A special matinee show from the Manchester electronic act LIVE from the Henry Watson Music Library. Ellesmere Port resident Patrick Oakford and Manchester's Travis Eagle write and perform original electronic / dance / trance / club soundscapes under the name Stereo Listening Booth. Reviewing the debut album ‘Disko Noir’, Louder than War magazine described the […]
Join us for a hands-on DJ and music production workshop at Central Library. Hosted by tutor Niah Jemijog, this 2 hour session is designed to be an accessible, creative, and engaging tutorial for all experience levels. This small group session will cover the fundamentals of beat making, mixing, and live looping/DJ performance, using industry-standard tools like Ableton Live, MIDI […]
Join us at the Henry Watson Music Library — a relaxed, beginner‑friendly Vinyl DJ workshop where everyone’s welcome to bring a few favourite records. Led by vinyl DJ and host Maimuna (DJ MuMu), this session is all about connection, creativity, and enjoying music together in a friendly, social setting. You’ll learn the basics of cueing, blending, and […]
Intergenerational Music Making invites you to join our age inclusive creative sessions, designed to bring communities together. Every session will include opportunities to get creative through music, art, poetry, movement, storytelling, and meaningful conversations that bring people together. Held in the beautiful Henry Watson Music Library within Manchester Central Library, the sessions are relaxed, flexible, […]
This July, the Henry Watson Music Library will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Sex Pistols’ iconic 1976 gig at the Lesser Free Trade Hall. A definitive milestone in the city’s musical history, Sex Pistols’ first appearance in Manchester has since become the stuff of rock legend. Named “the most important gig of all time” […]
Part of our 50th Anniversary celebrations marking the anniversary of the Sex Pistols’ legendary Lesser Free Trade Hall, the New Horizons Choirs will be performing a special punk set. New Horizons is a fun, welcoming, inclusive choir who meet for a sing every week in the Manchester Central Library. With a varied repertoire of songs, from […]
Join us this July for something a little different at the Henry Watson Music Library — a relaxed, beginner-friendly ukulele workshop. Led by tutor Jim Wallace, this Ukulele Lesson is all about confidence, connection, and enjoying music together in a welcoming setting. For 25 years, Jim has been bringing his passionate music teaching experiences to […]
Join us for this relaxing session led by Psychologist Özlem Bakan Yavaş. We will be reading stories and learning about feelings in a comfortable and safe environment. We will finish each session with a calming and mindful craft. Suitable for children aged 4+. Book your free spot via Eventbrite here or click 'Book Now' below. […]
‘It’s Time The Tale Were Told – A People’s History of The Smiths’ is the story of one of the UK’s most influential indie bands and Manchester’s greatest musical exports. Featuring the words of over 500 fans of the band, this joyous new book has been collated by author and journalist Iain Key, plus publisher […]
In celebration of Make Music Day 2026, the Greater Manchester Voices choir will be performing a very special set in the Henry Watson Music Library. The Greater Manchester Voices is a lively community choir based in South Manchester, built on three simple foundations: Singing, Smiling and Socialising. Founded by Musical Director Ollie Mills in 2011, […]
Jazz quartet to perform a special lunchtime set at the Henry Watson Music Library this June. Woodshed Collective is unified by a shared passion for performing and composing jazz in its many forms. The band takes its inspiration from traditional artists such as Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and Cannonball Adderley, aiming to develop their own sound based […]
The Henry Watson Music Library invites you to experience ‘Live In The Library’, a brand new showcase event in collaboration with the Access Creative College. As one of the city’s most respected music institutions, Access Creative College will be taking over the music library with a series of special live performances from its current crop […]
From dedicated performance spaces to stairwells, screens, nooks and domes, Central Library might directly inspire your next event or intervention. Contact us to arrange a tour.
