What's on

Classic Christmas Film Marathon!

Performance Space

Have we got the ultimate selection box for you! Escape from the shops and join us for a magical day of festive films. Suitable for families. Free - drop in - please consider making a donation if you can here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

Untold Stories of the Village

Ground Floor

In partnership with The Ahmed Iqbal Ullah RACE Centre and Education Trust, Holding Her Space presents 'Untold Stories of the Village' exhibition. Working with photographer Tanya Weekes and artist Tina Ramos Ekongo, the exhibition follows 12 mothers as they share their stories within pregnancy, birth, postpartum as well as highlighting personal and cultural experiences. The […]

10 Years – David Gleave Photography

First Floor Exhibition Hall

David Gleave is a Manchester-based image-maker who took up photography through his passion for social history. He chronicles his life and the people and events he has encountered. David sees the present as the past, rescuing moments in time for ever. This exhibition covers the first ten years of his record. Free – just drop […]

Book launch: Selected Plays by Cathy Crabb

Performance Space

Selected Plays by Cathy Crabb Monday 22nd January  6pm at Manchester Central Library No need to book tickets. FREE entry. Everyone welcome.  Doors open 5.40pm. Celebrating twenty years of productions, award-winning playwright Cathy Crabb has selected eleven of her works for staging. Filled with humour and emotional resonance, these texts explore themes of family, trauma, neurodivergence, […]

Ros Atkins – The Art of Explanation

Performance Space

We are delighted to welcome Ros to Manchester Central Library, where he will be discussing his book in conversation. Explanation - conveying meaning - is an art. And the BBC presenter and journalist Ros Atkins, creator of the viral 'Ros Atkins on...' explainer videos, is something of a master of the form. In this book, Ros […]

Word Central

Performance Space

Word Central open mic poetry and spoken word. Presented by Flapjack Press & Manchester Libraries and hosted by Tony Curry. With special guest Lisa O'Hare. Lisa O'Hare was a 2023 BBC Words First finalist and is co-host of Verbose. Her work has been featured on BBC Radio Manchester and in the UN Women UK's virtual Safe […]

Out in the World – Exhibition & Closing Event Invite

First Floor

The Consulate General of Ireland, Manchester, is delighted to present Out In The World, an exhibition highlighting 12 stories from the vast yet largely untold history of Ireland’s LGBTQ+ diaspora. Across the generations, Irish LGBTQ+ people have emigrated and found opportunities to live and love abroad. EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, in partnership with the Irish Department […]

Probably the Hardest Music Quiz in the World!

Chief Librarian's Office

40 horribly hard music questions. Get them all right and win the Super-Duper Mega Mystery Prize! Play on your own or as part of a team (max 4 members per team). No need to book, everyone welcome. FREE ENTRY. For more info please message your quiz host: alan.lynch@manchester.gov.uk

Chinese New Year Celebration

Ground Floor

Bowen Education will provide dance and musical entertainment at 2pm followed by traditional Chinese crafts. Suitable for families. This event is free, but please consider making a donation to support our Library Live programme if you can, online, or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

Sunday Funday – Chinese New Year

Join us for a spectacular Chinese New Year celebration of the Year of the Dragon. We will have amazing crafts, performances, workshops amongst other exciting activities. Suitable for families. This event is free, but please consider making a donation to support our Library Live programme if you can, online, or at one of our cash […]

So the Chinese do do Sci-Fi!

Performance Space

Join us for a Confucius Institute talk about Chinese Sci-fi showing the breadth and depth of the genre. Presented by Xueting C. Ni. Free - booking required

Book Launch: PITY by Andrew McMillan

Performance Space

Blackwell's Bookshop and Manchester Libraries are excited to host the Manchester launch of award-winning poet Andrew McMillan's PITY - his stunning debut novel which explores community, masculinity and post-industrialisation in Northern England. Doors: 6.00, starts: 6.30 Tickets are £5.00 or free when ordering a copy of the book. PITY will also be available to purchase on the night […]