Library Live

Word Central
2024-08-27 18:00 - 19:30 UTC | Performance Space
Book your open mic slot from noon on Tuesday 13th August via mail@flapjackpress.co.uk
N.B. Open mic slots are 3 minutes per performer – it is essential that you stay within this timeframe.
Performance slots are allocated on a ‘first come first served’ basis from the stated booking time. If they are already filled you will be offered a place on the reserve list.
August’s special guest is Cathy Crabb, a playwright, poet, screenwriter, journalist and lyricist from Oldham who has written more than thirty plays for the stage. Her works have run at theatres including HOMEmcr, Oldham Coliseum, Studio Salford and Manchester’s Library Theatre, where she was the last living playwright to have a production staged at its original venue. Her playwriting awards include the 24/7 Theatre Festival Manchester Evening News Theatre Award and the Buxton Festival Best Comedy Award, whilst her poetry features on sculptures by Emma Hunter at the former site of Elk Mill in Chadderton, the last mill to be built in Lancashire. Cathy’s Selected Plays was published in 2024 by Flapjack Press.
Event host Tony Curry is a poet, playwright, and workshop facilitator who runs literature-in-the-community projects with a specific leaning towards mental health and wellbeing. His work has been exhibited at Manchester’s museum and art galleries, and his play, The Teddy Bear, was staged at Contact Theatre. Tony’s solo spoken word shows include Brit Boy, Complicit Relations, Moving and The Odyssey, performed at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre. In 2024 he will be touring his new show, Tall Tales for All Men, adapted from his collection Tall Tales for Tall Men Who Fall Well Short.

See My World: Connected Fragments-Art(s)cool Workshop
2024-08-31 11:00 - 13:00 | Performance Space
A chance to create your own piece of Canvas Artworks with one of the featured artists in the exhibition, ‘DOU’. Come and explore how our worlds are connected through stories of history, heritage and culture.
For all ages.
Free, booking recommended. Please email alessia.benedetti@manchester.gov.uk

Saturday Spectacular: Lowry Takeover
2024-09-14 12:00 - 16:00 | Performance Space
Come join our Lowry friends at Central Library and get involved in some fantastic fun for the whole family. From arts and crafts to interactive storytelling, engaging workshops and a chance to watch a classic story on the big screen, plus much more!
Free – drop in. Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Tootally Wired
2024-09-19 18:00 - 20:00 | Performance Space
Forget fast fashion – take a long look at an old favourite: the Tootal scarf.
Join Manchester Histories Festival for a celebration of this iconic Manchester-made fashion accessory – a deep dive into this icon of accessories. Seven writers and artists premiere brand-new work responding to the history and culture of the Tootal scarf, designed and manufactured in Manchester since the 1930s.
Hear writers Wendy Allen, Sarah-Clare Conlon, David Gaffney, Tom Jenks, Emily Oldfield and Nicholas Royle premiere their poems and stories live alongside a brand-new performance by sound artist Gary Fisher as well as a showcase of Tootal related short films from the North West Film Archive.

Kantos Chamber Choir: Brontë
2024-09-21 19:00 - 20:30
Join Kantos Chamber Choir as we examine the lives and passions of the mysterious Brontë sisters through the eyes of their friend and supporter, Elizabeth Gaskell.
Kantos will evoke the wild, exposed landscapes of a lonely existence on the moors for three exceptional women, who found escape and freedom in their imagined worlds. An hour-long programme of choral music and spoken word will immerse us in their isolated hilltop hive of creativity from where the sisters wove their intricate stories of desire, devotion, depravity and despair.
Elizabeth Gaskell expert, Sherry Ashworth, joins us to curate and present the programme for this unique performance. A special collection will be on display, including a rare 1st edition of The Life Of Charlotte Bronte by Elizabeth Gaskell. Covering the Bronte family as a whole and including some early editions of the sisters’ novels, the collection was initially donated to Moss Side Free Library by James Gleave in the early 20th century.
In partnership with Library Live, Elizabeth Gaskell’s House & Brontë Parsonage Museum .
THE MUSIC
John Ireland – The Hills
Helena Paish – Life
Tõnu Kõrvits – The Night is Darkening Round Me
Helen Neeves – Speak of the North!
Kate Bush arr. Malene Rigtrup – Wuthering Heights
Sophie Nolan – Ira Vos Totos Consumet
Amy Beach – Peace I Leave With You
Cecilia McDowall – Snow
Robert Pearsall – Lay a Garland
John Tavener – Funeral Ikos
Toby Hession – She Walks in Beauty
Gerald Finzi – My Spirit Sang All Day
Joan Szymko – Finding Her Here
Doors: 18:30
Q&A Session with Kantos’ Artistic Director, Ellie Slorach and Elizabeth Gaskell expert, Sherry Ashworth: 19:00-19:20
Choral performance: 19:30-20:30
The tickets for this performance operate on a Pay What You Can basis; you choose the ticket band that you are able or happy to pay for.

