Library Live

Your Local Arena presents A Day in The Afterlife
2024-10-19 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Performance Space
Join us for a rare screening of the 1994 Arena documentary A Day in The Afterlife about cult author Philip K Dick (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?). Afterwards, see writers Kate Feld, David Hartley and Irenosen Okojie discuss his speculative / science fiction and imagination. Poet Francesca Beard will also perform a new commission inspired by his work. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with Your Local Arena and supported by Library Live.
Your Local Arena is a unique project featuring iconic films from the archives of BBC TV’s Arena, the pioneering cultural documentary series. It includes new poems inspired by the Arena films and panels to explore the continuing relevance of the Arena archives today. The Your Local Arena concept was developed by Lucy Hannah and Speaking Volumes, with Arena’s award-winning director/editor Anthony Wall as creative consultant, and funded by Arts Council England.
David Hartley is a short story writer, performer, and researcher based in Manchester. He holds a PhD in Creative Writing from The University of Manchester where he looked at the interconnection of autism and the fantastical, with a particular focus on the film Blade Runner. He is the author of Incorcisms and Fauna, the latter of which was longlisted for the Edge Hill Prize in 2022. Most recently, he was writer-in-residence in Tartu, Estonia for the Prima Vista Literature Festival where he performed a four-hour immersive storytelling experience among a forest of tattooed Estonians.
Kate Feld is the author of the poetry and photography pamphlet Deeryard. Her writing has appeared in journals including The Stinging Fly, The Letters Page and Tolka and in The Art of Being Dangerous: Exploring Women and Danger Through Creative Expression. She lectures in Journalism at the University of Salford and lives in the hills north of Manchester.
Irenosen Okojie is a Nigerian British author whose work pushes the boundaries of form, language and ideas. Her novel, Butterfly Fish, and short story collections, Speak Gigantular and Nudibranch, have won and been nominated for multiple awards. She was a Contributing Editor for The White Review and co-presented the BBC’s Turn Up for The Books podcast, alongside Simon Savidge and Bastille frontman Dan Smith. She is the director and founder of Black to the Future, a multidisciplinary Afrofuturist festival. Her new novel is Curandera.
Francesca Beard is a poet who has worked with audiences and artists in over 23 countries through her work with the British Council. She has been poet-in-residence at The Barbican, BBC White City, The Tower of London, and the Natural History Museum. Her solo shows include Chinese Whispers, How to Survive A Post-Truth Apocalypse and Confabulation.
Tickets FREE but advance booking is required
‘Book Now’ below, phone 0161 876 2015 or visit the MLF website

Mindfulness, Painting and Music Workshop
2024-10-24 13:00 - 15:00 | Performance Space
Get creative at our free craft activities inspired by Black History Month. Artist Tina Ramos Ekongo and musician Johanna Leung will help you do some mindful painting to music. This workshop is suitable for families and lasts two hours. All materials are provided.
Free – no booking required
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Half Term Science Special
2024-10-25 14:00 - 16:00 | Performance Space
Who said that science can’t be fun? Join our science-inspired activities for half term. You will make balloon rockets and find out how strong paper can be! Free, just drop in. Suitable for families.
Free – just drop in. For more information email angela.rawcliffe@manchester.gov.uk
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Half Term Family Fun Special!
2024-10-26 14:00 - 16:00
Looking for a fun Saturday activity for the whole family? Look no further. Join our engaging Saturday half-term session. Expect music, crafts, and lots of fun! Suitable for children of all ages.
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

Manchester Theatres Exhibition
2024-10-28 08:00 - 2025-01-31 17:00 | Lower Ground Floor Exhibition Space
Visit this latest exhibition showcasing items from our unique archive, including playbills, programmes, posters and other memorabilia, dating from the 18th century to the present day and documenting the vibrant history of theatre in Manchester.
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

