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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260701T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260930T170000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20250925T103247Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260811T092516Z
UID:11810-1782892800-1790787600@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:South Manchester Camera Club 2026 Exhibition of Members’ Images
DESCRIPTION:SMCC welcomes everyone to visit Manchester Central library to view a wide selection of members’ images. Pictures have been captured across a wide section of our members representing their individual skill\, technique and style. \nSMCC is an active\, friendly and progressive photography club offering a wide range of speakers\, outings and events. \nThe Club was formed in June 1952 by a group of friends in Didsbury\, led by Fred Veal FRPS\, FRSA\, the Club’s first President. The aim of the Club was to encourage “good friendship through photography” which is now the Club’s motto. \nThe club has a mentoring scheme for Club members by setting up small interest groups. These groups are each led by a couple of experienced leaders and cover Landscape\, People\, Urban/Street\, Macro Photography\, Astro Photography and a Basic Skills group. \nEach group arranges its own practical outings and review sessions\, where images are shared within the groups and constructive and supportive critique is given to help members improve their photography. Members can join as many groups as they want and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. \nFor more information\, please contact www.smcc.org.uk \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/south-manchester-camera-club-exhibition/
LOCATION:First Floor
CATEGORIES:Exhibition
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/SMCC-26.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260713T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261231T170000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260807T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261031T170000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261006T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261006T190000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20240620T123651Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260814T114132Z
UID:8692-1791306000-1791313200@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Chess Drop In (Cultural Welcome Week)
DESCRIPTION:Calling all chess players! \nHead 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. \nPart of the Cultural Welcome Week at Central Library. \nOpen to all ages and abilities. \nFree – 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/chess-drop-in/2026-10-06/
LOCATION:Ground Floor (Handling Tables)
CATEGORIES:Culture,weekly event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Chess-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261006T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261006T193000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260622T091928Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260814T115138Z
UID:13939-1791309600-1791315000@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Vinyl DJ Workshop (Cultural Welcome Week)
DESCRIPTION: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.  \n\n\nLed 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\, blending\, and getting comfortable with turntables — using professional decks and a mixer provided on site. \n\n\nWhether you’ve never touched a turntable before or you’re curious to explore the tactile side of music\, this workshop is open to complete beginners and returning vinyl lovers alike. No experience needed — just bring your enthusiasm and a record or two you love. \n\n\nExpect a calm\, supportive atmosphere where you can listen\, learn\, and share music with others who appreciate the analogue sound. \n\n\nTurntables and mixer provided – just bring your records. \n\nInstagram: @dj_mumu_45 \n\nTickets are pay-what-you-can – available on Eventbrite or by clicking ‘Book Now’ below. \n\n\nAll donations to Manchester Libraries.
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/bring-your-own-vinyl-workshop/
LOCATION:Henry Watson Music Library
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/DJ-MuMu-Lloyds-Best-Pic-LL-cropped.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261006T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261006T193000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260728T133548Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T133548Z
UID:14217-1791311400-1791315000@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Can't Get You Out Of My Head: In Search of Kylie - Michael Cragg in conversation
DESCRIPTION: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 Central Library on Tuesday 6th October when he’ll be chatting all things Kylie! The talk will be followed by an audience Q&A and booksigning. \nTickets are £6.00 each or £25.00 including a copy of Can’t Get You Out of My Head \nEvent starts at 6:30pm (doors at 6pm) \nAbout the book: \nFrom her late-eighties beginnings – capturing our hearts as Charlene in Neighbours – to her gold-plated hits like ‘Spinning Around’ and ‘Padam Padam’ soundtracking the euphoria of dancefloors the world over\, Kylie Minogue is a modern-day icon. But\, having sold over eighty-million records internationally and becoming the bestselling Australian pop star of all time\, who is the ‘real’ Kylie? And how has she remained a mystery while also navigating a forty-year career in the fickle world of pop? \nPop-academic and award-winning writer Michael Cragg takes us on a journey into the psyche of one of the world’s most enigmatic pop stars. Via a mix of brand new interviews\, a dash of oral history and some joyfully irreverent music writing\, Can’t Get You Out of My Head aims to put the puzzle pieces together. \n“Michael Cragg is the greatest chronicler of modern pop and he has found the perfect subject. Any story that takes in Neighbours\, Nick Cave and Pete Waterman needs to be told this well” – Josh Widdicombe \n“Cragg investigates the beautiful enigma that is Kylie\, interweaving pin-sharp journalism\, personal experience and a deeply held belief in the power and wonder of perfect pop. Funny\, clever and touching\, this book is a delight” – Miranda Sawyer \nAbout the author: \nMichael Cragg is a journalist and author from London. His work has appeared in the Guardian\, the Observer\, Vogue\, i-D\, GQ\, BEAT\, Popjustice\, the BBC\, Out and the Sunday Times. His first book\, Reach For The Stars\, an oral history of 90s and 00s UK pop\, won the Penderyn Music Book Prize in 2024. Keen to focus on pop artistes that perhaps haven’t always received the recognition they deserve\, his second book\, Can’t Get You Out of My Head: In Search of Kylie\, is about the diminutive Australian hitmaker. During his tenure at the pop coalface he’s interviewed the likes of Lady Gaga\, Miley Cyrus\, Rosalía\, Björk\, Little Mix\, Britney Spears\, Robbie Williams and Robyn.
