CHaOS Science Summer Roadshow
2025-07-19 11:00 - 16:00 UTC | Performance Space
Join us for an afternoon of science-based fun brought to you by CHaOS (Cambridge Hands-On Science)! All CHaOS events are run by friendly student volunteers from the University of Cambridge, bringing a selection of their favourite experiments from across the sciences for you and your family to get involved with! Fun, informative and great for all ages.
Free – please drop in.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Noasis [Live!]
2025-07-19 13:30 - 15:00 | Henry Watson Music Library
Didn’t get Oasis tickets? Then its time to ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’…
Appearing for a special stripped-back appearance, Central Library presents… NOASIS – live!
On the day that Oasis will be appearing at Heaton Park for the second weekend of their sold-out shows, Central Library is delighted to be offering something special for those who missed out.
Having played big venues like London’s Alexandra Palace to major festivals like Y-Not, Noasis are ‘The Definitive Oasis Tribute Band’. The headline act of Central Library’s “Oasis Week” festivities, this top-tier tribute act will be performing in the intimate setting of the Henry Watson Music Library.
Performing as a three-piece for the occasion, expect perfectly pared-back renditions of classics like “Live Forever”, “Don’t Look Back In Anger”, and many more.
With thanks to the support from the Manchester Libraries Trust, tickets will be pay-what-you-like and available Friday 20 June @ 10am.
All donations warmly welcomed.
Tickets: Noasis – Live! Tickets, Sat 19 Jul 2025 at 14:00 | Eventbrite

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“Oasis Week” at Central Library is part of the Manchester City Council ‘MCR Live 25‘ – a summer of music, art, markets, and unforgettable vibes all summer long. It includes:

music-themed markets
pop-up shops
a festival bar
impromptu performances
a fabulous guitar-themed trail
artworks and exhibitions across the city.

For full details, go to visitmanchester.com/mcrlive25.

Mystery International Film Club Screening
2025-07-21 17:30 - 19:30 | Performance Space
This event is for individuals aged 15 and over.

Welcome to the fifth edition of Manchester Central Library’s International Film Club’s Mystery Screening series.

Event Details:

Monday 21st July 2025 • Doors open: 17:00 • Introduction to the film: 17:30 • Film starts: 17:40

• Entry: Book you pay what you can tickets here (recommended donation of £3) • Popcorn: FREE! • Drinks: Grab a coffee, tea, or soft drink from the fully stocked café!

At the Film Society, we aim to bring you the very best of global cinema— hoping to shine a light on underseen gems from around the world —enriching our collective film knowledge and experience, while also having a corker of a time. To make it even more exciting, each month you’ll have the chance to vote on 5 fantastic films, and the one with the most votes will be screened with the winner being revealed the day of the event.

This month’s contenders are:

Neptune Frost (2021, Rwanda)

Quite unlike anything you will have seen before this Rwandan Afrofuturist musical epic in a which a band of “fourth dimensionally liberated” revolutionaries fight against The Authority to free mine workers from being exploited in a near future Burundi. High concept transgressive cinema executed with high quality, promising a glimpse at a brighter future for cinema as an artform free of market sensibilities and charged with telling totally unique stories.

West Indies (1979, Mauritania)

Birthed from four hundred years of colonial history, Med Hondo’s landmark musical comedy explosively dissects the roots and ramifications of slavery and displacement. Staged gorgeously on a to-scale recreation of a slave ship, Hondo plays with the form of cinema itself, drawing attention to its artificiality while he brings past and present together in an artistic redefining of what a movie musical can be.

The Girl With The Red Scarf (1978, Turkey)

A perfect example of the sumptuous romantic melodrama that can be found in the greatest Yeşilçamfilms from Turkey’s golden age of cinema, once a major powerhouse for film production this era is all but lost in discussion outside of Turkey and sadly so. This film sees a young man and woman fall in love and then face the trials of love and loss with incredibly dazzling drama.

Ali, Fear Eats the Soul (1974, Germany)

Emmi, an elderly German lady, meets and falls in love with Ali, a young Moroccan manual labourer in Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s beautifully melancholic story of forbidden romance and the suffocating nature of societal norms. A thoughtful, empathetic look at the damages caused by anti-immigrant rhetoric. Stir (1980, Australia)

Based off true events, this Australian prison drama is a bleak look at a justice system pushed to its limits treated inmates with disdain and cruelty. We see the buildup to chaos and we see the aftermath of chaos as tensions rise between prisoners and officers in the harshest of conditions.