Word Central with guest poet Steve Mingle!
2024-09-24 18:00 - 19:30 | Performance Space
Word Central hosted by Tony Curry.
Open Mic Poetry and Spoken Word Presented by Flapjack Press and Manchester Libraries.
Book your open mic slot from noon on Tuesday 10th September via mail@flapjackpress.co.uk.
N.B. Open mic slots are 3 minutes per performer – it is essential that you stay within this timeframe.
Performance slots are allocated on a ‘first come first served’ basis from the stated booking time. If they are already filled you will be offered a place on the reserve list.
September’s special guest is Steve Mingle, a retired actuary turned football author who first trespassed into spoken-word world in 2019. His favourite pastime is swearing at strangers and he’s been delighted to discover that if you do it from behind a microphone then some people will call it art. Steve’s output so far comprises seven books about Manchester City together with a recently released poetry anthology, More Poems About Rucksacks and Phones. Amongst this collection’s visceral rants and absurdist humour can be found traces of gentle nostalgia together with affectionate tributes to some of his heroes. However, any temptation to suggest that he’s going soft in his old age should be strongly resisted.
Event host Tony Curry is a poet, playwright, and workshop facilitator who runs literature-in-the-community projects with a specific leaning towards mental health and wellbeing. His work has been exhibited at Manchester’s museum and art galleries, and his play, The Teddy Bear, was staged at Contact Theatre. Tony’s solo spoken word shows include Brit Boy, Complicit Relations, Moving and The Odyssey, performed at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre. In 2024 he will be touring his new show, Tall Tales for All Men, adapted from his collection Tall Tales for Tall Men Who Fall Well Short [Flapjack Press, 2012].

Slate Expectations - Restoring Our Town Hall's roof. Afternoon Lecture.
2024-09-26 13:00 - 14:15 | Performance Space
Slate Expectations – Restoring Our Town Hall’s roof
Our Heritage Lectures shine a light on the work behind the scenes of the Our Town Hall Project. One of the most complicated elements of the entire building is the roof. Seen from above we get a better perspective of the scale and complexity of it. With 34 huge chimneys, plus towers, turrets and decorative elements, it has thrown up some real surprises and challenges.
This lecture will be given by Gareth Richings from Purcell, the project’s heritage architecture specialists. He’ll give us a detailed description of the roof’s original structure, discoveries that were made, how they approached the unknown elements and resulting surprises, and the progress and successes that are now being made.
One of the big things they are doing is making alterations to improve access. This will make the roof easier and safer to maintain in the future; an important contribution to the building’s sustainability and longevity.
Thursday 26 September 2024, The Performance Space, Central Library
Please book the afternoon or evening lecture.
12.45pm arrival for a 1pm start (ends 2.15pm)
The lecture is free but you’ll need to book your ticket online here.