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/cant-get-you-out-of-my-head-in-search-of-kylie-michael-cragg-in-conversation/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Book Launch
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/SERENITY-BOOKSELLERS-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261007T130000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261007T140000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260129T082635Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260814T115720Z
UID:12700-1791378000-1791381600@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Behind the Scenes Tour (Cultural Welcome Week)
DESCRIPTION:Calling all students! Get to know your Central Library inside out with this behind the scenes tour.  \nWhich musician was once thrown out of the Language and Literature Library? \nWhat would you find now in the space where Patrick Stewart and Helen Mirren – amongst many others – played their first roles? \nWhat do George V\, Gypsy Rose Lee and Bernard Bresslaw have in common? \nAll these questions – and many more – are answered on a tour of Manchester Central Library which will take you to all the areas not normally accessible to the general public and tell the story of this iconic building. Tours last around 60 minutes and include the chance to see the strong rooms beneath the building and some of our rarest treasures and archives. \nPlease meet in the main entrance (Shakespeare Hall) of Central Library from 12.45pm. The tour starts at 1pm. \nDid you know\, you can join our Library Lovers scheme and enjoy a free tour\, plus discounts in our shop and cafe\, and invites to other events and exhibition launches? Find out more and join online. \nThis tour is part of the Cultural Welcome Week\, aimed at students and new arrivals to Manchester.
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/behind-the-scenes-tour-3/
LOCATION:Entrance Hall
CATEGORIES:Archives,Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Central-Library-Reading-Room.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261007T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261007T190000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260306T131102Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260814T123529Z
UID:13171-1791392400-1791399600@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Board Games Club (Cultural Welcome Week)
DESCRIPTION:Are you a wizard at Ticket to Ride? A fan of tableau building games? \nCome along a special Cultural Welcome Week edition of our free weekly boardgames sessions. \nOpen to all ages and abilities. \nFree – drop in \nPart of the Cultural Welcome Week programme at Central Library.  \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/board-games-cafe-2026-04-01/
LOCATION:Ground Floor (Handling Tables)
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Board-Games-Club.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261008T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261008T190000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20240620T123651Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240620T123651Z
UID:14351-1791478800-1791486000@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Chess Drop In (Cultural Welcome Week)
DESCRIPTION:Calling all chess players! \nHead 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. \nPart of the Cultural Welcome Week at Central Library. \nOpen to all ages and abilities. \nFree – 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/chess-drop-in/2026-10-08/
LOCATION:Ground Floor (Handling Tables)
CATEGORIES:Culture,weekly event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Chess-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261008T173000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261008T193000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260615T141731Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260814T123710Z
UID:13881-1791480600-1791487800@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:2hr Music Production Workshop at Central Library
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a hands-on music production and DJ workshop at Central Library this October. Part of our Cultural Welcome Week programme. \nWelcome 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. \nThis small group session will cover the fundamentals of beat making\, mixing\, and live looping/DJ performance\, using industry-standard tools like Ableton Live\, MIDI Controllers and live instruments. \nThe workshop will take a multi-genre approach\, encouraging participants to explore and create across styles such as hip hop\, electronic\, house\, experimental\, and more. \nThe focus will be on building confidence\, developing practical skills\, and giving people the tools to start honing their musical intuition and creating their own music straight away. \nWith a strong emphasis on inclusion\, creativity\, and real-world application\, this group session in the Henry Watson Music Library on the first floor will be suitable for all abilities. \nCapacity is limited\, so be quick… \nTickets are ‘pay-whatever-you-like’! \nAll donations go to Manchester Libraries to support future activities.
