Oasis Week: The Big Oasis Quiz
2025-07-14 18:00 - 19:30 UTC
Manchester Central Library presents… The Big Oasis Quiz.
This July, the big Central Library Quiz returns for a one-off “Oasis Week” special.
Do you know…

Your Alan McGee, from your Alan White?
Your “Hindu Times”, from your ‘Heathen Chemistry’?
Your Beady Eye, from your High Flying Birds?

Definitely? Or, just Maybeeee?
Then it’s time to prove you’re the ultimate Rock’n’Roll Star, show off your Oasis knowledge, and win fantastic prizes at our bonehead busting quiz…
Monday 14 JULY @ 6:00pm, at the Henry Watson Music Library.

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“Oasis Week” at Central Library is brought to you with thanks to the Manchester Libraries Trust. Find the full programme here: https://librarylive.co.uk/event/oasis-week-rolls-into-manchester-central-library/
“Oasis Week” 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.

John Robb: 'Live Forever: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Oasis' - Oasis Week Q&A
2025-07-15 18:00 - 19:30 | Henry Watson Music Library
For those in the mood for a Talk Tonight, on 15th July, expect to find esteemed Northern music journalist and frontman of the Membranes / Goldblade JOHN ROBB in-conversation about his brand new book ‘Live Forever: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Oasis’ at Manchester Central Library.
Part of “Oasis Week” at Central Library, John will be appearing in-person for an intimate talk and Q&A with local tour guide and Oasis expert Joe Feeley about the book in the Henry Watson Music Library.
‘Live Forever…’ promises a rollercoaster ride through the Gallagher brothers’ turbulent lives and the music that defined a generation. And John Robb was there every step of the way.
In this, the definitive book on Britain’s biggest band, he peels back the layers of Manchester’s best-known musical export, revealing a tale of ambition, ego, talent and a whole lot of attitude. From the estates of South Manchester to the dizzying heights of global stardom, Live Forever is a rollercoaster ride through the Gallagher brothers’ turbulent lives and the music that defined a generation. But it is also a portrait of Britain around the turn of the millennium and the cultural forces and places that shaped, and were shaped by, two cocksure upstarts from Burnage – from art to fashion, and from football to politics.
Playful, funny and irreverent, and drawing on dozens of interviews and first-hand stories, this book puts Oasis squarely in the pantheon of music royalty as the last great rock ’n’ roll stars.
The Q&A will be chaired by local tour guide Joe Feeley. Alongside his expert tours of Manchester city centre, Joe also leads the legendary Rock And Goal Tour and has recently launched the Wonderwalk Oasis Tour. A musician and guide with real Oasis pedigree, Joe grew up with the Gallaghers, was in school with Liam and Noel, and their families in Ireland also share history. His Wonderwalk tour offers a deep dive into Oasis’s roots and the wider Manchester music scene, and his personal connection to the band means he has insights and stories you won’t hear anywhere else.

Joe and John will be chatting about ‘Live Forever: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Oasis’ and more at Manchester Central Library on Tuesday 15 July.
Copies will be available at the event courtesy of Blackwells, and John will be available for signings after the event.
Tickets are free, but any donations to the library warmly welcomed.
Tickets available from 10AM on Friday 20 June:
John Robb: ‘Live Forever: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Oasis’ Q&A Tickets, Tue, Jul 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM | 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.
This event is part of “Oasis Week” at Central Library, kindly supported by Manchester Libraries Trust.
For more information, and to secure your tickets for some of the limited-capacity events of “Oasis Week” at Central Library head to: librarylive.co.uk

