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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Library Live
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260416T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260416T190000
DTSTAMP:20260405T145818
CREATED:20260303T150555Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260304T144407Z
UID:13051-1776362400-1776366000@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:People as Infrastructure: The Architectural Wisdom of Informality
DESCRIPTION:Join us for Manchester Confucius Institute’s first public talk of the year\, launching our anniversary exhibition\, Building China: People’s Infrastructure. \nExplore the spontaneous and ingenious adaptations found in China’s urban marketplaces\, where everyday materials become functional art. This talk delves into the world of informal architectural practices that thrive without formal design processes\, reflecting a bottom-up creativity that challenges our conventional views on sustainability and technology in building. We’ll discuss how these grassroots innovations might teach us new ways to think about architecture and urban infrastructure. \nAfter the talk\, there will be an opportunity to visit the Manchester Confucius Institute’s 20th anniversary exhibition\, Building China: People’s Infrastructure\, on the Lower Ground Floor of the Central Library (exhibited from 1 March until 30 May 2026). \nFree – booking required via Eventbrite here or via the ‘Book Now’ button below \n==================================== \nAbout the speaker: \nZiqiu Ren is a spatial filmmaker and architectural researcher. Her research is established at the intersection of urban studies\, ethnographic theories\, and creative media. She is currently a PhD Candidate in Architecture at the University of Manchester\, working on Chinese food marketplaces\, supported by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). She is an associated researcher at the Urban Studies Lab.  \nhe Manchester Confucius Institute Public Talk Series \nManchester Confucius Institute public talks are free\, informal and informative lectures aimed at anyone with an interest in Chinese culture and language. \nFind out more about the Manchester Confucius Institute
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/people-as-infrastructure-the-architectural-wisdom-of-informalit/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/people-as-infrastructure-architectural-wisdom-of-informality.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260418T130000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260418T160000
DTSTAMP:20260405T145818
CREATED:20260119T111656Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260327T132804Z
UID:12558-1776517200-1776528000@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Family Film Club
DESCRIPTION:Enjoy a special edition of the Central Library’s legendary Family Film Club! Bring the family for an afternoon of themed crafts and a family classic on the library’s huge screen. Screenings start at 1.30pm – drop in from 1pm. Most suitable for under 12s. \nFree – drop in \nPlease make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online.
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/family-film-club-2/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Family
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260423T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260423T210000
DTSTAMP:20260405T145818
CREATED:20260223T154522Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260330T090255Z
UID:12917-1776970800-1776978000@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:BIG BOOK QUIZ!
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate World Book Night with us!\n\n\n\nIt’s World Book Night\, so how could you miss the ultimate book quiz at Central Library.\nJoin us for an evening celebrating your love of reading with quizzes\, party games\, prizes and the odd surprise challenge! Our cafe will also be open serving snacks\, cakes and a range of coffees\, beer and wine all evening.\nTickets available here!!
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/big-book-quiz/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Culture,Party
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260430T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260430T193000
DTSTAMP:20260405T145818
CREATED:20260331T150307Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T150406Z
UID:13303-1777572000-1777577400@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Attila the Stockbroker: Fiery Words for Hellish Times
DESCRIPTION:Punk poet\, latterly dub poet\, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Attila the Stockbroker exploded into public consciousness in 1982-3 via two John Peel sessions and a Melody Maker front cover\, and is now celebrating 45 years earning a living doing what he loves. \nFiery Words for Hellish Times is his most topical and incendiary publication yet. As the news goes from awful to worse\, these are poems to make you laugh\, cry\, get angry\, and above all\, think! \nPresented by Flapjack Press and Manchester Libraries. \nhttps://flapjackpress.co.uk
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/fiery-words-for-hellish-times-by-attila-the-stockbroker/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Book Launch,Poetry
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Attila-the-stockbroker.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260505T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260505T190000
DTSTAMP:20260405T145818
CREATED:20260303T151809Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260303T151900Z
UID:13064-1778004000-1778007600@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:People’s Infrastructure: Everyday Life in Changing China
DESCRIPTION:Join us for Manchester Confucius Institute’s second public talk linked to our 20th anniversary exhibition \, Building China: People’s Infrastructure \nThis talk moves from the visual culture of the 1950s and the institutional landscapes of the 1970s to contemporary studies of markets\, parks\, sidewalks\, and sites of urban redevelopment. Across these moments\, infrastructure is approached as something maintained through labour\, inhabitation\, and routine use. Attention shifts between rural and urban settings\, historical transformation and present conditions\, to show how social life and material systems remain closely intertwined. ‘People’s infrastructure’ offers a lens for understanding continuity and change in China’s recent past and present. \nAfter the talk\, there will be an opportunity to visit the Manchester Confucius Institute’s 20th anniversary exhibition\, Building China: People’s Infrastructure\, on the Lower Ground Floor of the Central Library (exhibited from 1 March until 30 May 2026). \nFree – booking required via Eventbrite here or via ‘Book Now’ below \n==================================== \nAbout the speaker: \nDeljana Iossifova is Professor of Architecture and Urban Studies and lead the Urban Studies Lab at the University of Manchester\, where she also acts as Academic Director of the Confucius Institute. She was trained as an architect at ETH Zurich and holds a PhD in Public Policy Design from Tokyo Institute of Technology\, which she obtained following years of professional practice in East Asia. Her research examines the dynamics between architecture\, everyday life\, urban transformations\, and global environmental change. \nThe Manchester Confucius Institute Public Talk Series: \nManchester Confucius Institute public talks are free\, informal and informative lectures aimed at anyone with an interest in Chinese culture and language. \nFind out more about the Manchester Confucius Institute.
