• Italian Kids present La Pimpa

    Performance Space

    Join Italian Kids for a fun-filled afternoon and celebrate La Pimpa, the beloved Italian children's book character created by Altan. Enjoy themed crafts, stories and games! Italian Kids is an association of Italian-speaking parents who meet regularly to allow their children to make new friends, play, sing and practise Italian together. Free entry - book […]

  • Generations of Love: A Queer Up North Panel Event

    Performance Space

    Join Manchester Histories and Queer Up North for a thought-provoking panel discussion exploring how queer culture can build community, connect generations and sustain radical creative practice. Reflecting on the legacy of Queer Up North, the conversation will consider what the festival built, what it inherited, and what we can learn from it today. The panel […]

  • Spanish Storytime (European Day of Languages Special)

    Children's Library

    Hola! Come and join María at the Spanish Story Time monthly sessions, where you can listen to a story in Spanish and learn phrases and vocabulary, whilst having fun. We end each session making a simple craft related to the story. Suitable for children aged 4-7 Free - just drop in. Please consider making a […]

  • Causing Trouble: A Queer Up North Panel Event

    Join Manchester Histories and Queer Up North for a panel discussion exploring what today’s queer cultural spaces can learn from Queer Up North, cultural activism and the radical past. Looking back at the festival in the context of the AIDS crisis, Section 28 and wider movements for LGBTQ+ rights, the conversation asks what should be […]

  • Chess Drop In (Cultural Welcome Week)

    Recurring
    Ground Floor (Handling Tables)

    Calling all chess players! Head to our handling tables area and put your skills to the test. Meet other players and meet your match at this informal and fun drop-in session with other chess enthusiasts. Part of the Cultural Welcome Week at Central Library. Open to all ages and abilities. Free - drop in Please […]

  • Vinyl DJ Workshop (Cultural Welcome Week)

    Henry Watson Music Library

    Come down to the Henry Watson Music Library for this relaxed, beginner‑friendly Vinyl DJ workshop - part of the Cultural Welcome Week at Central Library.  Led by vinyl DJ and host Maimuna (DJ MuMu), this session is all about connection, creativity, and enjoying music together in a friendly, social setting. You’ll learn the basics of cueing, […]

  • Can’t Get You Out Of My Head: In Search of Kylie – Michael Cragg in conversation

    Performance Space

    Kylie Minogue is one of the world's most successful pop stars, and in his new book, Can't Get You Out of My Head, music journalist Michael Cragg takes us on a hugely entertaining journey from her early days on Ramsey Street to her current status as global icon. We're thrilled to be welcoming Michael to Manchester […]

  • Behind the Scenes Tour (Cultural Welcome Week)

    Entrance Hall

    Calling all students! Get to know your Central Library inside out with this behind the scenes tour.  Which musician was once thrown out of the Language and Literature Library? What would you find now in the space where Patrick Stewart and Helen Mirren – amongst many others – played their first roles? What do George […]

  • Board Games Club (Cultural Welcome Week)

    Ground Floor (Handling Tables)

    Are you a wizard at Ticket to Ride? A fan of tableau building games? Come along a special Cultural Welcome Week edition of our free weekly boardgames sessions. Open to all ages and abilities. Free - drop in Part of the Cultural Welcome Week programme at Central Library.  Please make a donation to support our […]

  • Chess Drop In (Cultural Welcome Week)

    Recurring
    Ground Floor (Handling Tables)

    Calling all chess players! Head to our handling tables area and put your skills to the test. Meet other players and meet your match at this informal and fun drop-in session with other chess enthusiasts. Part of the Cultural Welcome Week at Central Library. Open to all ages and abilities. Free - drop in Please […]

  • 2hr Music Production Workshop at Central Library

    Henry Watson Music Library

    Join us for a hands-on music production and DJ workshop at Central Library this October. Part of our Cultural Welcome Week programme. Welcome back your host and tutor Niah Jemijog for a 2 hour session designed to be an accessible, creative, and engaging tutorial for all experience levels. This small group session will cover the […]