Slate Expectations – Restoring Our Town Hall’s roof. Evening Lecture.
2024-09-26 17:30 - 18:45 | Performance Space
Slate Expectations – Restoring Our Town Hall’s roof

Our Heritage Lectures shine a light on the work behind the scenes of the Our Town Hall Project. One of the most complicated elements of the entire building is the roof. Seen from above we get a better perspective of the scale and complexity of it. With 34 huge chimneys, plus towers, turrets and decorative elements, it has thrown up some real surprises and challenges.
This lecture will be given by Gareth Richings from Purcell, the project’s heritage architecture specialists. He’ll give us a detailed description of the roof’s original structure, discoveries that were made, how they approached the unknown elements and resulting surprises, and the progress and successes that are now being made.
One of the big things they are doing is making alterations to improve access. This will make the roof easier and safer to maintain in the future; an important contribution to the building’s sustainability and longevity.
Thursday 26 September 2024, The Performance Space, Central Library
5.15pm arrival for a 5.30pm start (ends 6.45pm)
The lecture is free but you’ll need to book your ticket online here.

Behind The Scenes at Manchester Central Library
2024-09-26 18:00 - 19:30
What do George V, Gypsy Rose Lee and Bernard Bresslaw have in common?
Which musician was once thrown out of the Language and Literature Library?
What would you find now in the space where Patrick Stewart and Helen Mirren – amongst many others – played their first roles?
All 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 90 minutes and include the chance to see some of our rarest treasures and archives.
Places are strictly limited to 20 people, so please book early to avoid disappointment.
Please meet in the main entrance (Shakespeare Hall) of Central Library from 5.45pm. The tour starts at 6pm.
Did 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.
Book Tickets Below

An Afternoon with THE KING!!
2024-09-28 14:30 - 16:30 | Performance Space
SORRY THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT
We’re celebrating older people’s day with a Rock ‘n’ Rolling party starring MANC ELVIS AND HIS MAGICAL BAND!
Manchester’s premier Elvis tribute act present a Saturday afternoon packed with all THE KING’S greatest hits guaranteed to get you up and dancing! Think ‘a little less conversation’ and a lot more ‘all shook up’!
All over 50’s and family and friends welcome. Ticket are FREE but limited so book early here!
Tables seat 8 people so larger groups may not be seated together.

The Society of Bookbinders - 50th Anniversary Activities
2024-10-01 08:00 - 2024-12-31 17:00
The National Society Of Bookbinders was founded in Manchester in 1974 and celebrates it’s 50th Anniversary with a number of events, workshops and displays at Central Library between October-December. All events are free and there is no need to book in advance.
The Journey of a Book: a display about making books by hand, Archives +, Ground Floor, October to December.
Fine Bindings: a display of artistic bookbinding, Reading Room, First Floor, October to December.
Informal Bookbinding Demonstrations / Workshops: Ground Floor Handling Table, Saturdays at 10.30am-4pm on 5 October, 16 November, Thursday 5 December.
Creating A Fine Binding: the Kelmscott Chaucer, An illustrated talk by internationally-acclaimed bookbinder Dominic Riley, Performance Space, 6pm Thursday 28 November
Free – drop in. Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Crime Central
2024-10-01 18:00 - 19:30 | Performance Space
ROB PARKER WILL BE WELCOMING THE BRILLIANT DAVID COSTA, LOUISE MINCHIN AND TIM SULLIVAN TO THIS MONTHS CRIME CENTRAL!
Bringing the best from all over!
Featuring the best and brightest crime writing talent both locally and from around the country – the big names are all coming to Manchester!
Go behind the scenes!
Showcasing blockbuster bestsellers, emerging talent and industry insiders, Crime Central will share the real story of what goes on in the crime world.
Meet your favourite authors!
With giveaways, audience interaction, book signings, the chance to ask questions and more – while bringing a crime fiction buzz back to this great northern city.
PLEASE NOTE: Tickets for this event are on a “pay what you can” basis. They range from £2 – £6 plus the Eventbrite booking fee.
All tickets allow the same access to the event. This is a just a pricing system to accommodate for individual financial circumstances.
Signed books will be available to purchase after the event.

