Library Live

Marketing the Manchester Ship Canal 1919-1939
2023-07-29 08:00 - 2024-01-15 17:00 UTC | Archives+ Ground Floor
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 internationally and encourage industrial growth around the docks.
The exhibition highlights the work of a fascinating array of commercial artists engaged by the Ship Canal Company. Some of the most innovative in their design work were born locally and trained at the Manchester School of Art. Highlights include the ‘ship prow’ painting created by Paxton Chadwick, the futurist designs and humorous sketches of Bert Wilson and the quirky illustrations of John Dronsfield. It also considers the influence of the company’s publicity chief Kenneth Brady who brought new ideas in design and messaging following his appointment to MSCC in 1926. Much of material exhibited was discovered 2021 in the extensive archives Ship Canal Company held in Manchester Central Library. It includes original artwork for some of the widely used designs that have never been displayed publicly before.
Exhibition curated by Martin Dodge (Senior Lecturer in the Geography Department, University of Manchester). Much of his research is currently focused on the historical geography of Manchester’s transport and town planning. He is fascinated by the history of the Manchester Ship Canal and understanding how it transformed the city and the wider region.
Supported by Archives+ at Central Library, The University of Manchester and the Manchester Geographical Society.
Free – just drop in
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Futures for All
2023-09-04 08:00 - 2023-09-29 17:00 | City Library
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 Greater Manchester. These films explore a day in the life of each young person working in different jobs across Greater Manchester; from retail, to healthcare, hospitality, to digital.
Young people in SEND settings were shown these inspiring films and took part in creative workshops to visualise their own career aspirations through clay and fabric. This exhibition showcases their work alongside the films that inspired them.
Free – please drop in

When the Dust Settles - Exhibition
2023-10-09 08:00 - 2023-12-30 17:00 | Archives+ Ground Floor
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 families, in contrast, is poorly understood, despite recognition that family reunion is not the end of a journey, but the beginning of another long road for families to be able to settle and build their lives in the UK, free from persecution.
When the Dust Settles is a participatory, mixed media research project that addresses this research gap, by examining the ongoing challenges reunited refugee families face after their first year together in their new home. Created by Dr Maria Abranches (School of International Development, UEA) and Amy Lythgoe (Together Now), and supported by a British Academy Innovation Fellowship.
Free – just drop in
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Robert John Watson: The Sky Above Her
2023-10-14 08:00 - 2023-12-30 17:00 | First Floor Exhibition Hall
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 the evening skies above his Mother’s headstone.
Free artist’s talk and Q&A followed by exhibition tour at 2pm on 25 November. Book your free place here via eventbrite
Free exhibition – just drop in. Please support our cultural programme by donating online or at our cash or contactless donation boxes

Medicine Unboxed - Lifting the Lid on Medical Innovation
2023-12-07 10:00 - 17:00 | Performance Space
Medicine Unboxed – Lifting the lid on medical innovation
Doctors, artists, scammers – discover the people who have shaped the medical field and how this has impacted people’s lives. Forget about unboxing an advent calendar, join us for this one day pop up exhibition that unpacks objects and history from the beginnings of ‘modern’ medicine to the present day. Over seven different themes, ‘Medicine unboxed’ unpacks the people, technology and forgotten histories of medical innovation and development; spotlighting stories of innovators and those who paid the price.
Free – please drop in

Untold Stories of the Village
2024-01-13 12:00 - 2024-03-30 16:00 | Ground Floor
In partnership with The Ahmed Iqbal Ullah RACE Centre and Education Trust, Holding Her Space presents ‘Untold Stories of the Village’ exhibition.
Working with photographer Tanya Weekes and artist Tina Ramos Ekongo, the exhibition follows 12 mothers as they share their stories within pregnancy, birth, postpartum as well as highlighting personal and cultural experiences.
The exhibition is part of a wider project created by Holding Her Space and supported by The National Lottery Heritage fund. The project has been curated to focus in on the heart wrenching journeys of Black and Brown parents as they navigate the unforgiving realities of maternity in the modern UK; whilst aiming to preserve the cultural and traditional practices from these communities.
Free – please drop in

10 Years – David Gleave Photography
2024-01-15 08:00 - 2024-03-28 17:00 | First Floor Exhibition Hall
David Gleave is a Manchester-based image-maker who took up photography through his passion for social history. He chronicles his life and the people and events he has encountered. David sees the present as the past, rescuing moments in time for ever. This exhibition covers the first ten years of his record.
Free – just drop in. Please support our cultural programme by donating at our cash or contactless donation boxes, or online.