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/2hr-dj-music-production-workshop-at-central-library/
LOCATION:Henry Watson Music Library
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/DJ-session-Niah-Maurice-590x300-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261009T130000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261009T140000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260814T134655Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260814T134739Z
UID:14366-1791550800-1791554400@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:RNCM presents... At Henry Watson Music Library
DESCRIPTION:RNCM presents… At the Henry Watson Music Library is a brand new series of concerts for 2026. \nTaking place in the historic music library of Central Library\, these concerts will introduce audiences to the talented roster of musicians currently studying at the esteemed music College. \nFrom soloists to singer-songwriters\, classical to pop\, this lunchtime series promises to showcase some of the most sumptuous sounds and skilled musicians emerging from the RNCM right now. \nWith each edition spotlighting a different musician from the College\, standby for the full details of the inaugural session in due course. \nOpen to the public\, tickets are just pay-what-you-like – on sale soon. \nThis event is part of the Cultural Welcome Week at Central Library.
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/rncm-presents-at-henry-watson-music-library/
LOCATION:Henry Watson Music Library
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/RNCM-presents.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261010T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261010T203000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261012T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261012T170000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260820T094349Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T094531Z
UID:14379-1791792000-1791824400@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents Ian McMillan
DESCRIPTION:Beloved poet\, broadcaster and performer Ian McMillan launches his moving and inventive new collection Red River Valley. Drawing on family life\, everyday absurdities and the impact of austerity on the South Yorkshire village where he has lived all his life\, Ian creates poems that are funny\, poignant and full of humanity.   \nRenowned for his warmth\, wit and extraordinary live readings\, he brings language vividly to life on the page and on stage. Join one of Britain’s most treasured poets for a celebration of storytelling\, community and the power of words.   \n‘World-class – one of today’s greatest poetry performers’ Carol Ann Duffy  \nHosted by Becky Swain.   \nA Manchester Literature Festival event co-presented with Manchester Poetry Library at Manchester Metropolitan University. Supported by Library Live.  \nIan McMillan was born in Barnsley. He published his first Carcanet book of poems\, The Changing Problem\, in 1980. His collections include Selected Poems (a Poetry Book Society Recommendation)\, I Found this Shirt and To Fold the Evening Star. He has hosted The Verb\, BBC Radio 4’s arts programme since 2002\, and been Barnsley Football Club’s poet-in-residence and Yorkshire TV’s Investigative Poet. \nBook tickets here or click ‘Book Now’ below
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-ian-mcmillan/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Ian-McMillan-PHOTO-Jody-Moore-Bolder-Visual-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261013T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261013T170000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260820T102807Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T102807Z
UID:14388-1791878400-1791910800@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents Frank Cottrell-Boyce
DESCRIPTION:Beloved author\, screenwriter and Waterstones Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce brings his trademark wit and warmth to a moving conversation about books\, imagination and the stories that shape our lives.   \nInspired by his new non-fiction book\, A British Childhood\, as well as many of his own favourite reads\, Frank reflects on what it means to grow up in Britain today\, sharing stories gathered from children\, families\, schools and libraries across the country\, who have grown up in the shadow of Covid and austerity. Along the way\, he’ll celebrate the books that have inspired him\, champion the importance of reading and share why storytelling remains one of the most powerful and essential gifts we can give children.  \n“Frank Cottrell-Boyce is truly a great champion for children and childhood… No home\, no school\, and especially no library should be without this story and this book.”  Michael Morpurgo  \nA Manchester Literature Festival event supported by Library Live.  \nFrank Cottrell-Boyce is one of Britain’s most acclaimed writers for children\, whose bestselling novels include Millions\, Cosmic\, Framed and The Astounding Broccoli Boy. Waterstones Children’s Laureate from 2024 – 2026\, he is also an award-winning screenwriter whose work includes Doctor Who\, Kensuke’s Kingdom and\, with Danny Boyle\, the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. Expect wit\, warmth\, insight and plenty of memorable book recommendations. \nBook tickets here or click ‘Book Now’ below