Reimagining Black History Month
2024-10-02 17:15 - 19:30
Join us for a discussion on the future of Black History Month, where we will be joined by award-winning author, broadcaster and Professor of Sociology, Gary Younge, as well as members from youth group 8% club
We will be discussing different ways to think about Black History Month and ensure that Black histories are explored and celebrated all year round. We will be launching our Black History Manifesto, which guides how we approach Black histories in our work at the AIU Centre. We want to offer this Manifesto to other organisations, particularly those in education, archives, museums, libraries and galleries.
Book tickets here or by clicking on the ‘Book Now’ button below.
Gary Younge
Gary Younge is an award-winning author, broadcaster and Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester. Nationally recognised for his insightful and thoughtful work, he possesses specialist knowledge on an array of subjects including race, racism, society and Black history both in Britain and internationally.
Formerly a columnist at The Guardian, he is an editorial board member of the Nation magazine, the Alfred Knobler Fellow for Type Media and winner of the 2023 Orwell Prize for Journalism. The author of six books, the most recent being Dispatches From the Diaspora: From Nelson Mandela to Black Lives Matter (2023), he has also written for The New York Review of Books, Granta, GQ, The Financial Times and The New Statesman and made several radio and television documentaries.
8% Club
8% CLUB is a youth group passionate about designing creative and cultural inclusion spaces for young people to connect, amplify youth voices and champion change by addressing issues affecting global ethnic majorities.
They are supported by Equal Education Chances (EEC), a Manchester-based charity that aims to engage, educate and empower children, young people and adults living with disabilities and their families in England and Nigeria.

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

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

Knock Out Blow
2024-10-03 17:30 - 19:30 | Performance Space
Join us for an evening of art and discussion dedicated to the life and legacy of Len Johnson— Britain’s uncrowned boxing champion, dedicated local activist, and revered Manchester legend. The event will feature live music, poetry, an interactive play, archive photos of Len, and an exhibition, followed by a thought-provoking discussion on Johnson’s life and legacy.
Featured Event: A Performance by Odd Arts:
“Knock Out Blow,” a play by Odd Arts, tours schools and community groups across the Northwest. Odd Arts uses this piece of theatre to challenge racial discrimination, celebrate positive role models, and celebrate our collective history. This play on Len Johnson’s life has already reached approximately 5,000 young people, leaving a lasting impact on the next generation.
A Campaign for Justice: Erecting a Statue in Honor of Len Johnson
In addition to celebrating Len Johnson’s life, we are spearheading a campaign to erect a statue in his honor in Manchester City Centre. Despite being denied the right to compete for the British title due to a racist policy that required boxers to be born to two white parents, Johnson’s legacy as a fighter for racial equality continued outside of the boxing ring.
The campaign is supported by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and current and former boxing champions such as Anthony Joshua, Ricky Hatton, Carl Frampton, Ant Crolla, Tony Bellew, Natasha Jonas, and Amir Khan.
The event will also feature a panel discussion with campaign leaders, offering a unique opportunity for a Q&A session with the artist Taslim Martin, who has been commissioned to create the statue of Len Johnson. Local artist Griot Gabriel will provide live poetry, whilst local artists and Rootz will end the night with some live music.
Manchester is a city that loves its sporting heroes, and Len Johnson is a true unsung hero whose achievements both inside and outside the ring continue to inspire. Our goal is to make Len Johnson a household name in Manchester and eventually across the UK.
Free – book tickets here

Northern Publishers’ Fair
2024-10-05 10:30 - 15:30 | Performance Space
Immerse yourself in the vibrant literary landscape of the North at the Northern Publishers’ Fair, organised by Fly on the Wall Press. Discover dynamic new voices, meet authors and buy books directly from regional independent presses including Bluemoose, Carcanet, Comma, Commonword, Flapjack, Saraband, Salt, Northodox and many more. Enjoy live pop-up performances from Nicholas Boniface, Laura Fish, Tawseef Khan, Nicholas Royle and more authors throughout the day, with book signing opportunities. Spanning fiction, poetry, and regional tales, there’s something for every book lover at this celebration of northern publishing power. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival and supported by Library Live.
Tickets are Free but advance booking is recommended.
‘Book Now’ below or phone 0161 876 2015

