Exhibition

Exhibition to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Ugandan Expulsion, highlighting the experience of British Ugandan Asians and the many volunteers who helped them. In August 1972, Ugandan President Idi Amin ordered the country’s Indian and Pakistani communities to leave within 90 days. Many of the displaced were British citizens and, as a result, around […]

Jill Furmanovsky : Photographing the Invisible For the last 50 years, Jill Furmanovsky has been photographing music’s greatest icons. Now for the first time, Jill has created a fascinating retrospective featuring some of her most famous works as well as hidden gems from her extensive archive. Guest curated by Noel Gallagher and photo-historian Gail Buckland, […]

This exhibition celebrates the Polish-British cooperation in breaking the Enigma code, marking the 80th anniversary of Polish codebreakers coming to the UK.  The Enigma code was a nightmare for secret services all over the world.  It was an unbreakable code granting Germany a tremendous military advantage. 'Enigma' means puzzle or secret in Greek. This is […]

While photographing refugees in France, Belgium, Austria, and Sweden in 2018, Alan Gignoux noticed that a recurring theme among them was the gradual erosion of self, resulting from prolonged periods of living at the fringes of society. Similarly, he heard many of them talk of being invisible both to the immigration bureaucracies and to the […]

Wildlife is always just a walk away wherever you are in Manchester and the beautiful countryside that surrounds it. This exhibition showcases the creative talents and passions of our Central Library staff members.  We hope to inspire you to explore and enjoy the many areas of Manchester’s natural beauty, and to discover and appreciate hidden gems […]

Foundation Art and Design Students from The Manchester College have brought the Art School’s ethos of research to the heart of our iconic Wolfson Reading Room. Each student has developed a personal body of work which has initially been inspired by one of the books from Central Library. The boards exhibited are an insight into […]

A documentary photography project spanning 7 years (2016-2023). Photographers Michael Baker & Phil Portus explore ‘present day’ Wilmslow Road, Rusholme, and challenge perceptions of what ‘Curry Mile’ now represents, as opposed to nostalgia & past recollections. The ethnic make-up of Rusholme has changed significantly over recent years. Barber shops, shisha bars & dessert parlours have […]

Paper Piano – A Retrospective For the last 10 years, Paper Piano have been creating music related artwork and packaging. More recently they have focused on hand-made books; this combination of music and books makes them the ideal label to exhibit at The Henry Watson Music Library. Paper Piano have worked with many illustrious musicians […]

This new exhibition showcases a range of original publicity material and print adverts created as marketing for the Port of Manchester. This saw a revolution in publicity with modern ideas on typefaces, much more dynamic imagery and bolder use of colour. Manchester Ship Canal Company started using imaginative visual design to sell itself more effectively […]

GMCA: Futures for All is an employability skills programme for young people across Greater Manchester with SEN, that empowers employers to recognise and celebrate the value of a diverse workforce inclusive of young people from the SEND schools and settings. The exhibition showcases a series of short films co-produced with alumni from SEND schools across […]

There are currently thousands of refugees in the UK waiting for decisions on their family reunion applications. Forced migration and the traumatic consequences of separation, as well as of the obstacles to the reunification process, are well documented, as are the most immediate needs of families, once reunited. The longer-term lived experience of reunited refugee […]

Exhibiting work spanning 20 years, Robert Watson (one of the country’s leading documentary and contemporary photographic artists) returns to Central Library. This free exhibition features images of Manchester Pride and his internationally exhibited Blackpool seascapes. It premiers the series ‘The Sky Above Her’; these vibrant and soulful pictures illustrate the kaleidoscope of colours, seen in […]