Watch the film trailers and vote for your favourite film here!!
We’ll notify you of the winning film the night before the screening.

Story Garden Paper Flowers!
2025-07-24 13:00 - 14:00 | Lower Ground Floor
Join us for a free interactive session inspired by the Summer Reading Challenge! Make wonderful paper flowers and find out how you can win prizes for reading. We’ll provide loads of colourful materials for you: just bring yourself!
Suitable for children aged 4-11.
Free entry – just drop in

ZooLab
2025-07-24 14:00 - 15:00 | Lower Ground Floor
Meet the Live Animals from ZooLab! Step into the wild garden of adventure and meet the amazing creatures from ZooLab! These real-life animal storytellers will take you on a journey through their own tales, full of slithers, scuttles, and surprises. Come face-to-face with nature’s most curious characters and discover the magic of their world!
Suitable for children aged 4-11.
Free entry – just drop in

LOVE STORIES etc FESTIVAL 2025
2025-07-25 11:00 - 2025-07-26 19:30 | Performance Space
Love Stories Etc… launched in 2024 with a one-day festival held at Manchester Central Library, with panels, workshops and book signings, aimed at encouraging romance readers to discover new authors.
For 2025, there will be events across two days, with an impressive mix of bestselling brand authors, emerging stars and debuts writing in the romance space, including Taylor Dior-Rumble, Beth O’Leary, Mike Gayle, Mhairi Macfarlane, Alexandra Potter, Suzan Holder, Sareeta Domingo, Laura Wood, Justin Myers, Lizzie Huxley-Jones and Jendella Benson confirmed to appear.
HERE ARE THE WORKSHOPS ON FRIDAY 25TH JULY.

We’re delighted to announce that after Claire’s workshop she will be available for mini Author Brand photo shoots. This includes a 25 minute brand shoot with Claire 10 edited digital images. Find out more information and pre-book here.

AND HERE ARE THE AUTHOR PANELS OVER THE WEEKEND.
THE FIRST TWO ARE ON THE FRIDAY NIGHT AFTER THE WORKSHOPS. THE REST ARE ALL ON SATURDAY 26TH JULY. ENJOY!!

THERE IS A RANGE OF TICKETS AVAILABLE.

FRIDAY 25TH TICKET
SATURDAY 26TH TICKET
FULL WEEKEND TICKET
VIP TICKET (BOTH DAYS + SATURDAY EVENING MEET AND MINGLE)

CONCESSIONARY TICKETS FOR STUDENTS, OVER 60’S, PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY OR ACCESS ISSUES, CITY COUNCIL STAFF AND PEOPLE ON A LOW INCOME.
CLICK ON THE ‘BOOK NOW’ LINK BELOW FOR FULL DETAILS

Story Garden Crafts!
2025-07-28 14:00 - 15:00 | Performance Space
Join us at Central Library for our school holidays arts and craft session! Make wonderful carnivorous plants and giant pompom flowers, and find out all about the Summer Reading Challenge! All materials provided. Suitable for all children. No need to book.
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

Family Crafts for South Asian Heritage Month
2025-07-29 14:00 - 15:30 | Lower Ground Floor
Join us for a special family craft session dedicated to South Asian Heritage Month. We’ll provide all the materials and teach you how to make marionettes! All welcome.
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

Word Central 9th Birthday!!
2025-07-29 18:00 - 20:00 | Performance Space
Word Central Open Mic Poetry and Spoken Word.
Presented by Flapjack Press and Manchester Libraries.
‘Now We Are Nine’ birthday celebration.
Tuesday 29th July, 6.00pm – 7.45pm, at Manchester Central Library, St Peter’s Square, Manchester M2 5PD.
Doors open 5.40pm and free entry.
Hosted by Tony Curry with special guest Angela Smith.
Book your open mic slot from noon on Tuesday 15th July 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.
Our special guest Angela Smith is Welsh by birth but has lived in Hulme long enough to be a Mancunian by adoption, with her poetry influenced by both the Valleys and the city. She began writing at the age of 7, but stopped for decades when a burglar stole her notebooks and her Muse. Inspired to begin writing again by online friends and the welcoming Manchester poetry scene, she has poems in numerous anthologies and the published collection This Is the Me I Would Be If I Dared. Angela loves to play with form and style, as can be seen in her blog here.
Event host Tony Curry is a performance poet, playwright and workshop facilitator. Raised in Crawley by English and South African parents, he has lived and worked in Manchester for three decades, running literature-in-the-community projects with a specific leaning towards mental health and wellbeing. His play, The Teddy Bear, was staged at Manchester’s Contact Theatre, whilst his solo spoken word shows include Brit Boy, Complicit Relations, Moving and The Odyssey, performed at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre. Tony has recently toured his solo show Tall Tales for All Men, adapted from his collection Tall Tales for Tall Men Who Fall Well Short (Flapjack Press, 2012), at the Brighton Fringe and Chorlton Arts festivals.
@WordCentralMcr