Word Central
2024-10-29 18:00 - 19:30 | Performance Space
Word Central Open Mic Poetry and Spoken Word.
Presented by Flapjack Press and Manchester Libraries. Hosted by Tony Curry with special guest Oliver James Lomax.
Tuesday 29th October, 6.00pm – 7.45pm. Doors open 5.40pm and free entry.
October’s special guest Oliver James Lomax is a poet, educator and trustee of Salford’s Working-Class Movement Library, whose poems are now taught in schools. He has published 5 collections including The Dandelion Clock and Burial of the Cameo (‘Dammed fine poems, full of emotional resonance and vivid imagery.’ Ian Rankin). Oliver has written poetry for film and television, and in 2019 released his first spoken word single, described by Tom Robinson (BBC 6 Music) as ‘An unholy hybrid of John Cooper Clarke and Mark E Smith.’ In 2023 he released his debut album, Working-Class Love Poem, which he is currently touring across the UK.
‘Poems that dance with originality and are tenderly unafraid of love and belonging.’ Mark Thomas
‘Beautifully written poems from a unique voice of integrity and spirit.’ Maxine Peake
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].
‘Tony’s words make great music for the mind. Modern, understandable, smart, real.’ Neil Bell
‘This is our poetry, these are our poems. They smell of home and friendship.’ Tony Walsh
Book your open mic slot from noon on Tuesday 15th October 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.

Crime Central Halloween Special!
2024-10-31 18:00 - 19:30 | Performance Space
Rob Parker and Manchester Libraries invite you to a CRIME CENTRAL SPOOKTACULAR!!
With Jo Callaghan, Graeme Cumming and Steve Kedie!
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

Greg Jenner- Totally Chaotic History: Roman Britain Gets Rowdy
2024-11-04 10:30 - 11:30
EVENT CANCELLED DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES
Join ex-Horrible Histories historian and chart-topping You’re Dead to Me podcaster Greg Jenner, as he goes back in time to explore Roman Britain! You can expect myth-busting, quick-fire quizzes and to discover mind-boggling truths about everything from Roman gods and emperors to invasions and life in a fort! So, hold on tight because this isn’t your typical history lesson – get ready for a fact-packed, hilarious, and entertaining event! Presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with Manchester Histories. Supported by Library Live.
FREE event for schools, booking essential
Email miriam@manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk for more details.

When Marianne and Britannia Meet - Exhibition
2024-11-06 08:00 - 2024-11-28 17:00 | First Floor
Signed in 1904, the Entente Cordiale brought to an end several decades of colonial rivalry between France and the UK.
This exhibition, marking the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale, features extracts of great historical and symbolic significance from French and British archives, shedding unique light on the political and social repercussions of the agreement.
You will learn more about the conflicts between the United Kingdom and France at the end of the 19th century, and the negotiations and discussions that led to the appeasement of their rivalry and the historic rapprochement of these two powers.
Immerse yourself in an important moment in the relationship between France and the UK, and learn more about the French view-point on the events!
This exhibition is hosted at both Central Library (First Floor) and at Alliance Francaise de Manchester.
Exhibition curated by Charlotte Faucher (University of Bristol) and Guillaume Perissol (Institut Français du Royaume-Uni) and presented by the Institut Français du Royaume- Uni (IFRU) in partnership with the French Ministry for Europe, the UK Foreign Affairs’ Archives Department and the UK National Archives. Supported by Natixis CIB and the Friends of the French Institute 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

Richard Powers
2024-11-08 08:00 - 17:00 | Performance Space
Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Powers (The Overstory) makes a rare visit to the UK in support of his compelling new, Booker Prize-longlisted novel Playground. The tiny island of Makatea in French Polynesia unites four people: Evie, one of the first female divers, now in her 90s; Ina, an artist who creates large sculptures from the plastic destroying our oceans; and two friends: Todd, a programmer working with AI; and Rafi, a poet with strong, moral beliefs. The decision they must make about whether to allow floating cities in the Pacific will change their lives and impact the planet forever.
Richard is the author of 13 previous novels including The Overstory, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and Bewilderment, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and longlisted for the National Book Award. He is a MacArthur Fellow and many of his books explore themes connected to science, technology and nature. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with the Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester. Supported by Library Live.
Image credit: Dean D. Dixon
Tickets: ‘Book Now’, phone 0161 876 2015 or visit the MLF website

Hey Duggee on Loop!
2024-11-11 10:00 - 2024-11-14 16:00 | Performance Space
Celebrate Hey Duggee’s tenth anniversary with ten specially selected episodes of the celebrated pre-school children’s animated television series, on a loop, as part of the Manchester Animation Festival.
Free – drop in. Please consider making a donation if you can either online or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

