Library Live

Living Library: This is What an Activist
2021-10-01 14:00 - 15:30 UTC
We host a living library event to mark the launch of a new campaign that breaks stereotypes on what an activist looks like and showcase how generations are working together to tackle climate change. The ‘This Is What An Activist’ campaign launch coincides with the International Day of Older Persons and the living library event will give people the opportunity to talk to activists from all walks of life to be inspired to make a change in their communities.

All are welcome to the free drop-in event, which is being held at Manchester Central Library between 2pm-3.30pm. The afternoon will also premiere a new campaign video that features eight activists – young and old – uniting in the fight against climate change. A living library event allows visitors to browse the ‘bookcases’ and chose the ‘story’ they wanted to listen to, pull up a pew, and have a conversation with their chosen activist, who will be all set to share their personal stories about their activism to inspire all generations to act.

Among the ‘books’ will be community activist Dorretta Maynard from Trafford, who has spent most of her life volunteering in her community. She said: “I’m a woman who stands up for her rights, who is calm, approachable and always has open arms. I want to help the next generation rise. She said: “I’m a woman who stands up for her rights, who is calm, approachable and always has open arms. I want to help the next generation rise.”
Free – please drop in

Were You There? The Story of Manchester Free Trade Hall.
2021-09-29 18:00 - 19:30 | Performance Space
THE FREE TRADE HALL – THE MOST IMPORTANT POPULAR MUSIC VENUE IN GREAT BRITAIN BETWEEN 1951 AND 1996

Richard Lysons, author of ‘Were You There? Popular Music At Manchester’s Free Trade Hall 1951-1996’ will talk to veteran Manchester music writer, Mick Middles about his widely acclaimed book.

Manchester’s Free Trade Hall was arguably the most important popular music venue in Great Britain between 1951 and 1996. After several incarnations, the building was re-constructed and opened in 1951 as the new home of the Halle Orchestra. Yet it was popular music which would secure the venue its fame as it responded to each wave of popular music from jazz and skiffle through rock ‘n’ roll and folk to prog, punk and heavy metal.
From Billie Holiday to Blondie, Duke Ellington to Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd to Happy Mondays, Rolling Stones to The Beach Boys, David Bowie to Suede, just about everyone who mattered played there. The Free Trade Hall was also the venue for incendiary gigs by Bob Dylan in 1966 and the Sex Pistols a decade later which changed the course of music history.
Richard Lysons’ ‘meticulously researched tome’ will be of interest to anyone who ever attended a concert at the venue or has an interest in the history of popular music in Britain’s most musically important city. Alongside his own expert commentary on every headline act, he gives the reader a sense of what was going on at other venues in Manchester.
Richard’s book was published at the end of last year in the middle of lock-down(s). It has received overwhelmingly positive reaction in the press, from fellow music writers and from musicians.
There will be a Q & A session during the evening. Copies of Were You There? will be on sale at the event and Richard is happy to sign copies of the book that people already own.

Word Central Open Mic Night
2021-09-27 18:00 - 19:45
Word Central Open Mic Poetry and Spoken Word

Hosted by Tony Curry
Presented by Flapjack Press & Manchester Libraries
Monday 27th September, 6.00pm with special guest Gus Jonsson
Gus is a poet and writer who was brought up on the Isle of Wight. Now living in Littleborough, his two autobiographical volumes of poetry and prose, Vectis Voices and Vectis Days [Brandicat, 2020 & 2021], recall growing up on the island and explore family, friendships, loves found and lost, austerity, health, wellbeing and social acceptance within a small community in a post-war, working-class society.
You can book your open mic slot from noon on Tuesday 14th September via mail@flapjackpress.co.uk.
NB Open mic slots are 3 minutes per performer. Performance slots are allocated on a ‘first come first served’ basis from the stated booking day If they are already filled you will be offered a space on the reserve list.
You can catch up with our lockdown live streams on Word Central’s Facebook page
Word Central Facebook Group | Twitter: @WordCentralMcr | Library Live

Shon Faye: The Transgender Issue
2021-09-24 18:30 - 19:30 | Performance Space
Writer and presenter Shon Faye will be at Manchester Central Library to discuss her new book THE TRANSGENDER ISSUE with Christine Burns MBE.

