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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Library Live
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DTSTART:20250101T000000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260713T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261231T170000
DTSTAMP:20261022T215745
CREATED:20260716T084757Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260813T074519Z
UID:14167-1783929600-1798736400@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Queer Up North 1992–2002: Celebrating Manchester's LGBTQ+ Heritage
DESCRIPTION:Explore bold and beautiful material from Queer Up North 1992–2002. Established in 1992 by Tanja Farman and Gavin Barlow as part of the original Manchester Festival\, Queer Up North quickly became a beacon for queer culture\, drawing artists and audiences from across the globe. Over its first decade\, the festival showcased groundbreaking performances and played a pivotal role in shaping Manchester’s identity as an inclusive and vibrant LGBTQIA+ city. \nIn late 2024\, Queer Up North 1992–2002: Celebrating Manchester’s LGBTQIA+ Heritage was awarded funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund\, with additional support from The Granada Foundation. This funding marked a significant milestone in preserving Manchester’s rich LGBTQIA+ heritage\, focusing on the Queer Up North festivals held between 1992 and 2002. \nAll items on display\, unless otherwise stated\, are drawn from the Queer Up North collection held at Manchester Central Library. You can also listen to a fascinating series of oral histories about the festival in our Sound & Vision pods. \nSpecial thanks to Archives+. \nPhoto credit: Pamela Sneed \nFree – drop in
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/queer-up-north-1992-2002-celebrating-manchesters-lgbtq-heritage/
LOCATION:Archives+ Ground Floor
CATEGORIES:Exhibition
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/M800_8_1081-Pamela-Sneed-CREDIT-Unknown.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260807T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261031T170000
DTSTAMP:20261022T215745
CREATED:20260716T140408Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260716T140408Z
UID:14176-1786089600-1793466000@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:In the ordinary\, there is always the extraordinary
DESCRIPTION:As a working-class artist and photographer\, Tricia Ashworth has always been fascinated by what society deems ordinary. The beauty\, the nuances\, humour\, strength and steeliness of everyday life in the ordinary. This exhibition of portraits\, from the north-west and beyond\, explores and celebrates the extraordinary. \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/in-the-ordinary-there-is-always-the-extraordinary/
LOCATION:Ground Floor (Oculus Area)
CATEGORIES:Exhibition
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/In-the-ordinary-there-is-always-the-extraordinary-exhibition.jpeg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260908T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20270102T170000
DTSTAMP:20261022T215745
CREATED:20260907T074834Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260910T105141Z
UID:14605-1788854400-1798909200@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Schinkel in Manchester 1826-2026
DESCRIPTION:An exhibition of architectural models by students from the Manchester School of Architecture of early nineteenth buildings in Berlin and Manchester created to celebrate the bicentenary of the brief visit of the Prussian court architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel (1781-1841) to Manchester on July 17 1826. \nDuring his ‘English’ journey Schinkel was brought into direct contact with the industrial progress of Britain in many sites across the country. In Manchester\, and specifically in Ancoats\, he saw an industrial town developing at full spate. As Nikolaus Pevsner described it Schinkel ‘had never seen anything like that\, and indeed could not have seen it anywhere else’. \nThe exhibition compares six of Schinkel’s buildings in Berlin with six similar contemporary buildings in Manchester\, by the architects Charles Barry (1795 – 1860)\, Francis Goodwin (1784-1835) and the anonymous ‘mere foremen’ (as Schinkel described them) who were building the mills and warehouses that were in his view ‘nothing but monstrous masses of red brick … without any trace of architecture …’ \nThere will also be a special talk about this exhibition in the Performance Space on 30 September – see event details here \nFree – just drop in. \nPlease consider making a donation if you can here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/schinkel-in-manchester-1826-2026/
LOCATION:Wolfson Reading Room
CATEGORIES:Exhibition
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IMG_7567-scaled.jpeg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260909T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261231T193000
DTSTAMP:20261022T215745
CREATED:20260729T172924Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261001T140114Z
UID:14220-1788976800-1798745400@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Just a Girl from North Manchester: A Photographic Exhibition
DESCRIPTION:For over 30 years\, Karen McBride has documented the people\, places and music that have shaped Manchester. Her new exhibition brings together a personal collection of black-and-white photographs\, stories and memories from behind the camera. \nThe work follows on from her book\, ‘Just a Girl from North Manchester’\, and explores a lifetime spent documenting musicians\, communities and everyday moments that might otherwise have been forgotten. \nDisplayed throughout the exhibition are nine original vintage library display cabinets that were especially designed for Manchester Central Library when the building first opened. They provide the perfect setting for a journey through Manchester’s musical and cultural history. One cabinet\, however\, will house something very special that celebrates Karen’s lifelong love of traditional black-and-white photography\, craftsmanship and making things by hand—qualities that have always been part of Manchester’s industrious spirit. \nFree – just drop in. \nPlease consider making a donation if you can here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/14220/
LOCATION:First Floor Display Cases
CATEGORIES:Exhibition,Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Karen-Mc.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260924T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261010T170000
DTSTAMP:20261022T215745
CREATED:20260917T135225Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260929T142336Z
UID:14713-1790236800-1791651600@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Photo Exhibition: What Makes a Great Coach?