French Film Club: Tout Simplement Noir
2024-11-18 17:45 - 19:45 | Performance Space
Join us and Alliance Française de Manchester for this month’s film, Tout Simplement Noir. JP, a 40-year-old failed actor, decides to organise the first big black protest march in France, but his often burlesque encounters with influential figures in the community and the interested support he receives from Fary mean he vacillates between the desire to be in the limelight and a genuine commitment to militancy…
Film in French with English subtitles. Certificate 15. All Alliance Française de Manchester cultural events are open and accessible to everyone. They are public events and under 18s remain the responsibility of their parent/guardian at all times.
Free – booking required via Alliance Francaise website
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in the venue, or online

AFTERNOON LECTURE: Space Exploration – how we’re transforming Albert Square
2024-11-21 13:00 - 14:15 | Performance Space
AFTERNOON LECTURE

Our Heritage Lectures shine a light on the work behind the scenes of the Our Town Hall Project.
One of the most obvious parts of the project will be the improvements to Albert Square. As well as pedestrianising almost all of it (just one section of road will remain, for the Metrolink tramlines) to create a 20% larger space, the work includes making all of the Town Hall’s entrances and exits accessible.
Prior to 2018, when we closed the building, only one of the many access points was available to anyone with reduced mobility.This lecture will be given jointly by Kevin Redhead and Matt Stirton from Planit, the project’s landscape architecture and urban design specialists, who are responsible for the work within the Town Hall’s public realm.

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EVENING LECTURE: Space Exploration – how we’re transforming Albert Square
2024-11-21 17:30 - 18:45 | Performance Space
EVENING LECTURE
Our Heritage Lectures shine a light on the work behind the scenes of the Our Town Hall Project.
One of the most obvious parts of the project will be the improvements to Albert Square. As well as pedestrianising almost all of it (just one section of road will remain, for the Metrolink tramlines) to create a 20% larger space, the work includes making all of the Town Hall’s entrances and exits accessible.
Prior to 2018, when we closed the building, only one of the many access points was available to anyone with reduced mobility.This lecture will be given jointly by Kevin Redhead and Matt Stirton from Planit, the project’s landscape architecture and urban design specialists, who are responsible for the work within the Town Hall’s public realm.

Behind the Scenes Tour of Central Library
2024-11-21 18:00 - 19:30 | Entrance Hall
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 so please book early.
Please meet in the main entrance (Shakespeare Hall) of Central Library from 5.45pm. The tour starts at 6pm
Book tickets below

Crime Central
2024-11-27 18:00 - 19:30 | Performance Space
Rob Parker, Manchester Libraries and Instituto Cervantes invite you to very special CRIME CENTRAL!!
With SL McManus, Teresa Solana and Nick Triplow!
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

Sam Johnson Memorial Lecture 2024 with Jane Rosen
2024-12-04 17:30 - 19:00 | Lwr Ground Floor – Manchester Histories Hub
Sam Johnson Memorial Lecture 2024 with Jane Rosen: The Co-operators, the Peacemakers, and the Enigmas: Women in the SCR
Manchester Histories and Manchester Metropolitan University are delighted to host the Sam Johnson Memorial Lecture 2024 with Jane Rosen.
Discover the important roles women played in the foundation of the Society for Cultural Relations (SCR) with the USSR.
Jane Rosen is a Librarian and has worked in a number of specialist historical and cultural libraries including the Society for Co-operation in Russian and Soviet Studies and the Marx Memorial Library. Her latest publication is a centenary history of the Society for Co-operation in Russian and Soviet Studies.
Free – booking required via this Eventbrite link or clicking the ‘book now’ button underneath ‘related events’ below

A History of Pies and Puddings
2024-12-05 18:00 - 19:00 | Performance Space
Explore the history of some our most beloved British foods with local food historian Neil Buttery: pies and puddings, from their rather posh origins to the present day, where they are beloved by all (and treated with suspicion by some). Both have a fascinating and rather convoluted history, and Neil will talk you through the rather surprising paths they have meandered through the centuries.
Neil will also present some of his research on regional foods: Manchester pudding, Yorkshire pudding haggis and Cornish pasties (expect a bombshell!) as well as some foods which were eaten all year round but are associated with Christmas today, including plum pudding and mince pies.