About this event

Blackwell’s Manchester and Manchester Libraries are delighted to be hosting an evening with writer and presenter Shon Faye to celebrate the launch of her new book THE TRANSGENDER ISSUE: AN ARGUMENT FOR JUSTICE. Shon will be in conversation with civil rights and equality campaigner Christine Burns MBE.
About the book:
Trans people in Britain today have become a culture war ‘issue’. Despite making up less than one per cent of the country’s population, they are the subjects of a toxic and increasingly polarized ‘debate’ which generates reliable controversy for newspapers and talk shows. This media frenzy conceals a simple fact: that we are having the wrong conversation, a conversation in which trans people themselves are reduced to a talking point and denied a meaningful voice.In this powerful new book, Shon Faye reclaims the idea of the ‘transgender issue’ to uncover the reality of what it means to be trans in a transphobic society. In doing so, she provides a compelling, wide-ranging analysis of trans lives from youth to old age, exploring work, family, housing, healthcare, the prison system and trans participation in the LGBTQ+ and feminist communities, in contemporary Britain and beyond.The Transgender Issue is a landmark work that signals the beginning of a new, healthier conversation about trans life. It is a manifesto for change, and a call for justice and solidarity between all marginalized people and minorities. Trans liberation, as Faye sees it, goes to the root of what our society is and what it could be; it offers the possibility of a more just, free and joyful world for all of us.
About the author:
Shon Faye was born in Bristol, and is now based in London. After training as a lawyer, she left the law to pursue writing and campaigning, working in the charity sector with Amnesty International and Stonewall. She was an editor-at-large at Dazed, and her writing has been published by the Guardian, the Independent and Vice, among others. Faye recently launched an acclaimed podcast series, Call Me Mother, interviewing trailblazing LGBTQ elders. This is her first book.
Christine Burns MBE has campaigned for a quarter of a century for the civil rights of transgender people, and has been involved with the trans community for more than forty years. She has worked as an equalities consultant, helped to put together new employment legislation and the Gender Recognition Act, and wrote the first ever official guidance about trans people for the Department of Health. She is the editor of Trans Britain: Our Journey from the Shadows
This event is being held at Manchester Central Library. Doors 18.00 / Start 18.30. The Transgender Issue and Trans Britain will both be available to purchase on the night and Shon Faye and Christine Burns will be happy to sign copies after the event. Although not socially distanced, we will be leaving a little extra space between seats and asking audience members to wear a mask, at least until seated.

Dave Haslam 'All You Need is Dynamite' Book Launch
2021-09-07 19:00 - 20:00 | Performance Space
In ‘All You Need Is Dynamite: Acid, the Angry Brigade, and the End of the Sixties’ – the latest in his Art Decades series of small format books – Dave Haslam explores the fading of Sixties dreams of peace and love, and the emergence of urban terrorist groups, particularly the Angry Brigade who carried out dozens of bomb attacks in Britain. Haslam tracks the political campaigns, the police repression, and Angry Brigade links to Manchester and the city’s underground paper ‘Mole Express’ (a bible for local acid-freaks, and fans of the Weather Underground and the Edgar Broughton Band); he uncovers a heady mix of left-wing politics, psychedelic music, police raids and political violence.
At this launch event Dave Haslam will be discussing this new book, and welcoming special guest Bruce Mitchell; a renowned musician who played regularly at venues including Roger Eagle’s club the Magic Village (1968-1970). Copies of the book will for sale; a book signing will conclude the event.
The event will also mark the launch the Manchester Digital Music Archive online exhibition of back issues of ‘Mole Express’.
Although Covid regulations have been relaxed, we have cut the capacity of the venue by 40% to allow more social distancing, and we would ask attendees to wear a mask at least on arrival at the Library.
Tickets are £6 (£3 concessions for unwaged, low-waged and NHS staff)

Queering the North
2021-08-23 10:00 - 2021-08-28 16:00 | Performance Space
The OUTing the Past International Festival of LGBT+ History (est. Manchester in 2005) has teamed up with the Museum of Free Derry to create the first retrospective showcase of NI Queer Activism. A rare insight into the previously unacknowledged tenacious heroism of queer activism in Northern Ireland before, during and following “The Troubles”. The project was greatly enriched by the support of several archival collections and regional LGBT+ groups and queer veterans.
The Queering the North Exhibition aims to bring to a wider a public an expansive and nuanced reading of the history of the LGBT+ community in the North of Ireland/Northern Ireland. It brings together archives and recollections from a range of key activists within a scaffolding provided by academic research. The exhibition includes an expansive chronology of key events, commencing with the deliberate exclusion of NI from the decriminalising legislation offered by the 1967 Sexual Offences Act through to the introduction of Equal Marriage to NI (January 2020).
Museum of Derry Curator Adrian Kerr described the exhibition as a natural step for his institution: “This is a part of our collective past that has been kept hidden, and this is reflected in the nature of the information available for the exhibition. It is the hope of all involved that this will act as a provocative spur towards the creation of the first comprehensive reading of our LGBT+ history.”
The Mayor of Derry City, Cllr Michaela Boyle: “I had the great pleasure of hosting a reception in the Guildhall for the Exhibition Launch. I believe that this exhibition goes a long way towards creating a better understanding of the sensitivities and changes faced by the LGBT+ community and how we can all work collectively to create a better informed and respectful environment on this important issue.”
Sue Sanders (Founder & Chair of Lesbian Gay Bisexual & Trans + History Month UK | Professor Emeritus of the Harvey Milk Institute): “A thrilling and crucial exhibition that reflects the vital importance of working together to seek human rights for all.”
The Exhibition Tour will commence as part of the large Féile an Phobail (West Belfast Festival) – 5 to 13 August 2021 – before coming to Manchester for Pride – it will then start its re-scheduled Tour of the North (deferred due to the COVID pandemic).
Free – please drop in

Thank You Manchester Weekender
2021-08-15 12:00 - 16:00
As part of the Thank You Manchester Weekender, Central Library will play host to an interactive musical extravaganza. There will be the opportunity to try your hand at playing one of the many instruments from the library’s collection and listen to the Northern Chamber Orchestra perform. Don’t miss out on the Hip Hop archive exhibition on the first floor which marks over 40 years of Hip Hop lifestyle and culture.
Free – please drop in

Behind Closed Doors
2021-08-09 09:00 - 2021-08-21 20:00 | Lower Ground Floor Exhibition Space
Behind Closed Doors is a photographic exhibition featuring life within an Intensive Care Unit at the height of the pandemic. The photo’s were taken by Petro Bekker who volunteered to go back and work in the ICU at the start of the pandemic. Petro re-joined her colleagues, where she had been a Senior Sister and took her trusty camera with her. A special mention goes to the Wigan, Wrightington and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation teams who feature in the photographs. The exhibition is on the lower ground floor of Manchester Central Library and organised by mental wellbeing charity, MancSpirit.
Image credit: Petro Bekker
Free – please drop in

I am not Friday
2021-08-04 14:00 - 15:00 | Performance Space
Libraries Connected and BBC Novels That Shaped The World bring you…

A new humorous and imaginative re-telling of the Robinson Crusoe story.

