• Robert John Watson: The Sky Above Her

    First Floor Exhibition Hall

    Exhibiting work spanning 20 years, Robert Watson (one of the country’s leading documentary and contemporary photographic artists) returns to Central Library. This free exhibition features images of Manchester Pride and […]

  • Little Reads Family Day with Nathan Bryon & Dapo Adeola

    Performance Space

    Author Nathan Bryon and illustrator Dapo Adeola’s loveable character Rocket has already taught us about space in the award-winning Look Up! Then she tackled ocean pollution in Clean Up! Now, […]

    £5
  • Gaia Vince in Conversation

    Performance Space

    EVENT POSTPONED: Please note that due to travel disruptions we are having to postpone this event. Details of the new date will be confirmed shortly and our box office will […]

    £12
  • Simon Armitage

    Performance Space

    ‘Perhaps have something that the poems don’t. Or perhaps they don’t have something that the poems do’. Where do song lyrics and poetry converge? Poet Laureate Simon Armitage has always […]

    £14
  • Karl Ove Knausgaard in Conversation

    Performance Space

    Karl Ove Knausgaard, author of My Struggle, ‘the greatest literary invention of the 21st century’, makes his MLF debut to discuss his dazzling new novel The Wolves of Eternity (translated by Martin Aitkin). In Southern […]

    £12
  • Decolonising My Body with Afua Hirsch

    Performance Space

    We’re channelling our ancestors, crediting our ancestors, claiming we are our ancestors “wildest dreams”, and cautioning against our ancestors’ deepest nightmares.’ As she turned forty, broadcaster and journalist Afua Hirsch […]

    £12
  • Lisa Nandy

    Performance Space

    THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT ‘I am determined that we seize this moment and rise to meet the challenge of our age: to build a country in which everyone has a stake and a […]

    £12
  • Monica Heisey & Sheena Patel

    Performance Space

    Two of fiction’s rising stars discuss their brilliant debut novels, strong women characters, narrative voice, the perils of modern love and relationships, and how we present ourselves in the physical […]

    £10
  • creative:connection

    Performance Space

    In partnership with Create, disabled and non-disabled students from Manchester and Salford schools come together to create, build connections and break down barriers. Working with top class musicians they will […]

  • Zebra Tribe Comic Book Festival

    Performance Space

    Black (African Caribbean and mixed heritage) creatives will get together and showcase their talent. Come along and listen to speakers Corey Brotherson, UK comic creator, and Yomi Ayeni, historic comic […]

  • The Welcome Roadshow

    Performance Space

    Get ready Greater Manchester! The Welcome Roadshow is coming to Manchester Central Library on Monday the 23rd this October half term, bringing the magic of dance, circus skills and craft workshops. We're visiting […]

  • Cosy Club

    Children's Library

    A cosy evening of independent reading for 8 to 11-year-olds. We’ll build dens, decorate our own cosy reading nooks and settle down for an evening of independent reading and escapism […]