Laws of Your Game
2025-07-30 13:00 - 14:30 | Lower Ground Floor
Join us for this exciting session brought to you by National Football Museum! Every great game needs rules, but who says we can’t rewrite them? In this workshop, you’re the rule-maker of football. What do your laws of the game look like? Maybe every goal gets a dance-off, everyone wears capes, or kindness on the pitch earns extra goals. In this workshop we’ll start positive conversations around inclusion and diversity. Who is currently left out of football? What rules could we write to include more people?
Suitable for families.
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

Come Meet the Wise Owls in the Story Garden!
2025-07-31 14:00 - 15:00 | Performance Space
The Wise Owls are waiting! Join us in the Story Garden for a magical hour filled with Owl wisdom! Whether you’re curious or just love a good story, the Wise Owls are ready to welcome you with a hoot!
Suitable for children aged 4-11.
Free entry – 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

Paint and plant!
2025-08-01 13:00 - 14:00 | Performance Space
Are you a reader and gardener in the making?
Want to find out how you can get prizes for reading books?
Then this session is for you!
Decorate your very own terracotta pot, plant some seeds and find out more about the Summer Reading Challenge during this interactive session.
All materials provided.
Paint and plant! Friday 1 August 1-2pm @ Central Library Performance Space.
Free entry, just drop in!

Leo HC Single Launch
2025-08-01 14:00 - 16:00 | Henry Watson Music Library
Leo HC is a 20 year old solo musician, creating alternative folk tracks to soothe the soul. Equipped, usually, with an acoustic guitar, his voice and lots of reverb, his music creates an introspective and melancholic atmosphere for all to listen and enjoy. His debut album was released on 8 November 2024. Leo is currently based in Sheffield for studies and is also a member of the Sheffield-based band Junk, but was born and raised in Greater Manchester.
He launches his new single, Climbing, with this event.
Free – just drop in

Film Friday
2025-08-01 14:00 - 16:00 | Performance Space
Does Friday afternoon and cinema sound like a good combo to you?
Then join us at Manchester Central Library for a free film screening with themed crafts!
We may even have popcorn!
Suitable for children up to 12 years old.
No need to book, drop in from 2pm.
Film screenings start at 2pm.

Responses: The Manchester College Students Exhibition
2025-08-26 08:00 - 2025-09-06 17:00 | Wolfson Reading Room
Foundation Diploma in Art and Design Students from The Manchester College have been developing a body of creative, exciting work inspired initially by a book from Manchester Central Library. Each exhibited board is an insight into personal research and subject matter, produced in traditional messy art school rooms where students become inspired and have tested the possibilities of ideas, research and practical production. This exhibition is in Manchester Central Library’s iconic Wolfson Reading Room on the first floor.
To see more exciting innovative work and research please follow the Instagram link: #foundationartanddesigntmc
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

ACTING UP!
2025-08-26 08:00 - 2025-12-31 17:00
ACTING UP! tells the story of 40 years of HIV activism in the region through archives, testimonies and films. The exhibition honours the memories of lives lost and continues the fight for a world free of HIV stigma and discrimination.
Visit the exhibition in the ground floor of Central Library from 2 April till 31 December 2025, with a special display in the first floor Reading Room until 31 May 2025.
Acting Up! is organised by George House Trust, a charity which provides support, advice, information and advocacy services to people living with HIV in Greater Manchester and the wider North West.
The exhibition is part of ‘40 years of HIV Activism in Greater Manchester’, a project marking 40 years of George House Trust and the broader regional response to HIV.
Free – please drop in.
Please consider making a donation to support our Library Live programme here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

Piccadilly Radio Archive: Nobody Did It Better!
2025-08-26 08:00 - 2025-12-31 17:00 | Ground Floor
Explore the history of independent radio in Manchester from the birth of Piccadilly Radio in 1974 through to Key 103’s 1990s heyday. This free exhibition tells the story of the DJs, programme makers and listeners through audio, photography and ephemera. Listen to clips from your favourite DJs, find out what it was like to work at the station and learn about how the station’s archive is being cared for and digitised by the Archives+ team. Over 750 Piccadilly Radio shows are now available to listen on Central Library’s Sound + Vision pods.
The project was made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players. It was supported by Manchester Libraries Trust.
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