New Horizons Choir Sing... OASIS!
2025-07-16 18:00 - 19:00
Part of “Oasis Week” at Central Library, join us for a sensational singalong with the NEW HORIZONS CHOIR.
Led by Tom Guest, the choir will be offering their own innovative take on Oasis hits with their stunning vocal talents.
A fun, welcoming, inclusive choir who meet for a sing every week in the Manchester Central Library, get ready to enjoy an hour of uplifting enmasse singing of some of your favourites on the evening of Wednesday 16th July.
Speaking about their upcoming show, the choir say: “We are very excited to be part of Oasis week and hope you enjoy singing along with these brilliant Mancunian songs!”
New Horizons is a fun, welcoming, inclusive choir who meet for a sing every week in the Manchester Central Library. They are an unauditioned choir, so everyone is welcome to come and enjoy an hour of uplifting singing and we have a repertoire of songs from 80s pop ballads through classics and showtunes to contemporary bangers. They are primarily a singing group for well-being, with the focus on enjoying the mental health benefits singing together can bring and they also give performances at Manchester Cathedral, Gorton Monastery and of course Manchester Central Library.
New Horizons Choir sings Oasis takes place at 6pm on Wednesday 16 July.
Free – just drop in!
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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.
This event is part of “Oasis Week” at Central Library, kindly supported by Manchester Libraries Trust.
For more information, and to secure your tickets for some of the limited-capacity events of “Oasis Week” at Central Library head to: librarylive.co.uk

Attica Locke
2025-07-16 19:00 - 20:15 | Performance Space
This is the best kind of thriller: as literate and thoughtful as it is fast-moving. Attica Locke has bags of style, and sings the blues on every page’ – Mick Herron (Slow Horses)
We’re thrilled to welcome American crime writer Attica Locke to Manchester Literature Festival for a rare UK event. In Guide Me Home, the latest of her gripping, politically charged crime novels, Texas Ranger Darren Matthews is in trouble: he might be about to stand trial in front of a Grand Jury; his difficult and destructive mother is back in his life, and a young Black woman from an all-white sorority appears to be missing, although her sorority sisters and her family deny she has disappeared. With his job, relationship and possibly his life on the line, Darren is forced to grapple with the realities of living in Trump’s America.
Attica Locke is an author, screenwriter and producer who was born in Houston, Texas. She is the author of six novels including Heaven, My Home, a Waterstones Thriller of the Month; Bluebird, Bluebird, winner of the CWA Steel Dagger; Pleasantville, longlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction, and Black Water Rising, shortlisted for the Orange Prize. Her screenwriting/producer credits include When They See Us, Empire, and the Emmy-nominated Little Fires Everywhere, for which she won an NAACP Image award for television writing.
Presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with the Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester. Supported by Library Live.
Image credit: Victoria Will
Tickets: Book here or click on the green ‘Book Now’ button below, or phone the box office on 0161 876 2015

Oasis Film Night - Vote for your favourite
2025-07-17 17:30 - 19:30
Mystery Screening of an Oasis documentary – chosen by you!
Part of “Oasis Week” at Central Library, come along to our Oasis Film Night where you choose the title.
Many a great film has been made about the Gallagher brothers over the years, but which is the greatest of them all?
From ‘Familiar to Millions‘ to ‘Lord Don’t Slow Me Down’ to ‘Supersonic‘ and more, every Oasis film to date has been crammed with the razor sharp quips and rock’n’roll attitude that has cemented them as one of the world’s most legendary bands.
Presenting Oasis fans with the opportunity to vote on the night for their favourite and experience it on the big screen and soundsystem of our Performance Space, this special Oasis Week film night promises to be a one-off opportunity to revisit a classic with fellow fans.
Entry is Free.
Screening at the Central Library Performance Space, on Thursday 17th July @ 5.30pm.

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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.
This event is part of “Oasis Week” at Central Library, kindly supported by Manchester Libraries Trust.
For more information, and to secure your tickets for some of the limited-capacity events of “Oasis Week” at Central Library head to: librarylive.co.uk

'Live Forever' - A Day of Oasis Music - Live!
2025-07-19 11:00 - 15:00
“Oasis Week” at Central Library will conclude with ‘Live Forever’ – a day of special Oasis-themed live sessions on Saturday 19th July.
The day will begin with a little Morning Glory from the MANCHESTER STRING QUARTET performing classical renditions of Oasis hits in the Central Library Entrance (11am-12pm).