DESCRIPTION:Hosted by the charity Women in Sport\, this photo exhibition celebrates everything women bring to coaching. \nStill in 2026\, women are still undervalued and underrepresented in sports coaching. Women in Sport’s research has found that 30% of female coaches report being bullied (twice as many as men) and are 18% less likely to say their opinions are heard and respected. Despite good intentions\, many approaches still focus on ‘fixing the women’\, encouraging resilience\, confidence or aspiration rather than improving the conditions that make it harder for women to enter and stay in coaching. The issue is not women’s capability; it is the system they work within. Women already have the knowledge\, skills and experience needed to be great coaches\, and these photographs celebrate exactly that\, highlighting the qualities women bring to coaching everyday. \nTo support Women in Sport’s work championing women and girls you can donate here. \nFree – just drop in. \nPlease consider making a donation if you can here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/photo-exhibition-what-makes-a-great-coach/
LOCATION:First Floor
CATEGORIES:Exhibition
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/COA_Basketball_28052026_0323-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261005T130000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261214T160000
DTSTAMP:20261022T215745
CREATED:20260916T111306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260916T111600Z
UID:14697-1791205200-1797264000@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Threads of a City: The Manchester Tapestry Project – Stitching Workshops
DESCRIPTION:Join Manchester Histories for Threads of a City: The Manchester Tapestry Project\, an ambitious community artwork celebrating the stories\, people and heritage of Greater Manchester. Together\, communities are helping to create 30 large tapestry panels exploring different aspects of the city-region’s history\, from 1853 to the present day. \nNow it’s time to bring those stories to life in stitch. Join our regular Monday stitching sessions at Manchester Central Library and contribute directly to the tapestry\, working alongside other participants on this unique collaborative artwork. Whether you’re an experienced stitcher\, a little rusty or keen to develop your skills\, all skill levels are welcome. You’ll have the opportunity to practise stitches before contributing to the tapestry\, with support available throughout. \nAll materials are provided\, along with hot drinks and biscuits\, and you can attend as many or as few sessions as you like. Once complete\, the Manchester Tapestry will be exhibited in the newly refurbished Manchester Town Hall. \nSessions take place every Monday\, 1–4pm\, at the Manchester Histories Hub on the Lower Ground Floor of Manchester Central Library. \nBooking is essential as places are limited. Book your place via Eventbrite here or click ‘Book Now’ below.
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/threads-of-a-city-the-manchester-tapestry-project-stitching-workshops/
LOCATION:Lwr Ground Floor – Manchester Histories Hub
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Threads-of-a-City-Light-Box-Image.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261008T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261231T130000
DTSTAMP:20261022T215745
CREATED:20261008T085055Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261008T085223Z
UID:14972-1791453600-1798722000@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Vivienne Westwood - Unseen Photography Exhibition by Paul Wolfgang Webster
DESCRIPTION:“My experience of working with Vivienne Westwood remains a rare and significant chapter in my photographic journey. It revealed a powerful connection between fashion\, culture\, inclusivity and protest. It also showed me how someone from the world of fashion could step outside that world and stand shoulder to shoulder with people fighting for something they believed in.” \n\nThese unseen photographs by Paul Wolfgang Webster are more than a record of Vivienne Westwood at Preston. They are a record of connection — between an individual and a community\, between fashion and protest\, and between a photographer and the people he is there to document. \nFree – just drop in. Prints and postcards available at the library shop. \nPlease consider making a donation if you can here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library.