Manchester Central Library Fun Palace
2024-10-05 10:30 - 16:00
Manchester Central Library will join hundreds of Fun Palaces nationally and internationally set to explode with free and fun activities for all. Join us on Saturday, 5 October, and master new skills from your neighbours, share hobbies with friends old and new, and celebrate the passions and enthusiasms of all of us!
10.30am-4pm: Informal Bookbinding Workshops (Ground Floor)
Learn bookbinding with this free engaging workshop delivered by the National Society of Bookbinders for their 50th anniversary! Free, just drop in. More info here.
11.30am-12 noon: Ukrainian Storytime
Привіт! Join our new Ukrainian storytelling session led by one of our amazing volunteers! Learn new words, listen to stories in Ukrainian and English and have fun! Suitable for children aged 4 to 7.
2-4pm: Crafty Palaces
Drop in and have a go at learning a new craft with the support of our local artists. Try finger knitting with Simone, learn how to weave using scrap fabrics with Nayna from Street Style Surgery, and much more! All ages welcome!
2-3.30pm: Lego Club
Join our regular Lego Club for a Fun Palaces special! Pick your favourite bricks and let your imagination run wild: what will your fun palace look like? Suitable for ages 4 and above.
Free – just drop in. Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Fun Palaces is an ongoing national and international campaign, nurturing and supporting the potential and positivity of sharing people’s enthusiasms, passions and skills with their own local community. Fun Palaces has an annual weekend of events each October, although Fun Palaces can also happen at any time of year.
During the weekend of celebration, check out what’s happening elsewhere on X/Instagram: #FunPalaces | @FunPalaces. www.funpalaces.co.uk

Yuan Yang
2024-10-06 14:00 - 15:30 | Performance Space
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS EVENT IS NOW CANCELLED
Yuan Yang is no longer able to travel to Manchester due to her new parliamentary commitments and constituency obligations and is very sorry to miss the opportunity to meet our audience.
Quaytickets will be in touch with all existing ticket holders to offer a refund.
In Private Revolutions: Coming of Age in a New China, British-Chinese journalist Yuan Yang tells the fascinating story of modern China through the lives of four ordinary women. Leiya, born in a patriarchal rural village, bluffs her way onto the factory floor; June sets herself a goal to attend university rather than raise pigs; Siyue rebels against her teachers and then remakes the education system for others, and Sam becomes an activist while her peers are disappearing from the streets.
Yuan Yang was born in China and returned there as an adult as a correspondent for the Financial Times. After the mass expulsion of journalists from China in 2020, she was one of the few journalists writing in English left in the country. She now lives in London and is the Labour MP for Earley and Woodley. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival and supported by Library Live.
Image credit: Inigo Blake
Tickets: ‘Book Now’ below, visit the MLF website or phone 0161 876 2015

Lindsey Hilsum
2024-10-06 16:30 - 18:00 | Performance Space
‘I was standing outside an apartment block that had been split apart by a missile. The words of a poem came to me when I could no longer find my own.’
In the four decades she’s spent as a foreign correspondent, Lindsey Hilsum has always carried a book of poetry with her. Poetry has helped her to make sense of the world and acted ‘as a vaccination against despair’. In this special event, Lindsey will reflect on some of the poems collected in her captivating new book I Brought the War with Me and discuss her career, during which she has interviewed the warlords of Bosnia and Sudan, met child soldiers in Uganda and given testimony about the genocide in Rwanda.
Lindsey is Channel 4 News’ International Editor. Her book, In Extremis: the Life of War Correspondent Marie Colvin, won the James Tait Black Prize for biography. She has covered the major conflicts and refugee movements of the past three decades, including Syria, Mali, Iraq, and Kosovo and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She has won many awards, including the Royal Television Society Journalist of the Year and the Royal Geographical Society Patron’s Medal. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with the Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester. Supported by Library Live.
Tickets: ‘Book Now’ below, phone 0161 876 2015 or visit the MLF website

Asako Yuzuki
2024-10-07 08:00 - 17:00 | Performance Space
PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT HAS CHANGED VENUE FROM WATERSTONES DEANSGATE TO CENTRAL LIBRARY