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/peoples-infrastructure-everyday-life-in-changing-china/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Talks
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260521T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260521T190000
DTSTAMP:20260405T145818
CREATED:20260323T134946Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260323T162335Z
UID:13205-1779386400-1779390000@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:'Malc's Boy'. Shaun Wilson in conversation with Tony Walsh.
DESCRIPTION:Hailed by David Keenan as “fierce\, funny\, poignant and real”\, Malc’s Boy is being tipped as one of the most exciting debuts of 2026! \n\n\n\n\nBrutal\, beautiful\, and darkly funny – a groundbreaking portrait of fathers\, sons\, and northern masculinity. \nMalc’s Boy charts a son’s struggle and friendship with his father amidst a legacy of toxic masculinity and violence. Shaun grows up in Wigton\, a small market town on the fringes of the Lake District\, as the son of Malc\, a prominent publican with a fearsome reputation. More concerned with establishing himself as an artist than making a name for himself in the town’s hierarchical pub scene\, Shaun rebels against his father’s expectations. But when Malc is attacked by an old enemy\, Shaun is forced to confront his father’s past and escape the life he’s been expected to lead. \nShaun Wilson was born in 1980 and raised in Wigton\, Cumbria. In 2022\, an early draft of Malc’s Boy won a Northern Writers’ Award\, with an excerpt published by Granta. His work featured in Kit de Waal’s working-class anthology Common People published by Unbound\, leading the acclaimed Kerry Hudson to tip him ‘for big things’ in The Observer. \nHe has featured at various book festivals\, on BBC Radio\, and recently completed a placement at Semiotext(e). He holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Northumbria University and is currently an Associate Lecturer in Creative Writing at the Universities of Northumbria and Teesside. \nTony Walsh\, the Longfella\, is one of the UK’s most widely acclaimed professional poets; a writer and performer of remarkable breadth and depth\, whose inspiring words regularly reach and inspire audiences of millions. \nManchester-Irish\, working class and entirely self-taught\, his powerful writing and electrifying performances have made him a regular on television and radio\, much in demand for a huge range of high-profile occasions\, and renowned internationally for the now iconic performance of his poem “This Is The Place” in the wake of the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017. \nTickets are £3 entry or there is a book and ticket bundle for £12.99.