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-frank-cottrell-boyce/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Frank-Cottrell-Boyce-photo-credit-Rich-Barr-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261015T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261015T170000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260820T103747Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T103747Z
UID:14394-1792051200-1792083600@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents Louise Kennedy & Wendy Erskine
DESCRIPTION:Two of Northern Ireland’s most acclaimed\, contemporary authors\, Louise Kennedy and Wendy Erskine\, join BBC 6 Music broadcaster Deb Grant for an unmissable conversation about storytelling and identity.   \nLouise Kennedy (Trespasses) introduces Stations\, one of the most anticipated novels of 2026\, a moving and immersive story of first love\, friendship\, freedom and reinvention that spans decades and explores the choices that echo throughout our lives.   \nWendy Erskine (Dance Move) discusses The Benefactors\, her Women’s Fiction Prize-longlisted novel: a bold\, darkly funny and razor-sharp examination of class\, power\, motherhood and social exclusion in contemporary Northern Ireland.  \nA Manchester Literature Festival event supported by Library Live.  \nLouise Kennedy is the bestselling author of Trespasses\, winner of multiple awards including Debut Fiction Book of the Year at the British Book Awards\, and the acclaimed short-story collection The End of the World Is a Cul de Sac.   \nWendy Erskine is the award-winning author of Sweet Home and Dance Move\, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature\, broadcaster and interviewer and works as a secondary school teacher in Belfast.  \nBook tickets here or click ‘Book Now’ below
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-louise-kennedy-wendy-erskine/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Louise-Kennedy-photo-credit-Alexis-Kirschbaum-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261016T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261016T170000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260820T104451Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T104451Z
UID:14402-1792137600-1792170000@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents Carolyn Forché & Kwame Dawes
DESCRIPTION:Don’t miss this opportunity to hear two of the world’s most visionary poets read and discuss their sublime poetry\, exploring political engagement and the interplay between survival and testimony.  \nOver five decades\, American poet Carolyn Forché has established herself as both ‘a poet of witness’ and an indefatigable human rights activist. Beautifully crafted\, her poems are testimonies\, enquiries and wonderments. Her anthology\, Against Forgetting\, has been praised by Nelson Mandela as ‘itself a blow against tyranny\, against prejudice\, against injustice.’ Otherwise: New & Selected Poems 1976-2026 brings together poems from her five award-winning collections as well as urgent new work.  \nKwame Dawes is the author of numerous books of poetry\, essays and works of fiction\, most recently the collection Sturge Town featuring poems of acute self-reflection alongside those giving voice to invented characters. He is the Poet Laureate of Jamaica\, the Artistic Director of the Calabash International Literary Festival and Professor of Literary Arts at Brown University. His poetry has been described by Martin Espada as ‘the music of survival and transcendence.’  \nA Manchester Literature Festival event co-presented with Manchester Poetry Library\, Bloodaxe Books and Renaissance One. Supported by Library Live.  \nBook tickets here or click ‘Book Now’ below
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-carolyn-forche-kwame-dawes/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Kwame-Dawes-photo-©-Chris-Abani-scaled-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261017T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261017T170000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260820T105038Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T105206Z
UID:14409-1792224000-1792256400@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents Brutalist Ghost Stories
DESCRIPTION:An afternoon exploring the supernatural with writers Jenn Ashworth\, David Gaffney\, Beth Barker and Nicholas Royle – four contributors to Brutalist Ghost Stories\, a haunting new anthology inspired by Britain’s post-war architecture.   \nBlending literary fiction with the uncanny\, these original stories reimagine Brutalist buildings as places where history\, memory and the supernatural collide. From Preston Bus Station and the Barbican to Forton Service Station and a substation in Sheffield\, the collection offers a striking new way of seeing familiar spaces.   \nHear readings from the anthology and discover how four distinctive Northern voices have transformed these monumental settings into unforgettable ghost stories.  \nBrutalist Ghost Stories is edited by Richard V. Hirst and published by Manchester’s Cōnfingō Publishing.  \nA Manchester Literature Festival event supported by Library Live.  \nJenn Ashworth is an award-winning novelist whose books include A Kind of Intimacy\, Fell and Ghosted. Her memoir Notes Made While Falling was shortlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize. She lives in Lancashire.   \nDavid Gaffney is a novelist and short story writer whose books include Never Never\, Out of the Dark and Sawn-Off Tales. His work has been appeared on BBC Radio 4. He lives in Manchester.  \nBeth Barker is a writer from Blackpool. Her work has appeared in publications including Prototype 5 and A Wild and Precious Life. She is one of the emerging voices supported through the New North strand of Brutalist Ghost Stories.  \nNicholas Royle is an acclaimed novelist and short story writer whose books include First Novel\, Antwerp and Ornithology. He is the editor of Best British Short Stories and founder of Nightjar Press.  \nBook tickets here or click ‘Book Now’ below
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-brutalist-ghost-stories/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/1021014.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261018T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261018T170000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260820T105849Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T105849Z
UID:14417-1792310400-1792342800@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents Natasha Walter - Feminism for A World on Fire
DESCRIPTION:An inspiring conversation with acclaimed author and campaigner Natasha Walter about building a more connected and hopeful future.   \nDrawing on her powerful and urgent new book Feminism for a World on Fire\, Natasha explores how the challenges facing women today – from inequality and online misogyny to climate change – are deeply interconnected and why our responses can be too. She offers a vision of feminism rooted in solidarity\, community and care for both people and the planet\, imagining how women’s liberation can sit alongside movements for equality\, justice and environmental protection.   \n‘Natasha Walters is a unique voice and a big picture thinker. She’s right: this is a world on fire. This book will help you understand exactly how’ Carole Cadwalladr   \n‘At the heart of Natasha Walter’s book is a proposition that actually filled me with hope’ Mary Portas  \nJoin us for a thought-provoking and inclusive event full of hope\, as Natasha explores feminism\, social change and the power of collective action.  \nA Manchester Literature Festival event supported by Library Live.  \nNatasha Walter is an award-winning author\, journalist and campaigner. Her books include The New Feminism\, Living Dolls and Before the Light Fades. She is the founder of Women for Refugee Women and her work in her academic roles\, at the University of Cambridge and Queen Mary University of London\, focuses on women’s rights\, climate justice and equality.  \nBook tickets here or click ‘Book Now’ below
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-natasha-walter-feminism-for-a-world-on-fire/
CATEGORIES:Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Natasha-Walter-PHOTO-scaled.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261018T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261018T170000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260820T110312Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T110312Z
UID:14421-1792310400-1792342800@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents Simon Armitage: Gilgamesh
DESCRIPTION:The Poet Laureate Simon Armitage returns to present his exhilarating new verse translation of Gilgamesh\, one of the world’s oldest and most compelling\, surviving works of literature. \nOriginating in ancient Mesopotamia nearly 4\,000 years ago\, this epic tale follows King Gilgamesh through adventures\, battles and profound personal loss. The poem explores themes that remain strikingly relevant today: power\, friendship\, love\, loss and what it means to be human. \nA Festival favourite and outstanding live performer\, Simon brings fresh energy and momentum to this ancient story\, capturing its emotional depth and relevance. See him live in what promises to be\, an uplifting journey into the very origins of storytelling. \nA Manchester Literature Festival event supported by Library Live. \nSimon Armitage was born in West Yorkshire and is Professor of Poetry at the University of Leeds. An award-winning poet\, translator\, broadcaster and musician\, he has published over twenty poetry collections and is the author of acclaimed translations including Sir Gawain and the Green Knight\, Pearl and The Owl and the Nightingale. He is the current Poet Laureate (2019-2029). \nBook tickets here or click ‘Book Now’ below
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-simon-armitage-gilgamesh/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Armitage-Simon_credit-Paul-Stuart-Photography-Ltd-2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261019T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261019T170000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260820T111053Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T111358Z
UID:14426-1792396800-1792429200@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents Willy Vlautin