Often regarded as the first English novel, we’re all familiar with the basics of the Robinson Crusoe story: A man, a shipwreck to a desert Island, some survival skills that would give Bear Grylls a run for his money… and his faithful servant – Man Friday. But what if Robinson Crusoe got some things a bit…well, wrong? What if ‘Man’ Friday…wasn’t? And what if it wasn’t the first novel after all?

Performed by: Janelle Thompson
Written by: Joyce Branagh
Directed by: Alyx Tole
Music by: Zara Nunn
Sound Design: Andrew Glassford

Suitable for ages 12+

Northern Publishers Fair
2021-07-24 11:30 - 16:00 | Performance Space
Ten cracking northern publishers serving up bookish goodness at the Northern Publishers’ Fair!
Come see what these innovative Northern Publishers have to offer and celebrate the North after, what we will all agree, has been a hard year for independent publishing! Ask our lovely publishers for their recommendations 🙂
Publishers announced in the following weeks – already confirmed are below!

Bluemoose Books
Saraband Books
Vertebrate Publishing
Stairwell Books
Manchester Poetry Library
Verve Poetry Press
Fly on the Wall Press

Manchester Libraries Safety Charter
Free – booking required

Hamdel Ensemble Concert
2021-07-17 14:00 - 16:30 | Performance Space
See a free LIVE gig by Iranian maestro musician Seyed Ali Jaberi and the Hamdel Ensemble on Saturday 17 July with two COVID safe repeated concerts at 2pm or 3.30pm.
Fans of world music get – at last – an opportunity to hear global music which is extremely limited due to the restrictions on international travel. The concert is presented by Community Arts North West (CAN) with Manchester Central Library and Crossing Footprints to celebrate Manchester Libraries’ award as a Library of Sanctuary, welcoming people seeking sanctuary and new migrants to the UK. The intimate (and COVID safe) performance is rooted in the life, poetry, and spiritual beliefs of the 13th-century Persian poet, Rumi, and connects audiences to the rich traditions of Sufism through music and whirling dervish dance. The performance is a ticket only with a limited capacity to keep audiences safe and tickets are selling fast. Seyed Ali jaberi has a huge worldwide following. His albums are hugely popular with both traditional Sufi music and world music fans. In 2019, he toured to UK venues and festivals including Birmingham Symphony Hall, The Sage, Gateshead, HOME, Manchester, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In the autumn, there will be more Library of Sanctuary events in Manchester’s branch libraries and we’ll share news of the events soon.
Free – booking required

Henry Normal in conversation with...
2021-07-14 12:00 - 2021-09-01 12:00 | Online
Join Henry Normal as he chats and shares poems with award-winning wordsmiths from Flapjack Press. With audience Q&A.
A series of live stream events, 12 – 1pm each Wednesday from 14th July to 1st September. Brought to you by Flapjack Press, Manchester Libraries and New Poetry Society. What better way to spend your lunchtime?
Free but booking essential.
Henry Normal is a poet, writer, TV and film producer, founder of the Manchester Poetry Festival (now the Manchester Literature Festival) and co-founder of the Nottingham Poetry Festival. Henry co-wrote and script edited The Mrs Merton Show and the spin-off series Mrs Merton and Malcolm. He also co-created and co-wrote the first series of The Royle Family and has collaborated extensively with Steve Coogan. Setting up Baby Cow Productions Ltd in 1999, Henry Executive Produced all and script edited many of the shows during his tenure as MD. Highlights of the Baby Cow output during this time include Oscar-nominated Philomena, Gavin and Stacey, The Mighty Boosh, Red Dwarf, Nighty Night and Alan Partridge. In 2017 he was honoured with a special BAFTA for services to television. Since retiring, Henry has written and performed seven BBC Radio 4 shows in his ‘occasional series’ A Normal…, combining comedy, poetry and stories about his life and family.
“Shove up national treasures. We need to make room for Henry Normal.” Radio Times
YOU CAN BOOK FREE TICKETS HERE.

