering and harmonious integration with natural terrain reflect a remarkable synthesis of art\, science and military intelligence. \nThrough meticulously crafted fort models\, curated historical narratives and immersive visual presentation\, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to engage with this monumental chapter of global heritage. Visitors are invited to experience the spirit\, strength and enduring legacy of the Sahyadri forts in an educational and culturally enriching environment. \nFree – please drop in \nPlease make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/heritage-meets-heritage-echoes-of-sahyadri/
LOCATION:First Floor
CATEGORIES:Exhibition
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_1576.jpeg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260309T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260529T170000
DTSTAMP:20260405T215044
CREATED:20260202T150315Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T104352Z
UID:12734-1773043200-1780074000@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:The Long Road South to find True North
DESCRIPTION:Take a poetry journey from loss to hope\, from home to infinity\, to find your own personal True North.  \n80 people from Cornerstone Day Centre in Hulme\, many affected by homelessness and other issues\, have made poetic paths for all to follow\, opening eyes to a wider world. \nThese restless poems leap from the page into 3-dimensions. Intriguing\, bright and curious poetic paper sculptures\, filled with intense life experience. Navigation tools for the journey – “wish frogs”\, folded globes\, infinity poems. And songs for the journey… \nEchoing the footsteps of the footloose Japanese haiku poet Basho\, our word-magicians lead us onward to help each of us find our own inner Northstar. \nThis year-long project at Caritas Cornerstone Day Centre was co-created by the makers with poet Philip Davenport\, artists Christine Johnson and Darren Marsh. \nFunded by Arts Council England \nFree please drop in \nPlease make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/the-long-road-south-to-find-true-north/
LOCATION:Archives+ Ground Floor
CATEGORIES:Exhibition
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260309T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260630T170000
DTSTAMP:20260405T215044
CREATED:20260210T141859Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260227T143208Z
UID:12821-1773043200-1782838800@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Exiles and Descendants
DESCRIPTION:This exhibition from Polonia Northern England uncovers the remarkable history of a Polish community (Polonia) deported and displaced during WWII. Through photographs\, letters\, and personal documents\, it showcases experiences of forced deportation\, war crimes\, refuge\, and significant contributions to Britain’s freedom. The exhibition also explores post-war resettlement in exile in Northern England and community efforts to maintain cultural identity whilst Poland was under communist rule. PNE safeguards and shares this history to strengthen collective memory and fill the gaps in historical records. \nFree – please drop in \nPlease make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/exiles-and-descendants/
LOCATION:Archives+ Ground Floor
CATEGORIES:Exhibition
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/PNE-Banner-Jan-2026-01-1-cropped-for-LL-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260309T173000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260309T193000
DTSTAMP:20260405T215044
CREATED:20260218T165751Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260218T170134Z
UID:12907-1773077400-1773084600@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Mystery International Film Club!
DESCRIPTION:It’s a MONSTER HIT!!\n\n\n\nThis event is for individuals aged 15 and over. \nWelcome to the voting page for the latest edition of Manchester Central Library’s International Film Club’s Mystery Screening series. \nEvent Details: \n\nDoors open: 17:00\nIntroduction to the film: 17:20\nFilm starts: 17:30\nEntry: Pay what you can (recommended donation of £3)\nPopcorn: FREE!\nDrinks: Grab a coffee\, tea\, or soft drink from the fully stocked café!\n\nThe Mystery Film Clubs screenings at Manchester Central Library specialise in showing a wide and eclectic range of films from all over the world. These are the sorts of films unlikely to be seen anywhere else\, underseen and under-loved masterpieces from every single point of the globe. There’s no delineation by genre or age\, as long as the film is great it can be shown here. \nThis month’s choices are: \nElection (2005 Hong-Kong) \nA triad election is upon us and numerous factions vie for power. While the premise implies action\, what we have here is a masterful political thriller from director Johnnie To that exposes the vulgarity at the core of tradition and politeness as they fail and are manipulated. Rapturous performances all round and one of the most jaw-dropping endings in film history. \nOmar Gatlato (1976 Algeria) \nA simple tale of a normal man\, we follow him for a few days and meet his family\, his friends and his crush\, while we do this he addresses the camera and shows us around his city. As much about the man as it is about Algeria\, as along our journey we meet the vibrant\, colourful locals and the film celebrates a time and a place. \nLabyrinth of Dreams (1997 Japan) \nTomiko falls in love with Niitaka\, even though she also suspects him of being the Tokyo bus driver serial killer\, who killed his female conductors after tiring of them. Gakyruu Ishii’s restrained and ethereal dream of beautiful ghosts cloaked in a hazy melancholy. \nMafioso (1962 Italy) \nThe past catches up with loveable Antonio in this Italian film filled with lightness and warmth before kidnapping the audience and reminding them the reality of the Sicilian Mafia. A film that will subvert your expectations\, shock and entertain you. \nThe Horse Thief (1986 China/Tibet) \nAn unbelievable look at the impossible\, almost unearthly environments of remotest Tibet as we follow young monk Norbu and his family after he is banished from his temple. A favourite of Martin Scorsese and an unparalleled filmic voice. \nBook tickets and vote for your favourite film here or at the link below!
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/mystery-international-film-club/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Film
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/film-club-logo-landscape.jpg
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