Out in the World - Exhibition & Closing Event Invite
2024-02-01 08:00 - 2024-02-29 17:00 | First Floor
The Consulate General of Ireland, Manchester, is delighted to present Out In The World, an exhibition highlighting 12 stories from the vast yet largely untold history of Ireland’s LGBTQ+ diaspora.
Across the generations, Irish LGBTQ+ people have emigrated and found opportunities to live and love abroad. EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, in partnership with the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, are proud to play a role in illuminating this hidden history of Irish emigration.
Out In The World tells the story of the Irish LGBTQ+ diaspora across six themes – exclusion, community, love, defiance, solidarity, and return.
Free – please drop in

Special Closing Event Invite
The Consulate General of Ireland is delighted to invite you to the closing event for the Out In the World Exhibition celebrating the story of the Irish LGBTQ+ Diaspora
On Wednesday, 28 February, 17:30 – 19:30 in the Henry Watson Music Library, First Floor, Manchester Central Library
There will be a drinks reception on arrival, with a final chance to view the Out in the World exhibition.
This will be followed by a panel discussion with members of the LGBTQ+ Irish diaspora.
We will conclude with a musical performance by HUSK.

Town Hall Artisans, Trades and Treasures Display
2024-02-26 08:00 - 2024-06-29 17:00 | First Floor Display Cases
Find out more about what’s happening to The Town Hall behind all that scaffolding and building wrap.

This display celebrates progress on our Town Hall’s restoration, showing some of the objects and discoveries uncovered so far, with a focus on some of the trades that are bringing twenty-first century conservation skills to the Victorian objects on display.

So, you can see a freshly restored oil painting of Manchester’s radical Mayor Abel Heywood, and some of the conservation materials used to repair the canvas and removed built-up dust and particulates.

Mosaic tesserae originally laid by Venetian craftsmen in the 1870s are on display with some of the tools of the trade being used by today’s artisans to renew them.

Beautiful stained and clear glass from the Town Hall’s ornate windows is also on show, as are bells and ropes and other gear from the building’s clock tower.

You’ll find these interesting displays on the first floor, to the left of the entrance to the Wolfson Reading Room until Saturday 29 June.
Free – please drop in

Coming in from the Cold: Taking Centre Stage Exhibition
2024-03-06 08:00 - 2024-04-30 17:00 | Lower Ground Floor Link
An exhibition of Global Majority led community projects exploring stories of identity, loss, creativity, joy, our heritage, togetherness, resilience and journeys. Supported by The Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Education Trust.
Free – drop in – please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in the venue, or online

Greater Mancunians Exhibition
2024-04-19 08:00 - 2024-06-29 17:00 | First Floor Exhibition Hall
The Manchester College presents Greater Mancunians – a student led, landmark photography project, seven years in the making. The exhibition celebrates people born and bred in Greater Manchester, or those who have made it their home and have in some way shaped the city and its surrounding boroughs, for the greater good. They include musicians, sportsmen and women, entertainers, entrepreneurs, politicians, actors, academics, comedians, artists and community champions – all photographed at a poignant or significant location of their choosing, and very much a celebration of the Mancunian spirit.
Why not take a look at BBC NW Tonight’s excellent review piece of the exhibition on Instagram before of after your visit or the exhibition taster on YouTube
Free – drop in – please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in the venue, or online