‘There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine.’
A Japanese bestseller, Butter is the story of gourmet cook and serial killer Manako Kajii. Convicted of seducing lonely businessmen with her cooking and killing them for their money, Manako is incarcerated in Tokyo Detention Centre, refusing visitors. That is until journalist Rika Machida writes to her asking for her beef stew recipe and Manako can’t resist. Rika thinks she’s about to get the biggest scoop of her career but when she begins taking Manako’s cooking advice it seems Rika’s life is about to change in ways she never expected. Funny, feminist and absolutely mouthwatering, Butter is inspired by the real-life case of ‘The Konkatsu Killer’.
Asako Yuzuki is a novelist and short story writer. Her story ‘Forget Me, Not Blue’ won the All Yomimono Award for New Writers. Her novel Nile Perch Women’s Club won the Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize. Several of her books (including Butter) have been nominated for the Naoki Prize and many have been adapted for radio, film and television.
Hosted by Caroline Magennis, Associate Professor in Contemporary Literature at the University of Salford and author of Harpy: A Manifesto for Childfree Women. Presented in partnership with The Japan Foundation and 4th Estate.
Supported by Library Live
Book tickets: 0161 876 2015, ‘Book Now’ below or MLF website

Paula Hawkins
2024-10-08 19:00 - 20:30
‘Reminiscent of du Maurier and extremely hard to put down. The Blue Hour is destined to be a big hit.’ Mick Herron
When a bone at the centre of a famous sculpture is identified as human, the life the recently deceased artist Vanessa Chapman led with her companion Grace on the remote tidal island of Eris comes under scrutiny. What happened to Vanessa’s husband who vanished without trace twenty years ago? Paula Hawkins’ thrilling new novel The Blue Hour asks questions about the ways in which female artists and their work are framed in a world dominated by male critics and dealers.
Paula Hawkins is the international bestselling author of three novels, Into the Water, A Slow Fire Burning and The Girl on the Train. The latter has sold more than 23 million copies worldwide, broke the UK record for weeks at number one in the bestseller list and was turned into a hit film starring Emily Blunt. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival and supported by Library Live.
Image credit: Phoebe Grigor
Tickets: ‘Book Now’ below, phone 0161 876 2015 or visit the MLF website

Rumaan Alam in Conversation
2024-10-10 08:00 - 17:00 | Performance Space
‘This is what governs all of life. We agree to rules. Most of us. There are some, though, you know, who do not obey, who are not asked to observe them.’
When Brooke Orr starts a new job at the Asher and Carole Jaffee Foundation, helping an 80-year-old billionaire to give away his vast fortune, she has good intentions. But a glimpse of the lifestyles of the 1% leads to Brooke wanting more for herself. A decision that can only lead to destruction. Rumaan Alam joins us to discuss his fantastic, insightful new novel Entitlement, as well as the Netflix adaptation of his gripping international bestseller Leave the World Behind starring Mahershala Ali and Julia Roberts.
Rumaan Alam is the international bestselling and critically acclaimed author of three novels. His last, Leave the World Behind, was a Barack Obama Summer Reading Pick, a Waterstones Fiction Book of the Month, a finalist for the National Book Awards for Fiction and was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival and supported by Library Live.
Tickets: ‘Book Now’ below, phone 0161 876 2015 or visit the MLF website

Lord of the Flies with Aimee de Jongh
2024-10-12 08:00 - 17:00 | Performance Space
70 years after the publication of William Golding’s story of a group of British schoolboys who descend into savagery after being stranded on a desert island, Aimee de Jongh has created a stunning, first ever graphic novel version of Lord of the Flies. Aimee joins us to discuss her experience of adapting the book, her work as an illustrator and how Golding’s tale has inspired other writers.
Aimee de Jongh is a renowned graphic novelist and animator from the Netherlands. Her debut, The Return of the Honey Buzzard, won the Prix Saint-Michel and was adapted into a live-action film. Her second graphic novel, Days of Sand, was an international bestseller and nominated for two Eisner awards. Hosted by Kate Feld. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with Manchester UNESCO City of Literature, Lakes International Comic Arts Festival and New Dutch Writing. Supported by Library Live.
Image credit: Bob Bruyn
Tickets: ‘Book Now’ below, phone 0161 876 2015 or visit the MLF website