Gerry Potter is a poet, playwright, actor, director, and both creator and destroyer of the infamous gingham diva Chloe Poems. A favourite son of Manchester and his hometown Liverpool, he trained at Everyman Youth Theatre and National Museums Liverpool lists him amongst the city’s leading LGBTQ+ icons. The portrait documentary My Name is Gerry Potter premiered at Homotopia in 2015 and his first volume of domestic/fantastic theatre-verse, 2009’s Planet Young, was championed on BBC2’s Between the Covers.
“Will amuse, move, inspire and provoke.” Polari Literary Salon

Geneviève L. Walsh founded Halifax’s spoken word night Spoken Weird in 2013, was a core member of the acclaimed troupe A Firm of Poets until their 2017 swansong, and has been a host/curator with Manchester’s Stirred Poetry collective since the same year. Walsh debuted and toured their one-person show, A Place in the Shade, in 2019. Their second poetry collection, Vitriol Works, was published in 2021.
“A unique and passionately inclusive voice.” Steve Nash, UK Performer of the Year

Thick Richard has presented BBC Radio 6 Music’s Beat of the Day, performed on BBC Radio 4, hosted NME parties, and gigged with Kae Tempest, John Hegley, Arthur Smith, The Fall, Jerry Sadowitz and (sort of) Dr John Cooper Clarke. He co-curated spoken word franchise Bang Said the Gun’s Manchester events during its run at The Dancehouse Theatre, and his one-man show, Swear School (a crash course in everything you wanted to know about bad language – with puppets), toured nationally. His flamboyant use of profanity once saw the official Edinburgh Fringe radio station temporarily closed down and he has been kidnapped on two separate and unconnected occasions. His latest collection of acerbic wit and wisdom, Read ‘em and Weep, was published in 2020.
“His words are rattling and brilliant and shoot life back at you in all its futility and chaos and wonder.” Kate Tempest, poet

Anna Percy co-founded Stirred, the influential pro-feminist collective which organises poetry performances and writing workshops throughout the north-west of England. Her award-winning poetry is written for both the page and the stage, is post-pastoral, occasionally surreal, and an exercise in hope for sexual equality and an advocacy of women’s rights. Her third collection with Flapjack Press, Jumping into a Waterfall, was published in 2020.
“A fabulous feminist fighter.” Shirley May, poet

Tony Curry is a performance poet, playwright, workshop facilitator, soundsmith and enabler. He runs literature-in-the-community projects with a specific leaning towards mental health and wellbeing across the north-west. His solo shows and plays have been performed at Manchester’s Royal Exchange and Contact theatres, and his work has been exhibited at the city’s art galleries and museum. Tony is also host of Word Central, the monthly spoken word event at Manchester Central Library coordinated by Flapjack Press and Manchester Libraries. His third poetry collection, We Kid Ourselves, was published in 2021.
“This is our poetry. These are our poems.” Tony Walsh, poet

Dominic Berry is a performance poet whose work for adults and children has taken him across five continents. He has been Glastonbury Festival’s poet-in-residence and his awards include winning Manchester Literature Festival’s Superheroes of Slam, New York’s Nuyorican Poets’ Café Slam, and he has twice been publicly voted Sabotage Review’s Best Spoken Word Performer. Dominic regularly performs at the Edinburgh Fringe and his TV appearances include BBC’s Greg & Celia’s Festivals Highlights, Rhyme Rocket and Channel 4’s My Daughter the Teenage Nudist. His third collection for adults, No Tigers, was revised and reissued in 2020, and his fifth poetry adventure for children, Best Adventure Ever!, was published in 2021.
“Emotive, intelligent and raw… quite delicious and totally engaging.” City Life

Rose Condo is a Canadian poet now based in Salford, England. With a background in theatre, she has been writing, performing and teaching for over twenty years and was longlisted for the inaugural Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellowship. Rose has won numerous poetry slams and her poetry theatre show, The Empathy Experiment, received critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and went on to win the award for Best Spoken Word Show at the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival 2019. Her debut collection, After the Storm, was published in 2020, and contains the scripts of her three award-winning poetry theatre shows: The Geography of Me, How to Starve and Artist and The Empathy Experiment.
“A steadying reminder of compassion in a world tipped off its axis.” Rosie Garland, poet & author

Paul Cookson has worked as a poet for over three decades, performing in schools and libraries, and at literature festivals and events across the world. As well as being Poet-in-Residence for The National Football Museum and Everton in the Community, he is Writer-in-Residence for Sing Together, which involves 125 Lancastrian schools with over 5000 children and 400 teachers. In 2020 he was commissioned by the BBC to write and perform a poem for the Women’s FA Cup Final. Paul has more than sixty titles to his name and over a million book sales – and with a quarter of a million copies sold alone, the anthology The Works has become a teacher’s ‘poetry Bible’. The third volume of his poem-a-day lockdown diaries, Pig’s Ear, Dog’s Dinner, was published in July. A fourth and final collection, Nail on the Head, is due in November.
“Every day should have a Paul Cookson moment.” Simon Mayo, broadcaster & author

“Publishes the most cutting-edge poetic performers” – Writing Manchester
Shortlisted Saboteur Awards’ Most Innovative Publisher & Northern Soul Awards’ Best Northern Publisher

I Love You Too
2021-07-02 09:30 - 2021-07-10 17:00 | Wolfson Reading Room
Kemang Wa Lehulere collaborates with 11 Manchester writers and over 100 residents of the city to create a surprising collection of love letters – a new book for Central Library
South African artist Kemang Wa Lehulere spent MIF19 in residence in Manchester’s network of libraries – and two years on, we’re now presenting I Love You Too, a multifaceted artwork inspired by the time he spent in the city.
At the start of 2021, Wa Lehulere invited more than 100 people from across Manchester to share with us their love stories: to people, to places, even to possessions. Through a series of online and in-person meetings, a group of 11 Manchester writers put their words on to the page. The result is I Love You Too, a powerful and personal book of love letters rooted in our city – and the first in an international series.
The book will be published at MIF21 (details to be announced) and will become a permanent part of Manchester Libraries’ collection. And together with the publication, the Central Library Reading Room will be hosting an exhibition of Wa Lehulere’s new sculpture, created especially for the space.
Commissioned and produced by Manchester International Festival in partnership with Library Live and Creative Spaces, Manchester Libraries’ cultural programmes, and supported by Arts Council England and National Lottery funding.
Photo credit: Adam McConnachie
Under 16s to be accompanied by an adult over 18
Running time: 30 minutes approx.
Free – ticket required (click on ‘Book Now’ for more info and to book tickets)