Tickets are free and available to book below.

Christmas Silent Disco!
2024-12-06 20:00 - 23:59 | Performance Space
The ever popular Retro Silent Disco returns for a Christmas Special at Central Library!
Join DJ John for a night of 70’s, 80’s and 90’s hits, with a sprinkling of Manchester bands and festive classics throughout. Bar open all night. Christmas jumpers and party gear recommended!
Doors open 8pm.
Tickets are still the bargain £10 ( now with NO booking fee!) We’ve also got concessionary tickets and a ‘Four4Three’ bargain bundle!
Click ‘Book Now’ button below or this Eventbrite booking link

Instruments in Chinese Music: the guzheng
2024-12-11 18:00 - 19:00 | Performance Space
We’re delighted to invite you to the final talk in our “Chinese instruments in focus” series. The series features three talks hosted by Po Hang Yuen, each focusing on a different traditional Chinese instrument.
The last in our series is the guzheng. The talk will introduce writing for the guzheng. It will discuss how our guest reimagined the instrument’s musical tradition by integrating Chinese philosophies found in painting and ancient literature. The guest for this talk is Li Yang.
About the public talk series: Manchester Confucius Institute public talks are free, informal and informative lectures aimed at anyone with an interest in Chinese culture and language. Find out more about the Manchester Confucius Institute.
Free – booking required. Click on ‘Book now’; below or book tickets via tickettailor.com

Dominic Berry: How Can I Be Now?
2024-12-12 18:00 - 19:30 | Performance Space
Flapjack Press presents How Can I Be Now?, Selected Poems by Dominic Berry.
“Maybe I’m strange, but I want to ask whether I’m the only one who wishes more people cried together?”
Queer, vegan poet Dominic Berry presents his favourite poems for performance from his collections Tomorrow, I Will Go Dancing, Wizard, No Tigers and Yes Life, along with new poetry designed to engage and inspire.
An extraordinary and enthralling collection exploring life, personal development and wellbeing by the Glastonbury Festival poet in residence and two-times Saboteur Award-winning Best Spoken Word Performer.
LGBTQIA+ and includes adult themes and language.
“Dominic’s poetry leaves your soul grateful for its medicinal remedies.” Griot Gabriel
“Words that penetrate your soul like surround sound.” Jenny Berry
“Amazing. Heart-centred.” Ellerose the Unicorn
“Dynamic, tender and thought-provoking.” Jackie Juno
Dominic Berry is a Manchester-based performance poet renowned for his eloquent yet uncompromising stage shows and a desire to confront inequality. His work has taken him across the continents of Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australasia. He has been Glastonbury Festival’s poet in residence, and has won Manchester Literature Festival’s Superheroes of Slam and New York’s famous Nuyorican Poets’ Café Slam. He has also twice been publicly voted Sabotage Review’s Best UK Spoken Word Performer.

How Can I Be Now? is published in paperback by Flapjack Press.
Flapjack Press: exploring the synergy between performance and the page.
Shortlisted Most Innovative Publisher, Saboteur Awards.
Shortlisted Best Northern Publisher, Northern Soul Awards.
“Publishes the most cutting-edge poetic performers.” Writing Manchester
“Among the region’s most innovative and forward-thinking publishing houses.” Manchester’s Finest

Classic Christmas Film Marathon!
2024-12-18 11:00 - 19:00 | 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

The Hardest Music Quiz in the World!
2024-12-18 16:30 - 19:00 | Chief Librarian’s Office
The Vinyl Listening Group present The Hardest Music Quiz in the World! Prizes to be won. And maybe even mince pies! All welcome.
Free – just drop in.

New Horizons Choir Sing Christmas Favourites
2024-12-18 17:15 - 18:00 | Henry Watson Music Library
The New Horizons choir sing a selection Christmas favourites. The Manchester City Council employees choir rehearse every Wednesday evening in the Henry Watson Music Library, mainly for the joy of singing and to promote wellbeing.
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.