My Beautiful Voice with Joseph Coelho
2024-10-12 10:30 - 11:15
Join us for an exciting and heartwarming event as we welcome the Waterstones Children’s Laureate: 2022 – 2024, Joseph Coelho! This award-winning performance poet, playwright, and children’s author is ready to enchant us with his captivating storytelling and poetry.
Get ready for a delightful journey into the world of Joseph’s wonderful picture book, My Beautiful Voice. This story follows a little girl who discovers her courage through the magic of poetry. Together, we’ll have fun guessing poetic riddles, pulling funny poetry faces, and learning how to find our own bravery through poetry. But that’s not all! Joseph will also treat us to lively readings from his collection Smile Out Loud: 25 Happy Poems. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with Manchester Poetry Library. Supported by Library Live.
Suitable for age 3-5 years. (All children must be accompanied by an adult)
Tickets: ‘Book Now’ below, phone 0161 876 2015 or visit the MLF website

Spooky Poems Aloud with Joseph Coelho
2024-10-12 13:00 - 13:45 | Performance Space
Prepare to jump into the SPOOKY, spellbinding world of spoken word poetry, with your guide: Joseph Coelho. In this interactive session with the Waterstones Children’s Laureate, you’ll be thrilled (and maybe even a litttttle scared) by performances from Joseph as he brings you his latest poetry compendium, Spooky Poems Aloud: 25 Poems to Frighten and Delight.
Get ready to have your funny bones tickled as we create poetry together and learn how to recite it loudly, softly, and even in ghostly whispers. Then join us on the Spooky Poems Aloud Activity Trail and craft activity for children created by community artist Emma Martin. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with Manchester Poetry Library. Supported by Library Live.
Suitable for age 5-10 years. (All children must be accompanied by an adult)
Tickets: ‘Book Now’ below, phone 0161 876 2015 or visit the MLF website

Joe Boyd
2024-10-14 19:00 | Performance Space
“New technologies may divert our attention, but music created in the moment can still be found where it always has been, in the feet, fingers, voices and spirits of musicians in every corner of the world.”
Legendary music producer Joe Boyd (White Bicycle: Making Music in the 1960s) invites you to open your ‘minds and ears to a wider, richer musical world’ via his engrossing book And the Roots of Rhythm Remain: A Journey Through Global Music. Joe follows the circular flows of musical influence across history and the globe, discovering why so many artists ended up in prison because of their music, how Afrobeat began with a subscription to an American jazz magazine, and why Frank Sinatra owed his career to a French tango singer from Buenos Aires.
Joe is a record producer and writer. Over the course of his 60-year career, he has produced Pink Floyd, Nick Drake, R.E.M., Fairport Convention, ¡Cubanismo!, Toots and the Maytals, Toumani Diabaté and Taj Mahal, amongst many others. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with the Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester. Supported by Library Live.
Tickets: ‘Book Now’ below, phone 0161 876 2015 or visit the MLF website

Susanna Clarke: My Life in Books
2024-10-15 08:00 - 17:00 | Performance Space
THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT.
‘Some stories sink down into your bones.’
Award-winning novelist Susanna Clarke (Piranesi) joins us to discuss how writing and reading have shaped her life. From her worldwide bestseller Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, which celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year, to her enchanting new story The Wood at Midwinter. Discover the writers who’ve inspired Susannah to become such a magical storyteller including Ursula Le Guin, Jorge Luis Borges, Charles Dickens and Kate Bush.
‘One of our great living authors’ (New York Magazine), Susanna lives and writes in Derbyshire. She is the author of two novels and a short story collection. Her debut novel Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell was longlisted for the Booker Prize and won British Book Awards Newcomer of the Year, the Hugo Award and the World Fantasy Award. Her last novel, Piranesi, won the Women’s Prize for Fiction and was shortlisted for the Costa Novel of the Year Award. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival and supported by Library Live.
Image credit: Sarah Lee
Tickets: ‘Book Now’ below, phone 0161 876 2015 or visit the MLF website