Manchester Hip Hop Archive Exhibition
2021-07-01 08:00 - 2021-09-28 17:00 | First Floor Exhibition Hall
Spotlighting the impact of the genre on the region’s community with a free exhibition of Hip Hop memorabilia and materials from the 1980s to present day, marking over 40 years of Hip Hop lifestyle and culture in the city.
Made up of clothing, photographs, cassettes, records, graffiti sketchbooks, posters, flyers and oral histories documenting the historical journey and growth of the youth movement, the exhibition digs deep into sub genres and time-lining the scene changes, weaving the rich tapestry of Manchester’s underground story the project tells a story; of a disillusioned yet resolute youth that strived for something beyond the grey skies and gloom of post-industrial decline and the economic depression of the early 1980’s.
The unique collection is quickly growing to showcase Manchester’s position in the history of UK Hip Hop – from the early days of pioneer breakdance crew’s, Broken Glass & Street Machine, dancing to the sounds of electro funk and breaks from the boom boxes or import record store, ‘Spin Inn’ Top 10’ weekly feature on Stu Allen’s seminal Hip Hop radio show on Piccadilly 261. From inception and til this day, Manchester’s home-grown talent and its new wave of shining stars remain at the forefront of UK Rap. Artists such as Aitch, Bugzy Malone and Children of Zeus are firmly carrying the torch that was once lit by the youth of the 80s in parks and city clubs such as, Legends and The Bistro. This exhibition showcases the journey and gives an insight into the 5 elements of Hip Hop culture and the impact it’s had on Manchester and today’s society.
Free – please drop in

Festival of Libraries - Sunday Funday
2021-06-13 12:00 - 16:00
Celebrate the Festival of Libraries with a special Sunday opening at Central Library. There will be a special mix of crafts and performance plus a chance to meet some of you favourite characters. Suitable for families with children under the age of 12.
Please note that this will be a specially socially distanced event so pre-booking is absolutely essential. We will be unable to admit you if you have not booked tickets by Saturday 12th June.
Strictly limited tickets are available to book free of charge for the following sessions:
Sunday 13th June, 12-2pm: Book free tickets here
Sunday 13th June, 2-4pm: Book free tickets here
This is a free event but please consider making a donation either in the venue or online to support our cultural recovery
Please note that you must obtain a ticket for each adult and child in your group.
Adults must wear a face mask unless medically exempt

Reds & K 1000 - Exhibition
2021-06-02 09:30 - 2021-09-18 16:30 | First Floor Display Cases
‘Reds’ Andrew Redmond met documentary photographer Karin Albinsson after completing a prison sentence. When ‘Reds’ told Karin of the 1,000 photos he had taken and lost six years ago, this project was born. During the last couple of years, they have met up regularly to retake the photos lost. Reds has spent most of his life in and out of institutions. During the project he has rebuilt his life. While Reds rediscover Manchester through connecting to graffiti and street art, Karin captures his stories.
The Exhibition include nine collages with 2,400 photos of graffiti and street art with a storyline under each collage.
‘Reds&K1000’ © Andrew Redmond and Karin Albinsson
Photos of graffiti and street art by Andrew Redmond.
Facilitator, portraits, text, postproduction, curator Karin Albinsson
Project funded by Volition, Manchester Cathedral
Free – please drop in

The Prostate Gap - Virtual Exhibition
2021-04-01 08:00 - 2021-05-31 17:00 | Online
The power of photography has been employed to create a direct exploration and challenge to the public’s understanding of prostate cancer within the marginalised communities. This exhibition, The Prostate Gap, postponed last year at Central Library due to the Covid pandemic, has been transformed in to a virtual exhibition. It intends to provide an impetus for change. A change in public attitude towards the under represented sections of the population. Deliver narratives of experiences that can offer inspiration to others in their communities.
View the virtual exhibition via this youtube link: The Prostate Gap – Virtual Exhibition
The exhibition spotlights a diverse selection of prostate patients. They have provided truthful and accurate histories about the barriers and cultural obstacles that they have had to deal with on their prostate journeys. ‘The Prostate Gap’, has been inspired by the public reaction to Ian Smith’s earlier photographic work, Prostate Cancer Every Picture Tells a Story, (2018). The Prostate Gap has been created to raise awareness of prostate cancer in the minority groups, the marginalised population and the underrepresented.
The ‘Prostate Gap’, explores different genders identities that have been on/or associated with a prostate cancer journey. The project is greatly indebted to the volunteers that have come forward to represent their own communities and share their stories. Smith has met, liaised with/discussed with and listened to a wide range of support groups from trans women, gay, BEM & African Caribbean, and, health care professionals in and around Manchester on his determined path to convey this informative and challenging body of work that provides a voice for the underrepresented groups.
His research uncovered many ‘Gaps’. Gaps in information, knowledge, and, experience. It must be remembered the ‘The Gap’ also affects Heterosexual relationships. The exhibition celebrates the work of the subjects that have extended their compassion to establish dedicated support groups, IE Martin Wells’ ‘Out With Cancer’ to support primarily (but not exclusive) the gay community around the North West, along with Steph Holmes who established Chrysalis to support Trans women and much more. Lynn Oddy also supports the trans women community around Manchester
Ian Smith has also published Adlington in the Age of Corona, which you may also like to watch. This short film celebrates a community project from his own village, Adlington, with photgraphic contributions from local residents.
#TheProstateGap