BSL Storytime
2024-12-21 11:00 - 13:00 | Children’s Library
Join us and Manchester Deaf Centre’s Children and Young People’s Service for this session, which helps deaf children and young people to nurture friendships, skills and confidence for a bright future ahead! You will also have the chance to learn some signs during the session.
Free – Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Chapters in Change
2025-01-13 08:00 - 2025-03-29 17:00 | Ground Floor (Oculus Area)
The images in this display, in the oculus area on the Ground Floor, are from TiPP projects working in partnership with regional Youth Justice Services. They capture movements of creativity by some of society’s most underserved communities.
This project fosters collaboration between professional artists and young people, promoting connections between young people and the environment. They capture moments of reflection, vibrancy, creativity and growth and offer moments of reflection and calm.
TiPP delivers inclusive, creative arts sessions for some of society’s most underserved communities, supporting personal development and growth through participation. Their work seeks to foster human connection and demonstrate that everyone has something valuable to say.
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

An Evening with Alan Hollinghurst & Andrew McMillan
2025-01-17 19:00 - 20:30 | Performance Space
‘Did I have a grievance? Most of us, without looking far, could find something that had harmed us, and oppressed us, and unfairly held us back. I tried not to dwell on it, thought it healthier not to, though I’d lived my short life so far in a chaos of privilege and prejudice.’
One of the finest writers of our age, Alan Hollinghurst launches his first novel in seven years. Our Evenings is a dark, compelling and wickedly funny account of Dave Win’s life from his time as a scholarship pupil at a local boarding school, through his early loves, his life in London and on the road with an experimental theatre company, to a late-life affair which transforms his sixties. A portrait of modern England, the novel is an acutely observed tale of race and class, theatre and sexuality, love and the cruel shock of violence.
Alan is the award-winning author of seven novels including The Swimming Pool Library, winner of the Somerset Maugham Award, The Folding Star, winner of the James Tait Memorial Prize, and The Line of Beauty, winner of the Booker Prize. Hosted by poet and novelist Andrew McMillan (physical, playtime, Pity). Presented by Manchester Literature Festival and sponsored by The Midland Manchester. Supported by Library Live.
Image credit: Robert Taylor
PLEASE NOTE: This event was due to take place on Monday 7 October 2024 but was rescheduled due to illness
Tickets: ‘Book Now’ below, phone 0161 876 2015 or visit the MLF website

Central Library: Ten Years of Success
2025-01-20 08:00 - 2025-03-01 17:00 | Wolfson Reading Room
In 2024, Manchester Central Library celebrated ten years since its major transformation, and 90 years since its grand opening by King George V on 17 July 1934. This display in the Wolfson Reading Room celebrates it’s many achievements and successes over those ten years.
As the ‘jewel in the crown’ of Manchester’s libraries, and one of the most loved and iconic venues in the city, Central Library boasts services and facilities that are appreciated by over 2million people annually. Central Library is an inclusive and dynamic space that appeals to families, children and young people, as well as aspiring entrepreneurs, culture vultures, archivists, students, musicians and traditional library visitors. Since its relaunch in 2014, we have continued to innovate and develop new ways of providing a high-quality, modern and vibrant library offer for residents and visitors to the city.
Free – drop in – please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in the venue, or online

Poppycock
2025-01-22 08:00 - 17:00 | Henry Watson Music Library
Poppycock, featuring Una Baines, perform their album ‘Magic Mothers’ (one of Louder Than War’s Top 100 albums of 2024), alongside artwork by Pascal le Gras and Suzanne Smith.
Band on stage at 6pm.
Free – please drop in

Word Central with Guest Poet Griot Gabriel!
2025-01-28 18:00 - 19:30 | Performance Space
Word Central Open Mic Poetry and Spoken Word.
Tuesday 28th January, 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 Griot Gabriel.
Book your open mic slot from noon on Tuesday 14th January 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.
January’s special guest Griot Gabriel is a poet from Manchester whose upbringing is rooted in Black urban culture and Nigerian heritage. His poetry explores masculinity, political discourse, identity, faith and spirituality, and inner-city experiences and challenges in context to historical and current social issues. Griot is founder of The Poetry Place, and in 2022 wrote and performed for Warner Bro’s. In 2023 he was commissioned to work with CHANEL, exhibiting at the Metiers D’Art Show, and performed at the Glastonbury and Manchester International Festivals. In 2024 he represented Manchester and came second in UNESCO’s International City of Literature Slamovision.
Presented by Flapjack Press and Manchester Libraries
Free – drop in