Andrew O’Hagan & Dave Haslam
2024-10-16 08:00 - 17:00 | Performance Space
‘Andrew O’Hagan has made more than a great book – he has made a social miracle.’ Joshua Cohen
Scottish author Andrew O’Hagan joins us to discuss his gripping new state-of-the-nation novel Caledonian Road with host Dave Haslam. Art historian and celebrated critic Campbell Flynn is beguiled by his provocative student Milo Mangasha who leads him to question everything he thinks about the world. Set against a backdrop of disgraced peers, human traffickers, rappers and a disgruntled sitting tenant, the novel asks questions about wealth, capitalism, the climate crisis and if it’s time for a new world order.
Andrew is a novelist and editor-at-large of the London Review of Books. Three of his novels – Our Fathers, Be Near Me and The Illuminations – were nominated for the Booker Prize. His previous novel, Mayflies, was a Guardian, Sunday Times and Financial Times Book of the Year and was made into an award-winning BBC TV drama starring Martin Compston and Tony Curran.
Dave Haslam is an author, broadcaster and DJ. His books include Life After Dark; Sonic Youth Slept on My Floor; Manchester, England and the Art Decades series. Sponsored by The Edwardian Manchester. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with the Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester. Supported by Library Live.
Image credit: Christina Jansen
Tickets: ‘Book Now’ below, phone 0161 876 2015 or visit the MLF website

Migration, Identity and History - Talk
2024-10-16 17:30 - 19:00 | Lwr Ground Floor – Manchester Histories Hub
To what extent through history has British identity been influenced by migration? An event with speakers, short film screening and discussion.
Speakers from the Migration Stories North West project will explore the nature of migrant identity throughout British history and the intersections between the history of migration and issues at the forefront of Black history. There will be an opportunity for open discussion about various perspectives, including questions such as:
· Why are stories of individuals so important for retelling and understanding history?
· What is the social and cultural potential for understanding our history through the lens of migration?
· How did colonialism affect migration?
· Are the migratory roots of various historical figures often overlooked or kept hidden?
· What do the stories from the project tell us about migration and human rights?
Contributing speakers for Migration, Identity and History
Kooj Chuhan of Crossing Footprints will be chairing the Migration, Identity and History event, and there will be a number of contributing speakers including:
Louise Wong is a community development worker at Wai Yin Society and has been serving the Chinese community for decades. She presents the “Dragons Voice” program on Radio AllFM for the Chinese community. Louise co-produced “Crossing the Borders” Chinese oral history project archived at Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Resource Centre which received the Alan Ball Award. She was one of the volunteer researchers for the Migration Stories North West project, researching and producing the story of Jou Lim along with fellow researcher Yichao Shi.
is a Community Development Worker at the Wai Yin Chinese Community Centre in Manchester, and is also a presenter for the The Dragons Voice Radio show on All FM community radio. She was one of the team of volunteer researchers for the Migration Stories North West project in Greater Manchester, researching and producing the story of Jou Lim along with fellow researcher Yichao Shi.
Washington Alcott is a local researcher and teacher specialising in African and Caribbean perspectives. His work includes economic and social history, migration, environment, cultural identities, Pan Africanism and has been an active member of many progressive community and activist groups for decades. He recently contributed to the Guardian’s ‘Cotton Capital’ series.
Washington has been following the Migration Stories North West project in Greater Manchester since it began.
Alison Fisher has worked as a teacher of English as an Additional Language in Bury since 1995. Recently she has worked for Fair Futures developing projects both in schools and in their building in the centre of Bury. Fair Futures are a Community Interest Company working with children, young people and families to promote successful learning and reduce barriers to education. Alison co-delivered workshops at The Derby High School for the Migration Stories North West project in Manchester.
Migration, Identity and History is an event by Crossing Footprints presented within the context of Black History Month, in partnership with Manchester Histories. A part of the Migration Stories Exhibition on show at Manchester Central Library from 3 October.
Free – please drop in

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