Punk: The Art of Rebellion
2025-08-26 08:00 - 2025-12-31 17:00 | First Floor Display Cases
A new exhibition explores how punk exploded from the streets of 1970s Britain – raw, loud, and unapologetic. Born of crisis, it raged against capitalism, racism, and conformity. Through music, fashion, protest, and art, punk gave voice to the voiceless, challenged gender roles, and still shapes culture today.
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

LGBT Foundation’s 50 Years of Queer Hope & Joy Exhibition
2025-08-26 08:00 - 2025-12-31 17:00 | Wolfson Reading Room and Lower Ground Floor
2025 marks 50 years of queer hope and joy for LGBT Foundation—and the heart of the celebrations begins in the centre of Manchester.
Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and proudly sponsored by Barefoot Wine, the 50 Years of Queer Hope & Joy Exhibition at Manchester Central Library invites the public into a powerful, moving, and often joyful journey through the stories that shaped five decades of LGBTQ+ life in Greater Manchester and beyond.
From never-before-seen archive materials and oral histories to community artefacts and campaign posters, the exhibition showcases the resilience, resistance, and creativity of LGBTQ+ people across generations. Whether you’re rediscovering the past or encountering it for the first time, this in-person exhibition places the lived experiences of queer people at the heart of the narrative.
The 50 Years of Queer Hope and Joy Exhibition is open to the public on the Lower Ground Floor at the entrance to City Library, and in the Wolfson Reading Room on the First Floor till 31 December 2025.
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

Laws of Your Game
2025-08-26 13:00 - 14:30 | Lower Ground Floor
Join us at Central Library for this exciting session brought to you by National Football Museum! Every great game needs rules, but who says we can’t rewrite them? In this workshop, you’re the rule-maker of football. What do your laws of the game look like? Maybe every goal gets a dance-off, everyone wears capes, or kindness on the pitch earns extra goals. In this workshop we’ll start positive conversations around inclusion and diversity. Who is currently left out of football? What rules could we write to include more people?
Suitable for families.
Free entry – drop in
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Art Time
2025-08-26 14:00 - 15:30 | Lower Ground Floor
Let your imagination run wild in this art session where anything can happen!
All materials provided, including canvas, children’s paint, and more: just bring yourself!
Suitable for ages 7+.
Free entry, no need to book!

Tuesday 26 August. 2.30-3.30pm. Lower Ground Floor.

An Evening with A.F. Steadman
2025-08-26 18:00 - 19:00 | Performance Space
Join us for what promises to be a brilliant Q&A event with internationally bestselling author A.F. Steadman to celebrate the release of Skandar and the Spirit War, the fifth and final book in the blockbuster Skandar series! Join us to hear all about the Skandar series and there will also be a Q&A so you can put your burning questions to the author herself!
The blockbuster hit series about bloodthirsty unicorns, epic sky battles and elemental magic was crowned Waterstones Children’s Book of the Year in 2022. The series has been translated into 47+ languages and a film produced by Sony Pictures is in the works.
Come and celebrate the publication of Skandar and the Spirit War, the highly anticipated fifth and final book in the Skandar series at this exclusive and unforgettable family event.
A.F. Steadman will be signing and dedicating copies of the Skandar series after the event, but due to time limitations A.F. Steadman will sign and dedicate one copy of Skandar and the Spirit War plus one other book per child. The book and ticket option includes a pre-signed copy of the hardback exclusive edition of Skandar and the Spirit War (RRP. £14.99) which will be available for collection at the event.
Please note that ticket holders 16 years of age and under must be accompanied by an adult (who must also purchase a ticket) in order to gain entry to the venue and to remain in the venue for the duration of the performance. The venue reserves the right to refuse entry to unaccompanied ticket holders who are 16 years of age and under.
The event may be filmed and photographed, as an attendee you consent to footage of you being used for promotional purposes.