DESCRIPTION:Join acclaimed musician\, songwriter and novelist Willy Vlautin for a special evening celebrating his powerful new novel\, The Left and the Lucky. Set in Portland\, Oregon\, the novel tells the story of Eddie\, a solitary house painter\, and Russell\, the vulnerable small neighbour who slowly changes his life. Heart wrenching yet uplifting\, The Left and the Lucky is a testament to kindness\, survival and human connection.   \nOne of America’s most distinctive chroniclers of working-class life\, Willy started writing stories and songs at the age of eleven after receiving his first guitar. He joins us to discuss unlikely friendships\, human connection and his commitment to telling working class stories through his work. Don’t miss an evening with one of contemporary fiction’s most charismatic and humane voices.   \n“One of America’s great writers” Roddy Doyle   \n“Willy Vlautin is one of the bravest novelists writing. Murderers\, cheats\, sadists\, showy examples of the banality of evil\, are easy\, but it takes real courage to write a novel about ordinary good people.” Ursula K. Le Guin  \nA Manchester Literature Festival event supported by Library Live.  \nWilly Vlautin is the acclaimed author of seven novels\, including The Horse\, winner of the 2025 Joyce Carol Oates Award. His novels The Motel Life and Lean on Pete became acclaimed films\, while The Night Always Comes was adapted by Netflix in 2025. Born in Reno\, Nevada\, he lives near Portland\, Oregon and teaches at Pacific University’s MFA in Writing programme. He is the founder of the bands Richmond Fontaine and The Delines.  \nBook tickets here or click ‘Book Now’ below
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-willy-vlautin/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Willy-Vlautin-photo-credit-Bobby-Abrahamson.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261020T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261020T170000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260820T112004Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T112004Z
UID:14431-1792483200-1792515600@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents M. John Harrison
DESCRIPTION:Spend an evening with one of Britain’s greatest contemporary writers as M. John Harrison discusses his remarkable new novel\, The End of Everything\, with acclaimed writer Helen Mort.   \nSet in a fractured near-future where Europe has been mislaid\, governments barely function and mysterious new life forms emerge from the sea\, this unsettling and darkly funny novel follows a scavenger and his aunt – each drawn into separate journeys that challenges everything they think they know.   \nExpect a provocative and wide-ranging discussion about imagination\, literature and how we navigate a world where crisis has become the backdrop to everyday life.   \n‘M John Harrison is the closest thing we have to a present-day Wyndham or Ballard.’ New Statesman   \n‘The End of Everything is at once surreal\, seductive\, shrewdly funny and wholly terrifying.‘ Julia Armfield  \nA Manchester Literature Festival event supported by Library Live.  \nJohn Harrisonis the author of more than twenty books\, including the celebratedViriconium sequence\, Light\, The Centauri Device and The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again. Regarded as one of Britain’s most influential contemporary writers\, he has received numerous awards and written science fiction\, fantasy and speculative fiction.  His anti-memoir\, Wish I Was Here\, was described as a masterpiece and ‘a deep dive into the mind of a genius’ by Monique Roffey.   \nHelen Mort is a Sheffield based poet\, novelist\, non-fiction writer and creative writing lecturer.   \nBook tickets here or click ‘Book Now’ below
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-m-john-harrison/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/M-John-Harrison-credit-Hugo-Glendinning-1-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261021T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261021T170000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260820T123941Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T124027Z
UID:14439-1792569600-1792602000@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents Lady Hale & Lara Feigel
DESCRIPTION:Lady Hale\, the first female President of the UK Supreme Court and author of the Women’s Prize longlisted With the Law on Our Side\, joins acclaimed writer Lara Feigel\, author of Custody: The Secret History of Mothers\, for a compelling conversation on law\, family and power.   \nDrawing on real cases and lived testimony\, Lady Hale opens up the legal system with clarity and humanity\, revealing how people experience the law and question where justice lies.   \nLara Feigel explores child custody through the lives of real women who challenged convention and fought for greater freedom and justice\, revealing how motherhood\, power and the law have shaped both family life and feminist progress.  \nTogether they will have a lively conversation about how justice is experienced by children\, mothers and families across history and today.  \nA Manchester Literature Festival event co-presented with the Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester. Sponsored by Weightmans. Supported by Library Live.  \nLady Hale was the first woman to serve on the UK Supreme Court and its first female President. A pioneering legal figure\, she championed landmark reforms in family and disability law.  \nLara Feigel is the author of four highly acclaimed works of cultural history and a novel. She reviews regularly for the Guardian and contributes to a range of BBC radio programmes.  \nBook tickets here or click ‘Book Now’ below