See My World: Connected Fragments
2024-07-15 08:00 - 2024-09-28 17:00 | First Floor Exhibition Hall
An international exchange exhibition bringing together the worlds of Nigerian diaspora artists Chigozie obi, Daniel Oyegade and Dou, as they crack and connect the mirrors of their heritage, history and culture. Through photography, paintings and film installations, the exhibition is an ode to what is alive within the mundane.
Free – just drop in
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Responses
2024-07-18 08:00 - 2024-08-12 17:00
Foundation Art and Design Students from The Manchester College have brought the Art School’s ethos of research to the heart of Manchester Central Library’s iconic Wolfson Reading Room. Each student has developed a personal body of work which has initially been inspired by one of the books from the venue. The work on the boards exhibited are an insight into personal research and subject matter. Each student has tested the possibilities of ideas, research, and practical production. These fresh, innovative Art School Creatives will continue their practices in: painting, drawing, film, photography, textile design, animation, and site-specific work; progressing to different universities next year.
To see more exciting innovative work and research please follow the Instagram link below.
@foundationartanddesigntmc
If you would like information about the Foundation Diploma course, please email Fiona Donald: fdonald@tmc.ac.uk
Free – drop in. Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

A Northern Life - it's not all about Margaret
2024-07-26 09:00 - 2024-09-18 17:00 | First Floor Display Cases
Lorraine Rudyard creates three-dimensional sculptures using recycled materials and vintage finds, encapsulated in story boxes. Her work is very Northern and what you will see are closely observed people and lots of lovely details and references to Lorraine’s childhood, i.e. a budgie in a cage named Monty, a bathroom scene with fish wall-paper that are memories from her grandmother’s house. Other story boxes include Lorraine’s favourite poem ‘The Jumblies’ by Edward Lear and other references to childhood literature.
Lorraine’s work was accepted for both the 2020 and the 2022 Manchester Open Exhibitions: Everyone’s an Artist. Her 2020 piece, ‘Have you Been Anywhere Nice?’, sold to a private collector. Another one of her artworks was selected for The Royal Cambrian Academy of Art in 2022, and another artwork in 2022 was selected for The Harley Gallery Open Call. More recently ‘Please Come to My Party, Pleeese ?’ was selected for the Bury Art Museum Open Call.
You can’t miss Our Margaret – Lorraine’s muse, spot Margaret by her huge smile, sunglasses, shopping trolly and umbrella, whatever the weather or occasion. Viewers especially like Margaret’s stories, which are often hinted at by the title of the picture connecting their own stories to the pictures. Lorraine says, ‘I love Margaret- she is a joy to create. I like the idea that I can make something from nothing and the treasures I find can live on, connecting my pictures to the past. My hope is that you as a viewer will appreciate the playfulness of my work – that it will put a smile on your face as well as appeal to your senses for a lost way of life.’
To date, Lorraine has completed several commissions including a piece of legacy art, ‘A Grand Day Out’, that was commissioned by Heritage Schools for Central Library. Lorraine also has many collectors of her artwork up and down the country.
A full catalogue of her work can be found @lorrainerudyard_mixedmediaart
Please direct all inquiries to lorrainerudyard-art @outlook.com
Free – drop in. Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Migration Stories North West Exhibition & Preview
2024-10-03 08:00 - 2024-11-08 17:00 | Lwr Ground Floor – Manchester Histories Hub
A history of migration in and out of North West England told through 100 stories from Roman times to the present day.
Explore the region’s long history of migration and ways in which it has shaped and continues to shape our social landscape. Browse the stories of individual women, men and children arriving in and leaving the North West from and to other parts of the British Isles and other parts of the world. Find out how their journeys were driven by conflict, colonialism and trade, as well as in search of work, educational opportunities or a better life.
This ‘pop-up’ exhibition includes an interactive screen through which to browse the stories, and is touring across the North West of England. At this showing in Manchester Central Library there will also be a display by pupils and staff from The Derby High School in Bury about the stories which they researched and produced for the Greater Manchester section of the project.
The Migration Stories Exhibition’s showing in Manchester is presented by Crossing Footprints in partnership with Manchester Histories. Special thanks for support from Manchester Central Library, from our Manchester team of volunteer researchers, and from Fair Futures CIC who delivered the school workshops in Bury. More about the project here or browse the project’s own dedicated website
Free – please drop in

