What’s On

Manchester City of Literature is inspired by the possibilities from our city to bring people together to celebrate stories. You’ll find everything that’s going on here, whether you’re a reader, a writer, you want to support independent publishers or are looking for something to entertain you or young children. Don’t forget that you can add your own events here too, if you’re an organiser. 

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The Observer Anthony Burgess Prize for Arts Journalism

Location: International Anthony Burgess Foundation
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IMLD26: Bridge of Sunflowers Exhibition

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International Mother Language Day 2026

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PLASTIC: Matthew Rice in conversation with Andrew McMillan

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What Happened That Night: Nicci French in conversation with Abigail Dean

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Long-running Events

HOSTING A LITERATURE EVENT?

If you are arranging or hosting a literature event in Manchester which is open to a public audience, and would like us share via our network, please get in touch.

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Online Reading Course: The Gothic – Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

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Other People’s Poetry: Vol.17

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Book Swap with Fly on the Wall Press

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February Half-Term Family Fun at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House

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A DECADE: 10 Years of us, 10 years of YOU! (Girl Gang’s 10th Birthday Party)

Location: Stretford Public Hall
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Poetry Workshop: The Less Said The More We’ll Shut Up About It

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‘Broken Biscuits; and Other Male Failures’ with Adam Farrer

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Word Central with Zena Barrie

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ELIZABETH & RUTH: Livi Michael in conversation

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The Hill in the Dark Grove: Liam Higginson in conversation

Location: Serenity Booksellers
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IMLD26: Community & Care: A Fuse Poetry Night

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ADRIFT: Will Dean in conversation with Neil McRobert

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Keshed: Stu Hennigan in conversation with Terri White

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Ece Temelkuran in conversation with Carole Cadwalladr

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One Mic Stand

Location: Blue's Kitchen
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Voiced: The Festival of Endangered Languages

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Voiced: Seed Syllable Exhibit

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THE STORY OF THE DEER WOMAN: Heidi Hinda Chadwick in conversation

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Voiced & IMLD26: Opening Event

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IMLD26: Layers of Identity from Dunedin

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IMLD26: “Many Languages, One Community” [多語.同心] – Family Art Workshop

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IMLD26: Banner Bingo

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IMLD26 in Jakarta: Membahasakan – Perayaan Hari Bahasa Ibu Dunia

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IMLD 26: Family Fun Day at North City Library

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IMLD26: Linguistic Landscapes in Manchester and Beyond

Location: Manchester Museum
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IMLD26: Events in Kozhikode

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Voiced & IMLD26: Writing and Mosaics Workshop with Lydia Hounat

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Oldham Writing Festival

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IMLD26: Family Fun Day at Longsight Library

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IMLD26: Spanish Storytime – Mi primer Platero

Location: Instituto Cervantes
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IMLD26: Family Fun Day at Manchester Central Library

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IMLD26: Looking for Languages – Family friendly trail at Manchester Museum

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IMLD26: Family Fun Day at Forum Library

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Voiced & IMLD26: Multilingual Open Mic

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The Disfluencies CoLab: Embodying Mother Languages through Poetry & Drawing

Location: Students' Union
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IMLD26: Words Left Behind

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MACFEST & IMLD26: Forgotten Foods: Memories and Recipes from Muslim South Asia

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IMLD26: Chinese literary translation workshops at Manchester in Translation 2026

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Motherfaker – Anna Brook-Mitchell in conversation with Hannah MacDonald

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Verbose with Kieren King and t.m/o

Location: King's Arms Salford
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IMLD26: Spanish as a Heritage Language in the United Kingdom

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MAY WE FEED THE KING: Rebecca Perry in conversation

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An Evening with Tanya Sweeney

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Voiced & IMLD26: Polari and Poetry in Manchester

Location: Manchester Central Library
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Online Talk: Elizabeth Gaskell- An Introduction

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Online Reading Workshop: The Gothic – Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

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An Evening with LJ Ross

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Queer Fiction Writers’ Day at Chorlton Library

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Little Bookworms

Location: House of Books and Friends
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SUPER NINTENDO: Keza MacDonald in conversation

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International Women’s Day Walking Tour

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Online Event: International Women’s Day – Women of Words

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Michael Stewart & Yvonne Battle-Felton in conversation

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An Evening with Graeme Macrae Burnet

Location: Oats and Honey
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IMLD26: The Stepmother

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Online Reading Course: The Gothic – Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

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‘Beyond Palatable’ with Sophie Lee

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HOME IS WHERE THE HAUNT IS: Tobi Coventry and Róisín Lanigan

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Tim Harford – How To Make The World Add Up

Location: The Stoller Hall
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Online Talk: Blame the Mother

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MACFEST & IMLD26: Respect my Language: Voices and Experiences

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Online Reading Course: The Gothic – The Nurses’ Story and The Poor Clare by Elizabeth Gaskell

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An Evening with Siân Hughes

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LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: James Bailey in conversation with Jenn Ashworth

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Children’s Books with Nadine Kaadan

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Collectors, Scientists and Slaves: Islamic Art in Early Modern Italy

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Online Talk: Charlotte Brontë and Elizabeth Gaskell- A Friendship

Location: Online
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Islamesque: Europe’s Greatest Medieval Cathedrals

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From the Dashwoods to Cranford – Sisterhood in the Worlds of Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell

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IMLD26: Manchester – One City, Many Voices

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MIA Book Club: Reading the Islamic World – Gazing at Mecca and Medina

Location: Online
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Online Reading Course: The Gothic – Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu

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Eid Celebration with Multilingual Mushaira and International Poetry

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Online Talk: Cranford – A TV Classic

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Roots & Reverence: Poetry from the Punjabi Sufi Tradition

Location: Online
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Exploring the Legacy of Islamic Empires with Justin Marozzi

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Online Talk: Cranford For Beginners

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A 12th Century Novel: Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān by Ibn Tufail, Andulusian novelist

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Love Stories Etc: Romantic Fiction Festival

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A Conversation with Novelist Diana Abu-Jaber

Location: Online
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Elizabeth Gaskell’s Gothic Fiction: An Introduction

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Mothers of the Gothic – Writing the Supernatural

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Elizabeth Gaskell V Anne Brontë – Monsters and Madmen

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