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/vivienne-westwood-unseen-photography-exhibition-by-paul-wolfgang-webster-2/
LOCATION:First Floor Exhibition Hall
CATEGORIES:Exhibition
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/tw.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261008T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261231T130000
DTSTAMP:20261022T215745
CREATED:20261008T085842Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261008T085842Z
UID:14975-1791453600-1798722000@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Tony Wilson - The Man Who Put Manchester On The World Stage
DESCRIPTION:Photo exhibition curated by Paul Wolfgang Webster: \nIn 1996\, I had the opportunity to photograph Tony Wilson — the man many called Mr Manchester. Hacienda FAC51 impresario\, television presenter\, record label owner and one of the most influential cultural figures to emerge from the North of England. \nThirty years later\, I find myself looking back through these photographs with a different understanding of what I witnessed. Tony Wilson wasn’t simply promoting music. He was creating a vision of what Manchester could become. Through The Hacienda\, Factory Records\, television and his relentless belief in the city\, he helped create a cultural movement that reached far beyond Manchester and put the city on a global stage\, he gave a generation of people something to believe in. \nHe showed that you didn’t have to accept the world as it was. You could question it\, challenge it and\, perhaps most importantly\, create something different. Tony Wilson started a wave that swept Art\, Music\, Culture and Diversity across the globe. \nFree – just drop in. Prints and postcards available in the library shop. \nPlease consider making a donation if you can here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library.
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/tony-wilson-the-man-who-put-manchester-on-the-world-stage-2/
LOCATION:First Floor Exhibition Hall
CATEGORIES:Exhibition
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/vw.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261010T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261024T170000
DTSTAMP:20261022T215745
CREATED:20260921T144202Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T114155Z
UID:14779-1791619200-1792861200@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival 2026
DESCRIPTION:Manchester Literature Festival brings another blockbuster programme of events to Library Live at Central Library this October. The Festival will be showcasing over 120 authors\, poets\, and thinkers from across the globe. In this National Year of Reading\, it’s especially timely to be spreading the joy of reading and celebrating storytelling – bringing families\, friends and strangers together to listen\, learn\, reflect\, laugh\, engage and discover new ways to navigate our turbulent times. \nWe’re delighted to be hosting 17 of the 50+ events at Central Library this year. Whether you’re passionate about women’s rights or climate change\, dystopian fiction or epic poetry\, want to change the world or simply entertain the kids\, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Here’s some of the highlights: \nFICTION: \nEmily St. John Mandel (10 Oct): Canadian author of Station Eleven discusses her electrifying new novel Exit Party – a haunting mystery set across two parallel words. \nLouise Kennedy & Wendy Erskine (15 Oct): Two of Northern Ireland’s most acclaimed contemporary writers discuss their new novels Stations and The Benefactors with BBC 6 Music’s Deb Grant. \nBrutalist Ghost Stories (17 Oct): Northern novelists Jenn Ashworth\, Nicholas Royle\, David Gaffney and Beth Barker read from an anthology turning Britain’s post-war architecture into the uncanny. \nWilly Vlautin (19 Oct): American musician and novelist Willy Vlautin discusses The Left and the Lucky\, his moving new novel of unlikely friendship and working-class life in America. \nM. John Harrison (20 Oct): One of Britain’s most influential writers and Booker Prize 2026 nominee discusses The End of Everything – a darkly funny\, unsettling novel of a fractured near future. \nHernan Diaz (22 Oct): The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Trust introduces Ply\, a wildly original thriller of technology\, capitalism and shifting identity set centuries from now. \nCULTURE: \nFrank Cottrell-Boyce (13 Oct): Beloved children’s’ author discusses A British Childhood\, his warm\, urgent reflection on books\, imagination and the realities of childhood in Britain today. \nNatasha Walter (18 Oct): The campaigner and author explores Feminism for a World on Fire\, connecting women’s rights\, social justice and climate action. \nLady Hale & Lara Feigel (21 Oct): The UK’s first female Supreme Court President and writer Lara Feigel come together to explore law\, motherhood and power; a rare\, candid look at how justice is experienced by families. \nPOETRY: \nIan McMillan (12 Oct): Host of Radio 4’s The Verb launches Red River Valley\, a funny\, poignant new collection drawn from family life and South Yorkshire. \nCarolyn Forché & Kwame Dawes (16 Oct): US ‘poet of witness’ Carolyn Forché and Jamaica’s Poet Laureate Kwame Dawes share five decades of testimony\, survival and political engagement in verse. \nSimon Armitage (18 Oct): The Poet Laureate returns with an exhilarating new verse translation of Gilgamesh\, the oldest surviving epic in world literature\, brought thrillingly to life for a modern audience. \nFAMILIES: \nLittle Reads Family Day (24 Oct): Families are invited to take part in a joyful day of stories\, theatre\, music\, dancing and crafts. Help create some magical shoes with The Elves and the Shoemaker in an interactive show from Peoplescape Theatre\, packed with music\, puppetry\, clowning and storytelling. Strut your stuff with author and West End musical theatre star Robert Tregoning in a confidence-boosting event inspired by his latest picture book Dylan\, Daisy and the Disco Ball and explore storytelling through movement with dancer Magdalen Bartlett. \nYou can check out the full programme\, download a copy of the Festival brochure and book tickets on the Manchester Literature Festival website.  \nWe advise you to book early as many events sell out in advance!