Preview / Launch for the Migration Stories Exhibition, 4pm to 7pm, Wednesday 2 October
Join us for an informal opportunity to hear about the Migration Stories North West project and to chat with people who were involved in the research. People from Crossing Footprints, Global Link and Fair Futures, who were involved in developing, organising and delivering the project, will also be on hand to discuss any aspects of the work and the contexts in which it was produced. There will be a brief introduction to the project at 4.45pm and again at 6pm. Light refreshments will be provided.
About the project The Migration Stories North West project is a partnership of five organisations across the North West who have worked over a period of three years with local adults and young people, including those with experience of migration or seeking refuge. Forming into five teams of volunteers and five school groups, they have researched and documented over 100 individual histories of migration using archival, online and oral history sources. They are now available to explore on an interactive online map, along with background information, educational resources and introductory films about the project. More information here. The organisations are Global Link based in Lancaster, Crossing Footprints covering the Greater Manchester region, Liverpool World Centre, Cumbria Development Education Centre and Cheshire Global Learning. The project is supported by historians at Lancaster University and local heritage organisations, and is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Free – please drop in

Our Town Hall – Portraits of a Workforce
2024-10-18 08:00 - 2025-06-28 17:00 | First Floor Exhibition Hall
Our latest first-floor exhibition comes courtesy of the team currently working on the Our Town Hall Project to repair, renovate and refurbish Manchester’s iconic Town Hall.
Extraordinarily little is known about the artisans who built the Town Hall between 1868 and 1877, and certainly no photographs exist.
But fast-forward 150 years and today’s skilled workers are no strangers to the lens of Manchester City Council photographer Barrie Leach. As well as physical progress, Barrie’s been capturing portraits of those working on the Town Hall since the beginning of the project to repair, restore and refurbish this much-loved building.
As well as modern construction workers and behind-the-scenes staff, there are some incredible heritage trades involved. Stonemasonry, mosaic making, stained glass repair and manufacture, horology: these are all crafts that would have been widespread in the 1870s but are now very much specialist – and rare – trades. They are, however, critical to our restoration project.
Alongside the words of the workers themselves, 30 large portraits and 60 contextual images show the pride this modern team has discovered in being able to lovingly restore, and give new life to, the work of the forgotten workforce who went before them.
Free – just drop in. Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Manchester Theatres Exhibition
2024-10-28 08:00 - 2025-01-31 17:00 | Lower Ground Floor Exhibition Space
Visit this latest exhibition showcasing items from our unique archive, including playbills, programmes, posters and other memorabilia, dating from the 18th century to the present day and documenting the vibrant history of theatre in Manchester.
Free – just drop in. Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Chapters in Change
2025-01-13 08:00 - 2025-03-29 17:00 | Ground Floor (Oculus Area)
The images in this display, in the oculus area on the Ground Floor, are from TiPP projects working in partnership with regional Youth Justice Services. They capture movements of creativity by some of society’s most underserved communities.
This project fosters collaboration between professional artists and young people, promoting connections between young people and the environment. They capture moments of reflection, vibrancy, creativity and growth and offer moments of reflection and calm.
TiPP delivers inclusive, creative arts sessions for some of society’s most underserved communities, supporting personal development and growth through participation. Their work seeks to foster human connection and demonstrate that everyone has something valuable to say.
Free – just drop in. Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Central Library: Ten Years of Success
2025-01-20 08:00 - 2025-03-01 17:00 | Wolfson Reading Room
In 2024, Manchester Central Library celebrated ten years since its major transformation, and 90 years since its grand opening by King George V on 17 July 1934. This display in the Wolfson Reading Room celebrates it’s many achievements and successes over those ten years.
As the ‘jewel in the crown’ of Manchester’s libraries, and one of the most loved and iconic venues in the city, Central Library boasts services and facilities that are appreciated by over 2million people annually. Central Library is an inclusive and dynamic space that appeals to families, children and young people, as well as aspiring entrepreneurs, culture vultures, archivists, students, musicians and traditional library visitors. Since its relaunch in 2014, we have continued to innovate and develop new ways of providing a high-quality, modern and vibrant library offer for residents and visitors to the city.
Free – drop in – please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in the venue, or online

