UNESCO Cities of Literature participate in a symbolic and practical act of solidarity by donating art books to a new art book library initiative in Lviv, Ukraine.

The idea is simple: each city collects and sends one or more art books—these could be new purchases or donated copies from local museums, galleries, or cultural institutions—to the library in Lviv. By doing so, the Cities of Literature network not only supports the rebuilding and enrichment of cultural infrastructure in Ukraine but also fosters international literary and artistic solidarity.

Manchester has had a huge response to the callout! We’ve had a huge donation of 138 books for the initiative, and the first box has been posted to Lviv.

Huge thanks to Rogue Artist Studios, Manchester Art Gallery, Castlefield Gallery and The John Rylands Research Institute and Library for their generous donations and support.

This collective gesture will help form the foundation of an important new cultural space in Lviv, providing access to visual art, design, architecture, and critical thinking resources for the public. 

Mystetska Biblioteka is located in the artistic district in the city, with other galleries and arts programmes on the doorstep. They host events, concerts, exhibitions and are the only place in Ukraine where you can find certain books and in 2024 more than 10,000 people visited.