Connected

Launched by UNESCO in 2004, the Creative Cities Network was established to foster collaboration among cities that recognise creativity as a crucial element in achieving sustainable urban development.

408 cities worldwide are part of this network, united in their pursuit of a shared goal: integrating creativity and cultural industries into their local development strategies while actively cooperating on the global stage. The Network encompasses eight diverse creative fields: Architecture, Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts, and Music.

63 UNESCO Creative Cities of Literature from 46 countries are currently members of the Network, diligently working together to harness the transformative power of literature in fostering sustainable and inclusive societies.

The cities in the network promote their local creative scene and conform to UNESCO’s goal of fostering cultural diversity. All of them possess a strong cultural past, a diverse and vital contemporary cultural scene, and aspirations to ensure that culture is accessed both locally and globally.

In 2017, Manchester was welcomed into the Creative Cities network as a City of Literature. UNESCO Cities of Literature are awarded the title based on their dedication to pursuing excellence in literature locally, and work together to promote new national and international literary links.

Manchester is one of the five cities of literature in the United Kingdom, sitting alongside Norwich, Edinburgh, Nottingham and Exeter.

Cities of Literature are active in making the literary and creative sectors of their cities thrive through a shared global strategy. Network-wide collaborations have include World Poetry Day, International Literacy Day, Translation Day, and International Mother Language Day – which Manchester leads on.