Tony Lloyd Exhibition
2025-02-24 08:00 - 2025-06-30 17:00 | Lower Ground Floor Exhibition Space
An insightful exhibition in memory of Sir Tony Lloyd (1950-2024) – a popular politician who represented three different constituencies in the Greater Manchester area for a total of 36 years across five decades. He served as the country’s first Police and Crime Commissioner before becoming the first Mayor of Greater Manchester, returning to Parliament in 2017 as the member for Rochdale. Proudly supported by the Communication Workers Union, Clayton Hall Living History Museum and Manchester City Council.
Free – just drop in.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

aAh! Magazine X Lights Up Exhibition
2025-03-03 08:00 - 2025-03-29 17:00 | Wolfson Reading Room
In 2024, Manchester was crowned the first ever European Capital of Cycling, recognising the city’s commitment to making cycling safer and more accessible for all. As part of International Women’s Day, the aAh! Magazine X Lights Up Exhibition celebrates the achievements of women in cycling and explores themes of women’s empowerment, inclusivity, representation and visibility on our roads and beyond.
Following the success of the Lights Up night time bike ride in November, which saw 180 women take to the streets to raise awareness about issues in cycling, this exhibition continues the conversation about empowerment, representation, safety, and visibility – both on the road and in public spaces.
Presented by aAh! Magazine, Manchester Metropolitan University’s arts and culture student magazine, the exhibition features work from student writers, journalists, designers, illustrators, and photographers. Through storytelling and visual art, it reflects on cycling as a tool for freedom, independence, and self-expression, amplifying the voices of women reclaiming urban spaces and finding community.
The Lights Up campaign, organised in partnership with Bee Pedal Ready, Station South, Manchester Metropolitan University, We Are Cycling UK, MCRActive, TfGM, and Starling Bikes, raises awareness of women’s safety while cycling, particularly as winter approaches and fewer women take to the roads.
Free – just drop in. Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Our Lives, Our Privacy
2025-04-01 08:00 - 2025-06-30 17:00 | First Floor
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is marking its 40th anniversary with an exhibition of 40 items, showing how privacy and information rights have played a pivotal role at prominent times during the past four decades.
Free – just drop in.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Manc Holes and Beyond Exhibition
2025-04-10 08:00 - 2025-06-27 17:00 | First Floor Display Cases
The Manchester Manhole Collective is proud to present Manc Holes and Beyond, the world’s first exhibition celebrating the art and design of manhole & drain covers. These well-trodden yet often overlooked works of art that adorn the streets, roads & pavements of Manchester and beyond.
Amaze at how these heavy industrial designs exemplify art at the heart of cities and towns and witness how they have inspired individuals to photograph, paint, write poems & books, create ceramics, make films and produce interior designs such as fabrics and wallpapers. Our hope is to encourage people to seek out these urban art forms, engage their imaginations, be inspired, and join community of operculists knowing that creative activities help improve mental health and wellbeing.
Whilst creative pursuits help improve mental health and wellbeing, the services of charities in the arena of mental health are indispensable. As such, The Manchester Manhole Collective, encourage individuals to support We are Survivors, the Manchester based charity that offers help male survivors of sexual abuse.
Free – please drop in
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Real Contentment Exhibition
2025-06-02 10:00 - 2025-06-17 17:00
Exploring the natural world through literature and between UK and China, this exhibition is a culmination of a nine month project that forges a lasting connection between the UNESCO Cities of Literature and of Lifelong Learning.
Free – drop in.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

ACTING UP!
2025-08-26 08:00 - 2025-12-31 17:00
ACTING UP! tells the story of 40 years of HIV activism in the region through archives, testimonies and films. The exhibition honours the memories of lives lost and continues the fight for a world free of HIV stigma and discrimination.
Visit the exhibition in the ground floor of Central Library from 2 April till 31 December 2025, with a special display in the first floor Reading Room until 31 May 2025.
Acting Up! is organised by George House Trust, a charity which provides support, advice, information and advocacy services to people living with HIV in Greater Manchester and the wider North West.
The exhibition is part of ‘40 years of HIV Activism in Greater Manchester’, a project marking 40 years of George House Trust and the broader regional response to HIV.
Free – please drop in.
Please consider making a donation to support our Library Live programme here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