Family Crafts with Simone: Snazzy Bookmarks
2020-10-28 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
Snazzy Bookmarks with Simone
Everybody needs a fabulous bookmark for some serious reading. Join Simone for some snazzy bookmark making:
Watch the Snazzy Bookmarks session with Simone on Manchester Libraries Facebook page at 2pm on Wednesday 28 October
Free online event

Family Crafts with Simone: Fantasy Landscapes
2020-10-26 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
Fantasy Landscapes with Simone
Do you need a change of scene? Simone will help you create a masterpiece today. There is even a sew it yourself tip for those who need an extra challenge.
Watch the Fantasy Landscapes session with Simone on Manchester Libraries Facebook page at 2pm on Monday 26 October
Free online event

50 Windows of Creativity
2020-10-26 10:00 - 2020-12-05 16:00
50 Windows of Creativity will transform the city’s windows and spaces into an innovative art gallery which takes you on a creative journey around the city. The displays feature multiple art forms, from fine art and photography to ceramics, crafts, mosaics and murals – all curated by talented artists, designers, makers and collectives with a connection to Greater Manchester.
As an attraction for all to see and explore, it will positively contribute to the economic, social and cultural life of Manchester at a time when we all need something new to explore. More importantly, the art trail will help to support the city’s art and creative community, its businesses and cultural venues.
All pieces on display will be available to buy directly from the artist or maker so it’s a great opportunity to own an original piece of art or find unique gifts for friends and family.
The project culminates with an auction which will see a selection of pieces auctioned with proceeds going to their artists and makers, and to The Lord Mayor of Manchester Charity Appeal Trust – We Love MCR Charity (registered charity number 1066972) which aims to help improve the lives and life chances of Manchester people.
The 50 Windows of Creativity displays are in windows and spaces around Manchester city centre and can be enjoyed within social distancing regulations. All visitors are encouraged to maintain a safe distance, wear a face covering when appropriate and be respectful to other trail visitors.
At Central Library, Caroline Coates has created a piece in partnership with Manchester Libraries, inspired by the city’s rich history of standing up for what it believes in, and of course the amazing archives at Manchester Central Library.
50 Windows of Creativity is created by Wild in Art in partnership with Manchester City Council.
Download the trail map

Ancestry Talks with Paul Crooks
2020-10-20 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
Tracing Windrush Ancestry: Secrets of the Passenger Lists

There are calls from people of African & Caribbean descent not to forget the Windrush generation.
“Did my parents or forebears come to England on the Empire Windrush? Or, did they arrive on some other ship? What do I know about their arrival? What can I find out? Why are the Passenger lists important to tracing African Caribbean Ancestry? In the fervour to know more about Black History, am I forgetting my family history?”. These are questions trailblazing author and family historian Paul Crooks asked when pioneering research into African Caribbean. Join Paul for this captivating talk on how he used the Passenger lists to shed new light on the history of his Octogenarian father – a Windrush generationer.
In this masterclass, Paul reveals

the names of all the passenger ships your parents or Windrush forebears would have sailed on during Windrush era (1948 and 1961)
how you can use the Passenger Lists to help you begin exploring your African & Caribbean ancestry
How you can access the Passenger lists

About the Speaker
Trailblazing author and family historian Paul Crooks pioneered research into African Caribbean genealogy during the 1990s. He traced his family history from London, back 6 generations, to ancestors captured off the West African coast and enslaved on a sugar plantation in Jamaica.
In the 1990’s, Paul was told that it would be impossible to trace records of slave-ownership let alone his African ancestors enslaved on plantations in Jamaica. “No one had tried because such records did not exist.” Undeterred, he embarked on a journey of discovery that led from suburban North London to Jamaica and ultimately back to the Gold Coast of Africa; an effort that has brought him international recognition for his breakthroughs in Tracing black ancestry.
Join Ancestry Talks’ Paul Crooks for this captivating account of how he traced his Black Caribbean ancestors enslaved on a sugar plantation in Jamaica, 200 years ago.
In this masterclass, Paul captivates audiences with his unique account of how he traced his roots and his family’s migration down through the generations to Windrush.
Book your free place via Evenbrite

Ancestry Talks with Paul Crooks
2020-10-19 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
Tracing African Caribbean Ancestry – Who do you think you are?
Join Ancestry Talks’ Paul Crooks for this captivating account of how he traced his Black Caribbean ancestors enslaved on a sugar plantation in Jamaica, 200 years ago. In this masterclass, Paul captivates audiences with his unique account of how he traced his roots and his family’s migration down through the generations to Windrush.
About the Speaker
Trailblazing author and family historian Paul Crooks pioneered research into African Caribbean genealogy during the 1990s. He traced his family history from London, back 6 generations, to ancestors captured off the West African coast and enslaved on a sugar plantation in Jamaica.
In the 1990’s, Paul was told that it would be impossible to trace records of slave-ownership let alone his African ancestors enslaved on plantations in Jamaica. “No one had tried because such records did not exist.” Undeterred, he embarked on a journey of discovery that led from suburban North London to Jamaica and ultimately back to the Gold Coast of Africa; an effort that has brought him international recognition for his breakthroughs in Tracing black ancestry.
Book your free place via Evenbrite

