The work must be delivered in 2027 and be linked to the 10th anniversary of the UNESCO City of Literature designation, but this is open to artistic interpretation. We encourage imaginative, attention-grabbing ideas and new work, with a preference for writers we have not previously commissioned.

Examples of the public-facing activity could be: A poem, short story, performance, a publication, digital work such as a podcast or short film (which we will host on our website and actively promote).

Eligibility

Writers must be 18+ and must live or work in Greater Manchester. Please do not circulate this opportunity to writers who do not live or work in Manchester as they will not be eligible.

All submissions must be guided by our core vision and values, which are for literary Manchester to be: distinctive, inclusive, transformative, connected and world-leading.

How to Apply

To apply, please complete this short online form.

The deadline for submissions is 26th November 2026 at 5pm.

If you have any queries please contact us on hello@manchestercityofliterature.com.

There will be a selection panel to shortlist submissions and all those who have submitted will hear back from us in December.

Statement on the use of AI:

Manchester City of Literature does not support the use of generative tools to create images, audio or video in any public-facing outputs. Manchester City of Literature will not accept imagery, video or text that has been created by generative AI for our website, social media platforms or for any open calls or commissions. Work  commissioned via the micro-grants programme that has used generative AI for research or light-touch editing must state this explicitly alongside their submitted work.