Piccadilly Radio Archive: Nobody Did It Better!
2025-08-26 08:00 - 2025-12-31 17:00 | Ground Floor
Explore the history of independent radio in Manchester from the birth of Piccadilly Radio in 1974 through to Key 103’s 1990s heyday. This free exhibition tells the story of the DJs, programme makers and listeners through audio, photography and ephemera. Listen to clips from your favourite DJs, find out what it was like to work at the station and learn about how the station’s archive is being cared for and digitised by the Archives+ team. Over 750 Piccadilly Radio shows are now available to listen on Central Library’s Sound + Vision pods.
The project was made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players. It was supported by Manchester Libraries Trust.
Free – just drop in.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Punk: The Art of Rebellion
2025-08-26 08:00 - 2025-12-31 17:00 | First Floor Display Cases
A new exhibition explores how punk exploded from the streets of 1970s Britain – raw, loud, and unapologetic. Born of crisis, it raged against capitalism, racism, and conformity. Through music, fashion, protest, and art, punk gave voice to the voiceless, challenged gender roles, and still shapes culture today.
Free – just drop in.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

LGBT Foundation’s 50 Years of Queer Hope & Joy Exhibition
2025-08-26 08:00 - 2025-12-31 17:00 | Wolfson Reading Room and Lower Ground Floor
2025 marks 50 years of queer hope and joy for LGBT Foundation—and the heart of the celebrations begins in the centre of Manchester.
Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and proudly sponsored by Barefoot Wine, the 50 Years of Queer Hope & Joy Exhibition at Manchester Central Library invites the public into a powerful, moving, and often joyful journey through the stories that shaped five decades of LGBTQ+ life in Greater Manchester and beyond.
From never-before-seen archive materials and oral histories to community artefacts and campaign posters, the exhibition showcases the resilience, resistance, and creativity of LGBTQ+ people across generations. Whether you’re rediscovering the past or encountering it for the first time, this in-person exhibition places the lived experiences of queer people at the heart of the narrative.
The 50 Years of Queer Hope and Joy Exhibition is open to the public on the Lower Ground Floor at the entrance to City Library, and in the Wolfson Reading Room on the First Floor till 31 December 2025.
Free – just drop in.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

From Page to Stage: 20 Years of Manchester Literature Festival
2025-09-12 08:00 - 2025-12-16 17:00 | Wolfson Reading Room
Feast your eyes on two decades of literary magic with From Page to Stage, a photographic exhibition celebrating Manchester Literature Festival’s 20th anniversary. This intimate collection of photos charts the Festival’s journey from its early days to becoming one of the UK’s most distinctive literary events. Through striking images, we revisit the unforgettable moments and remarkable voices that have shaped the Festival – from award-winning novelists and poets, to leading songwriters and musicians, activists and change-makers.
Featuring brilliant photos of homegrown favourites Lemn Sissay, Jeanette Winterson, Jackie Kay and Simon Armitage alongside much loved cultural figures Johnny Marr, Guy Garvey, Linton Kwesi Johnson and Vivienne Westwood, these images tell a story of inspired ideas, playful conversations and communities brought together. From intimate readings to bold, genre-defying events, the exhibition captures the energy, diversity and creativity that defines Manchester Literature Festival.
Come and join us in celebrating 20 years of bringing literature to life.
Image copyright: Jon Parker Lee.
Free – drop in.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Libraries 175: Celebrating 175 years of the Public Libraries Act 1850
2025-09-22 08:00 - 2025-12-31 17:00 | First Floor
Pop in and view this fascinating exhibition at Central Library – Libraries 175: Celebrating 175 years of the Public Libraries Act 1850.
175 years ago the Public Libraries Act was passed, which allowed Local Authorities to raise taxes to fund free public libraries. The borough of Manchester was the first borough in the country to open a free public library under the new Public Libraries Act. Manchester Free Library opened on 6th September 1852 at Campfield.
Commenting on the exhibition, Councillor John Hacking, Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure said:
‘Libraries are more than books and always have been. They play an important role at the heart of our communities, providing huge opportunities for learning and community engagement. The legacy of the Public Libraries Act reminds us that we need to keep investing in these vital spaces and adapting them to make them relevant for the communities they serve. Libraries have always been places of inspiration which is why they deserve our continued support.’
Neil MacInnes, OBE, Head of Service, Libraries, Galleries and Culture said:
‘Manchester has a proud history of investing in its libraries. We work hard to ensure they remain relevant to our communities, adapting and changing to the current needs and we will continue to look after and promote libraries for future generations. They are and will continue to be the heart and soul of learning, development and nourishment and long may they remain so.’
Free – please drop in.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online