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-lady-hale-lara-feigel/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Lara-Feigel-PHOTO-credit-Johnny-Ring-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261022T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261022T170000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260820T124500Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T124527Z
UID:14446-1792656000-1792688400@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents Hernan Diaz
DESCRIPTION:See Pulitzer Prize-winning author Hernan Diaz (Trust) discuss his brilliant new novel Ply. Set centuries from now\, Ply follows an orphan in a city on the brink of profound change\, drawn into an underground world of art\, music and risk – and a discovery that could reshape reality. A novel of ideas built from a story of people\, it blends Dickensian odyssey\, family drama and scientific thriller to explore selfhood\, connection and the distance between us and those we love.  \nRecently featured on Dua Lipa’s Service95 Book Club\, Hernan Diaz’s work continues to inspire readers worldwide. Don’t miss this unforgettable conversation with one of contemporary fiction’s most visionary voices.  \nA Manchester Literature Festival event supported by Library Live.  \nHernan Diaz was born in Argentina\, grew up in Sweden and now lives in New York. His acclaimed novels include Trust and In the Distance. Trust is currently being developed as a limited series for HBO\, and it has been named one of the New York Times’s Best 100 Books of the 21st Century. His work has been translated into thirty-seven languages.    \nBook tickets here or click ‘Book Now’ below
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-hernan-diaz/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/HERNAN-DIAZ-photo-copyright-Pascal-Perich-scaled.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261023T130000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261023T150000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260820T124950Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T124950Z
UID:14453-1792760400-1792767600@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents Writing Creative Non-Fiction with Dave Haslam
DESCRIPTION:Dave Haslam\, author of the memoir Sonic Youth Slept on My Floor and books including My Second Home: Sylvia Plath in Paris\, 1956\, leads us through strategies to express a true story or life events in a way that incorporates imagination\, subjectivity\, novelistic elements\, and unconventional structures. The workshop is aimed at aspiring and early career writers and will include a study of works by the likes of Tom Wolfe and Deborah Levy.   \nA Manchester Literature Festival event supported by Library Live.  \nDave is an author\, broadcaster and DJ based in Manchester. His books include Manchester England\, Life After Dark and the forthcoming Creative Journeys\, drawing on four decades of conversations with some of the most compelling voices in music\, literature\, film and art.  His Art Decades series includes A Life in Thirty-Five Boxes: How I Survived Selling My Record Collection; We the Youth: Keith Haring’s New York Nightlife and Strawberry and the Big Apple: Grace Jones in Stockport\, 1980.    \nBook tickets here or click ‘Book Now’ below
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-writing-creative-non-fiction-with-dave-haslam/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/4793-Writing-Creative-Non-Fiction-with-Dave-Haslam-Landscape.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20261024T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20261024T150000
DTSTAMP:20260824T051303
CREATED:20260820T125915Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T125915Z
UID:14456-1792837800-1792854000@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents Little Reads Family Day
DESCRIPTION:Take part in a joyful day of stories\, theatre\, music\, dancing\, crafts and family fun. 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. Explore storytelling through movement with dancer Magdalen Bartlett. Book tickets for the individual events and drop in for some free crafts. Suitable for ages 3+. \nA Manchester Literature Festival event supported by Library Live.  \nBooking links:   \nThe Elves and the Shoemaker\, 10.30am – 11.15am | £6 – Book tickets here \nDance with Magdalen Bartlett\, 12 – 12.40pm | Free but booking recommended – Book tickets here \nRobert Tregoning – Dylan\, Daisy and the Disco Ball\, 1.30pm – 2.15pm | £6 – Book tickets here
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-little-reads-family-day/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Family
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/4793-Little-Reads-Family-Days-Landscape.jpg
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