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-2026/
CATEGORIES:Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/MLF-banner-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261010T110000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261010T150000
DTSTAMP:20261022T215745
CREATED:20260918T103115Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260918T103115Z
UID:14742-1791630000-1791644400@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Vintage & Vinyl Fair
DESCRIPTION:Get ready for the Central Library Vintage & Vinyl Fair this Autumn! \nPart of the Cultural Welcome Week at Central Library\, this new fair promises to be a vibrant forum for fashionistas and creatives to browse\, buy and sell amongst the books. \nSetting-up shop in the historic Henry Watson Music Library for the first time\, this event will be a unique opportunity for our pre-loved and upcycled items a new kind of shelf life\, right here in Manchester city centre. \nWith a wide range of stalls throughout the library offering everything from vintage fashion to to vinyl records\, jewellery to CDs and much more\, the fair promises to be a great opportunity upgrade your wardrobe\, grab a bargain\, and spend an afternoon with likeminded folks in the cosy confines of our music library. \nWith live DJs and an array of stalls for every taste\, The Central Library Vintage & Vinyl Fair is free entry and takes places on Saturday 10th October 2026\, 11am-3pm. \nPlease drop in! \n** TRADERS **\nIn the run-up to the fair\, we are on the lookout for aspiring entrepreneurs who prize themselves on their quality second-hand goods – whether it’s vinyl\, vintage\, retro\, and beyond – to come and host a stall.\n\nThe fee for a stall is just £10. If you would like to apply to be a trader at the event\, please contact:\nhenrywatsonmusiclibrary@manchester.gov.uk
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/vintage-vinyl-fair/
LOCATION:Henry Watson Music Library
CATEGORIES:Culture
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Vintage-and-Vinyl-Landscape.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261010T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261010T203000
DTSTAMP:20261022T215745
CREATED:20260622T084953Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260622T085139Z
UID:13917-1791658800-1791664200@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents Emily St. John Mandel
DESCRIPTION:Bestselling Canadian author Emily St. John Mandel joins us to discuss her electrifying new novel Exit Party – exploring parallel worlds\, political unrest and blurred realities.   \nIn a near-future Los Angeles emerging from conflict\, Ari Walker and her friend Gloria are going to a party.  But the party becomes the site of something inexplicable\, drawing Ari into a mystery that will haunt her across decades and continents. Elegant\, suspenseful and emotionally charged\, Exit Party explores memory\, freedom\, art and the fragile boundaries between realities.   \nEmily St. John Mandel blends literary fiction with speculative suspense in the unforgettable style that made Station Eleven an international success. Hosted by Andrew McMillan.   \nEmily St. John Mandel is the internationally acclaimed author of seven novels\, including The Glass Hotel\, Sea of Tranquility and Station Eleven\, winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award and adapted into a celebrated television series on HBO Max. Her work has been translated into 34 languages.   \nA Manchester Literature Festival event.  \nTickets £12 / £10  \nA Manchester Literature Festival event supported by Library Live.  \nBooking tickets here or ‘Book Now’ below
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-emily-st-john-mandel/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Author Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Emily_SJM_Portraits3132finalflatsquarecroppreview-LL-cropped.png
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