Then an early afternoon performance in the Henry Watson Music Library will offer unique reimaginations of the Gallaghers’s oeuvre by the Ukulele Orchestra: STRETFORD UKE (12-12.30pm).
There will also be sumptuous reworkings by Manchester vocal harmony group CANTER SEMPER; rest assured Wonderwall will never have sounded so good (1-1.30pm).
All before a rousing headline performance by top-tier tribute act: NOASIS. Having played big venues like London’s Alexandra Palace to major festivals like Y-Not, Noasis are ‘The Definitive Oasis Tribute Band’ and will be appearing in the Music Library for an intimate, stripped-back set especially for “Oasis Week” (2-2.45pm).
Noasis tickets are limited and pay-what-you-like – available now HERE.
All other shows are free – just drop in!
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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.
This event is part of “Oasis Week” at Central Library, kindly supported by Manchester Libraries Trust.
For more information, and to secure your tickets for some of the limited-capacity events of “Oasis Week” at Central Library head to: librarylive.co.uk

CHaOS Science Summer Roadshow
2025-07-19 11:00 - 16:00 | 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.

Full Volume Podcast - Episode 7 with John Robb
2025-08-12 08:00 - 2025-08-30 17:00
It’s lucky seven for Full Volume: The Manchester Libraries Podcast and the latest edition is chock-full of Library-related features, news and interviews from across the city.     This month’s episode welcomes legendary Northern music journalist John Robb into the hotseat for our “Big Interview”. A regular talking head on the telly and a member of rock’n’roll bands such as Membranes and Goldblade, John knows his music inside-out and has just penned the new book ‘Live Forever: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Oasis’ at Manchester Central Library in time for their big reunion. As John appeared for a special talk as part of the “Oasis Week” activities at Central Library, our host Alan Lynch sat down with him to talk all things Gallaghers. There’s also the latest in our “Branch Out” feature series, with Moss Side Powerhouse taking the spotlight this month. Exclusively the only youth libraries in the country, Alan finds out about the events programme and people that make it one of Manchester Libraries’ buzziest spaces. Elsewhere, the Children’s Team’s Mona Pasha jumps on the podcast for a chat about this year’s Summer Reading Challenge and this year’s ‘Story Garden’ theme for 2025. The scheme encourages children to read books, while collecting stickers and bookmarks in the process. There’s also an appearance from two of our newest recruits, who join Alan for a chat about their inspiring work experience at Central Library. Elsewhere, What’s On guru Gary Parkinson comes into the studio to deliver his pick of the pops across Manchester Libraries this month, including plugs for the packed programme of Summer events at the Z-Arts, and a round-up of the recent news that Central Library will be temporarily closing for three weeks this August (2-24) for a major Wi-Fi upgrade. ***** ‘Full Volume: The Manchester Libraries Podcast’ takes listeners behind the shelves of our city’s much-loved libraries. Presented by the Central Library’s own Alan Lynch, every month the podcast lifts the lid on a treasure trove of insider tips, exclusive interviews, book reviews, and much more.     Receiving rave reviews and overwhelming support from listeners, the podcast has so far featured special guests such as celebrated authors Dame Jacqueline Wilson and Kimberly Whittam, Manchester City Council photographer Barrie Leach speaking about his exhibition ‘Our Town Hall: Portraits of a Workforce’, legendary Manchester artist and illustrator Stanley Chow, Manchester’s Lord Mayor, Councillor John Hacking, BBC broadcaster and esteemed newspaper columnist Emma Barnett, plus Manchester City Council’s Head of Libraries, Galleries, and Culture Neil MacInnes OBE more.    ‘Episode 7: John Robb’, the latest episode of ‘Full Volume: The Manchester Libraries Podcast’ is on all major streaming services now.     Turn it up, and tune in to Episode 7 of Full Volume – now: https://push.fm/fl/actjsf7o-80012-96971-32630   Watch out for Episode 8 in August…

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