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/malcs-boy-shaun-wilson-in-conversation-with-tony-walsh/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Author Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260602T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260602T170000
DTSTAMP:20260405T145818
CREATED:20260401T142545Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260401T142545Z
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SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents Tayari Jones
DESCRIPTION:One of the most irresistible voices in contemporary fiction Tayari Jones discusses her highly anticipated new novel Kin. Born days apart\, Vernice and Annie share loss and friendship. Growing up in segregated America\, their paths diverge\, until danger forces Vernice to risk everything. An exploration of love\, loyalty and motherhood\, powerful.  \nPresented in partnership with the Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester and supported by Library Live.  \nBooking tickets here  Tayari Jones | Manchester Literature Festival or ‘Book Now’ below
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-tayari-jones/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Author Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Tayari-Jones_c_Julie-Yarborough.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260615T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260615T170000
DTSTAMP:20260405T145818
CREATED:20260320T094801Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260320T095108Z
UID:13161-1781510400-1781542800@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:Manchester Literature Festival presents Natalie Haynes
DESCRIPTION:Bestselling author and broadcaster Natalie Haynes returns to Manchester Literature Festival to discuss her powerful new novel No Friend to This House – an extraordinary reimagining of the myth of Medea.   \nBased on Euripides’ classic tragedy\, No Friend to This House explores love\, vengeance\, power and survival\, as Medea faces an impossible choice that will change the course of her and her family’s lives. Known for her bold and compassionate retellings of Greek mythology\, Natalie brings fresh life to this ancient story\, placing one of literature’s most misunderstood women centre stage.  \nJoin us to see experienced broadcaster Natalie Haynes discuss her enduring passion for the classics and why these ancient stories continue to resonate so powerfully today.  \n‘It’s superb: sharp\, funny\, inventive\, powerfully humane…she is one of the most brilliant women in the media.’ Katherine Rundell  \n‘Muse\, sorceress\, high priestess\, Haynes is all of these\, but above all she is the consummate storyteller.’ Adam Rutherford  \n‘an illuminating and often thrilling work of feminist reclamation…Haynes creates an account of her maligned protagonist that is powerfully affecting in its complexity.’ Guardian  \nNatalie Haynes is a Sunday Times bestselling author and award-winning broadcaster. She is the author of novels The Amber Fury\, The Children of Jocasta\, a feminist retelling of the Oedipus and Antigone stories; A Thousand Ships\, a retelling of the Trojan War from an all-female perspective and Stone Blind\, a re-telling of the Medusa story. Her non-fiction books include The Ancient Guide to Modern Life; Pandora’s Jar about the women in Greek myths and Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth.  \nShe has written and presented eleven series of BBC Radio 4’s Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics and is celebrated for bringing Greek myth and classical history to a wide contemporary audience.  \nA Manchester Literature Festival event supported by Library Live.  \nBooking tickets here Natalie Haynes | Manchester Literature Festival or ‘Book Now’ below
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/manchester-literature-festival-presents-natalie-haynes/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Author Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260717T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260718T200000
DTSTAMP:20260405T145818
CREATED:20251125T094235Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T172230Z
UID:12113-1784282400-1784404800@librarylive.co.uk
SUMMARY:LOVE STORIES etc Festival
DESCRIPTION:#LoveStoriesEtc romance festival is returning for a third year to Manchester Central Library on 17th and 18th July 2026 for two packed days of exciting author panels\, industry expert led workshops\, and creative sessions! \nThe schedule for Friday 17th July includes… \n‘How to Boss Booktok’ with Ash Jayy from The Picture of Romance \n‘What Can an Editor do for You?’ with freelance editor Caroline Hogg \nA writer’s advice session hosted by the Romantic Novelists’ Association \n‘How to look Professional Online on a Budget’ with Branding Expert and Photographer\, Claire Gardner from The Authors Lounge \nA Book Bedazzling Party \nKindly sponsored by Vinci Books. Escape to the sun with a Sublime Retreats’ romance by Joy Skye!  \nA Booklovers tour of Manchester \nA Silent Reading Social Event \nWhy Romance Readers Should Rule The World with Bella North \nOn Saturday 18th\, we’re spoiling you with a bumper Author Day including –  \n Rosie Walsh\, Lizzie Damilola Blackburn\, Kate Lord Brown\,  \nCal Speet\, Rachel Hore\, Jessica George\,  \nCressida McLaughlin\, Kiley Dunbar\, Rufaro Faith Mazarura\,  \nLiz Fenwick\, Holly Hepburn\, Chloe Seager\,  \nBella Osborne\, Jill Mansell\, Kirstie Pelling\, \nRachel Wood\, Libby Page\, Beth Moran\, Megan Clawson \nBianca Gillam\, Matt Cain MBE\, Ellis Hunter \nJack Strange\, Tessa Bickers\,  \nCatrin Cadogan\, Roxy Dunn\,  \nRosie Storey and Georgia Stone!! \nWe’ll be announcing even more names very soon!
URL:https://librarylive.co.uk/event/love-stories-etc-festival-2026/
LOCATION:Performance Space
CATEGORIES:Author Event,Book Fair,Book Launch,Party,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://librarylive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/GwxmwhMWIAAhUn5.jpg
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