Little Reads
2020-10-17 11:00 - 12:00 | Online
Little Reads is a fun, interactive workshop using drama, dance, songs, play and craft to explore children’s picture books. Most suitable for children aged 2 to 6 but all family members are welcome. We usually meet once a month in libraries across Greater Manchester. At the moment however, we are delivering LIVE Little Reads via ZOOM at the same time they would normally be in the libraries. To take part please simply complete this simple Typeform to book on to the session of your choice and to receive your ZOOM invite link.
Central Library (3rd Sat of month) – 11am, 17th October, 21st November, 19th December
Sessions also take place via ZOOM at these branch libraries:
Longsight – 11am, 17th October, 21st November, 19th December
Levenshulme – 2pm, 12th October, 9th November,14th November
Moss Side and Hulme – 11am, 7th October, 4th November, 2nd December
This is a space for you and your little ones to have fun sharing a story, singing, moving and playing. Remember to join in yourself as your children love to copy you. If you can’t make a live session, Miriam has been posting some Little Read sessions online which you can enjoy via the MLF YouTube channel
To keep up to date please join our Little Reads Facebook group
We hope to be back in the libraries soon but until then I hope you enjoy the live sessions from our wonderful team of experienced story tellers.
If you have any questions about any of the above you can get in touch with our Children & Young People’s Programme Producer: miriam@manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk
This project has been made possible through the generous support of the GMCA Culture Fund and Manchester City Council Neighbourhood Investment Funds.
We will keep your data safe and we will not share it with any third parties without your consent. For further information please see our privacy notice

Children’s Storytime: 'Mummy...What is Black Lives Matter?
2020-10-10 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
For one day only Manchester Libraries will be screening a special storytime with local author Jade Calder. Join Jade as she reads from her new self-published children’s book “”Mummy…What is Black Lives Matter”.
Inspired by shared real life experiences of the Black Lives Matter protests with her young daughter, Jade’s book addresses the subject of racism and protest for families to read together in a positive light.
Watch free on Manchester Libraries Facebook page at 2pm on 10 October

75 Memorial Flames Exhibition
2020-10-10 10:00 - 2020-12-11 16:00 | First Floor
A new Holocaust Memorial Day exhibition at Manchester Central Library.
Here’s more information about the exhibition from the organisers.
Holocaust Memorial Day 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. In commemoration of this landmark anniversary, we ran an exciting project that organisations and community groups all over the UK took part in.

From art groups to faith groups and charities to schools, groups of all kinds came together to make their own Memorial Flames. Each one commemorates 75 years since the end of the Holocaust, the genocide perpetrated by the Nazis against the Jews in Europe.
In November a panel of experts reviewed the artworks submitted, and 75 Memorial Flame artworks were selected to form a national exhibition which launched at the UK Commemorative Ceremony for HMD 2020. We were pleased to then have been able to host the 75 Memorial Flames exhibition in Cardiff, with the support of the Welsh Government. After being put on hold due to the ongoing situation with Covid-19, we are delighted that the Museum of Liverpool will be showcasing the artworks, with a three-week digital exhibition starting on 1 October, and the full physical exhibition will be on display at Manchester Central Library from 10 October, until the end of the year.
If you are unable to visit Manchester or Liverpool safely during this time, you can see all 75 Memorial Flames that feature in the national exhibition, and more from participating groups, by exploring our 75 Memorial Flames map or view the digital exhibition here.

An Evening with Sarah Butler
2020-10-06 18:30 - 19:30
Celebrate #LibrariesWeek with Manchester Libraries and acclaimed author Sarah Butler.
Sarah is a writer and literature activist who lives in Manchester. She has three novels published by Picador in the UK: Ten Things I’ve Learnt About Love, Before The Fire and Jack and Bet which was published in early 2020.
In 2007, Sarah established the literature consultancy UrbanWords, through which she explores the relationship between writing and place through prose, poetry and participatory projects.
Sarah joined Manchester Metropolitan University as Lecturer in Creative Writing in June 2018.
Saran will be in conversation and reading from her latest novel, followed by a Q&A and the opportunity for audience questions.
Jack and Bet
Jack is a man of few words, married to a woman of many. He and Bet have been together for seventy years — almost a lifetime — and happily so, for the most part.
All Jack and Bet want is to enjoy the time they have left together, in the flat they have tried to make their home. Their son Tommy has other ideas: he wants them to live somewhere with round-the-clock care, hot meals, activities. Bet thinks they can manage just fine.
When they strike up an unlikely friendship with Marinela, a young Romanian woman, Bet thinks she has found the perfect solution — one that could change Marinela’s life as well as theirs. But this means revisiting an old love affair, and confronting a long-buried secret she has kept hidden from everyone, even Jack, for many years.
Tender, moving, and beautifully told, Jack and Bet is an unforgettable novel about love and loss, the joys and regrets of a long marriage, and the struggle to find a place to call home.
The event will take place via Live Webinar. We’ll send all the details on how you can join the event in the confirmation email.