Half and Half Scarves
2025-08-27 13:00 - 14:30 | Lower Ground Floor
Join us at Central Library for a collaborative and fun session led by the National Football Museum! Half & half scarves tell a story of rivalries, friendships, big matches, and personal connections. Now, it’s your turn to create one that represents you! Pick your colours and patterns, choosing a simple design that reflect two sides of your identity, maybe it’s your hometown and your new city, your club and your country, your football passion and beyond. Then, weave them together into a mini half & half scarf, just like the ones you see at the match.
Suitable for families.
Free entry – 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

Plant Your Story Garden!
2025-08-28 14:00 - 16:00 | Lower Ground Floor
Calling all budding gardeners (pun unintended) and readers!
Get potting at this fun interactive session for the whole family.
We’ll provide seeds, soil and pots, just bring yourself!
We’ll also help you sign up to the Summer Reading Challenge, so you can win some wonderful prizes.
What’s not to like?
Free, no need to book.
Thursday 28 August. 2-4pm. Lower Ground Floor.

Story Garden: A Garden Collage
2025-08-29 13:00 - 14:30 | Performance Space
To welcome bees and butterflies, we’ll start by planting beautiful, colourful flowers. But that’s not all—we’re going to get crafty too!
Using decorative paper and layers of soft tissue paper, we’ll create a giant blooming flower collage.
Each petal we add will remind us how important flowers are for pollination and how we can help protect our natural world.
So grab your glue sticks and let your imagination bloom—our garden is about to get a whole lot more magical!
Free entry, no need to book.
Friday 29 August. 1-2.30pm. Performance Space.

Film Friday
2025-08-29 14:30 - 16:00 | Performance Space
Does Friday afternoon and cinema sound like a good combo to you?
Then join us at Manchester Central Library for a free film screening with themed crafts!
We may even have popcorn!
Suitable for children up to 12 years old. No need to book, free to drop in from 2.30pm. Film screening starts at 2.30pm.
Friday 29 August. 2.30-4pm. Performance Space.

Wonderland Sunday Funday at Central Library!
2025-08-31 12:00 - 16:00
Not quite ready for the end of the holidays? Join us at Central Library for a special end-of-summer extravaganza brought to you by Z-Arts and Manchester Libraries!
*FULL PROGRAMME*
Yoga and movement sessions for children
Performance Space (Ground Floor)
Start times: 12pm, 1pm
Storytimes
Performance Space (Ground Floor)
Start times: 12.30pm, 1.30pm
Bessie’s Bees (Storytime)
Children’s Library (Lower Ground Floor)
Start time: 12pm
Wonderland family gig: Yemi Bolatiwa and her band
Performance Space (Ground Floor)
3-4pm
Face painting, crafts and carrot trail: THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON!
Why not dress up for the occasion? Costumes encouraged – whether you’re a mischievous Cheshire Cat or a dapper White Rabbit!
Bring your sense of wonder, a big smile, and your whole crew for a family-friendly adventure that’s sure to be madly memorable!
FREE ENTRY! JUST DROP IN

Japan Week
2025-09-04 10:30 - 2025-09-08 16:30 | Performance Space
Join us for Japan Week to learn more about leading Japanese destinations from EXPO 2025 in Osaka, as well as hidden gems that will inspire your next visit. You can also view incredible exhibitions and performances from Japanese artists and join workshops to give yourself a taste of traditional Japanese culture right here in Manchester.
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

Conversation Club
2025-09-11 13:00 - 14:30 | Ground Floor (Handling Tables)
Would you like to improve your English conversation skills? Join our friendly group, improve your English, and meet new friends. Suitable for adults.
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

From Page to Stage: 20 Years of Manchester Literature Festival
2025-09-12 08:00 - 2025-12-16 17:00 | Wolfson Reading Room
Feast your eyes on two decades of literary magic with From Page to Stage, a photographic exhibition celebrating Manchester Literature Festival’s 20th anniversary. This intimate collection of photos charts the Festival’s journey from its early days to becoming one of the UK’s most distinctive literary events. Through striking images, we revisit the unforgettable moments and remarkable voices that have shaped the Festival – from award-winning novelists and poets, to leading songwriters and musicians, activists and change-makers.
Featuring brilliant photos of homegrown favourites Lemn Sissay, Jeanette Winterson, Jackie Kay and Simon Armitage alongside much loved cultural figures Johnny Marr, Guy Garvey, Linton Kwesi Johnson and Vivienne Westwood, these images tell a story of inspired ideas, playful conversations and communities brought together. From intimate readings to bold, genre-defying events, the exhibition captures the energy, diversity and creativity that defines Manchester Literature Festival.
Come and join us in celebrating 20 years of bringing literature to life.
Image copyright: Jon Parker Lee.
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