Windrush Generations Manchester Voices Exhibition
2020-10-05 08:00 - 2020-10-31 17:00 | Archives+ Ground Floor
Windrush Generations Manchester Voices is a digital exhibition, on the ground floor of Central Library in Archives+, that focuses on the personal histories and stories of 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation African Caribbeans in Manchester. Discover personal perspectives on:

struggles and achievements
art and activism

the history and legacy of immigration

#BlackHistoryMonth
Free – please drop in

Tiny Fun Palaces
2020-10-03 13:30 - 15:00 | Performance Space
Join Angela and Siobhan at Central Library to help you make your Tiny Fun Palace in a Bag. Places are very limited!
Booking is essential via Eventbrite
You can also pick up a Free Mini Fun Palace in a Bag from these libraries: Central Library, Fallowfield Library, Forum Library, Longsight Library and North City Library. The Mini Fun Palace Bag contains a few items to get you started with our activities, plus instructions and links to the videos. You will also need a few other recycling items and anything else you have at home to help decorate your makes. Bags are free but we have limited supplies so Early Birds – get to your local Fun Palace Library and make sure you get one – When they’re gone, they’re gone!
Manchester Libraries will also be online for a fun-filled day of Fun Palace activities from our wonderful communities and partners. We love sharing our passions for arts, culture, science and technology, learning new creative skills and making new friends and this year is no different – we’ve just gone Digital! There’s lots of fun for all ages from children to adults.
There are great activities you can follow at home by checking out our special video demonstrations at Manchester Libraries Facebook page.

An Evening with Lesley Pearse
2020-09-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Online
Manchester Libraries, Libraries Connected and Penguin Books invite you to join us for a special Friday evening with the hugely popular author Lesley Pearse.
Lesley Pearse was told as a child that she had too much imagination for her own good. When she grew up she worked her way through a number of jobs, including nanny, bunny girl, dressmaker and full-time mother, before, at the age of forty-nine, settling upon a career that would allow her gifts to blossom: she became a published writer. Lesley lives in Devon and has three daughters and four grandchildren.
WIN A BOTTLE OF FIZZ!
Everyone who registers will be entered into a prize draw to win a bottle of Prosecco (or non alcoholic alternative) to enjoy a glass of while taking part in the event with Lesley. Please remember to fill in your address when registering so we can post it out to you. The closing date is Sunday 20 September.
Liar by Lesley Pearse
Discover the enthralling new story of murder and lies by the bestselling author of ‘You’ll Never See Me Again’.
In a Shepherd’s Bush bedsit, Amelia White dreams of being a reporter. The closest she’s come is selling advertising in the local paper.
Until the fateful day she stumbles on a truly shocking scoop.
Round the corner from her home, she discovers the body of a murder victim, dumped among the rubbish. When the police and reporters descend, Amelia is horrified at the assumptions made and lies soon to be spread about this poor young woman.
Determined to protect the victim from these smears and help her grieving family, she convinces her paper’s editor to allow her to take up her pen and tell the true story.
But when another body is found and the police investigation stalls, Amelia – uncovering new witnesses and suspects in her search for clues – discovers that she may be the only one with any chance of learning the truth and stopping more killings.
If only she can work out who the liar is . . .
Praise for Lesley Pearse
‘Storytelling at its very best’ Daily Mail
‘Evocative, compelling, told from the heart’ Sunday Express
‘Glorious, heartwarming’ Woman & Home
‘Intriguing, heart-tugging, beautifully written’ Closer

Manchester Histories DigiFest 2020-Online Screening
2020-09-04 08:00 - 2020-09-05 17:00 | Online
Due to Covid19 Manchester Histories presents its first ever DigiFest, taking place on Friday 4 & Saturday 5th September 2020, transmitting live from Central Library’s Performance Space.
You can now see the online programme of events, to find out what’s on and how to get involved. Click here to see the programme. Click here to download the PDF.
Click here to watch the live stream from 6:50pm on Friday and 12-6pm on Saturday
Manchester Histories DigiFest 2020 will mark the 50-year anniversary of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act (CSDPA) 1970.
This landmark legislation was pioneered by the late Lord Alf Morris, who subsequently became Britain’s first minister for disabled people. Often described at the Magna Carta for disabled people, this was the first disability rights legislation anywhere in the world and laid the foundations for the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Equality Act 2010.
Alf Morris was born and bred in Manchester and served as an MP for Wythenshawe. Throughout his lifetime, he campaigned tirelessly for the rights of disabled people.
DigiFest brings together disabled and non-disabled people, from organisations and as individuals, who have worked collaboratively to put together DigiFest 2020, with lots of additional content coming from a public call out.
Broadcasting live from Manchester’s Central Library, DigiFest will be hosted by multi-award winning artist and activist Jackie Hagan and leading the celebrations will be Lord Alf Morris’ family.
Jackie says, “I’m delighted to be hosting this event – to celebrate a local working class man like Alf Morris who worked so hard to give disabled people the legal recognition we need.
“We’ve got a fantastic array of talent on board and an exciting way of getting round lock-down that I think will mean more disabled and non-disabled people can attend. People can come to hear so many brilliant disabled artists, a fitting tribute to Alf Morris and his work.”
Manchester Histories DigiFest 2020 is a collaborative programme between The University of Manchester, the family of the late Lord Morris of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Manchester’s Students’ Union, the TUC (Manchester), Manchester City Council and the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People. Manchester Histories DigiFest 2020 will also kick start other activity click here to find out more.
