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Manchester is a city of libraries: home to the oldest free public library in the English-speaking world, Chetham’s Library, and to the first public lending library opened after the Libraries Act of 1850. Manchester Central Library is the busiest public library in the UK with 2million visits per year, pre-pandemic. The significance of Manchester’s heritage, independent and public libraries was a key part of the city’s bid to be awarded the prestigious UNESCO City of Literature status. To continue to champion Greater Manchester’s diverse library offer, we will be holding the second annual Festival of Libraries from 15-19 June 2022.
We need help from Manchester’s business community to make it happen.
By supporting the Festival of Libraries, you can help bring literature closer to Greater Manchester’s communities, help foster the joy of reading by providing books, digital resources and events to people who need it.
Help us raise up the voices of Manchester’s schools and communities through Literature!
Last year’s Festival of Libraries featured writers, librarians and thinkers across libraries in all ten boroughs. The successful 2021 festival featured Michael Rosen, Gary Younge, librarians turned poets Shirley May and Mike Garry, Stuart Maconie and BBC TV presenter Radzi Chinyanganya.
In 2021, we presented 80 events online, outdoors and in-person (with social distancing). The Festival engaged 15,000 participants and had a media reach of over 5 million opportunities to view across print and digital media.
Participants not only rated the quality of events highly, there were significant impacts on skills, well-being and attitudes:
This year, with the chance to hold live events and bring together Manchester’s schools, communities, and literary sector, we are bringing even more activities to more libraries across Manchester, including a new engaging reader programme to Manchester schools as part of a new Schools Showcase and also a citywide ‘Look for a Book’ treasure hunt.
Headline Sponsorship (£10,000 + VAT) This is a wonderful opportunity for a high-profile association with Manchester UNESCO City of Literature and the Festival of Libraries, providing opportunities from the local to the global. With an array of PR and Hospitality opportunities across all of our events this year, this sponsorship offers year-round benefits and exposure.
Benefits include:
Schools Showcase or Look for a Book Sponsorship (£4000 + VAT) Help young people to enjoy the benefits of their local library and culture on their doorstep.
Your sponsorship will help MCOL provide engaging events in libraries. In Manchester, 99% of residents live within 1.5 miles of a library.
This year, we are delighted to bring an engaging Reading Programme to Manchester Schools as part of our Schools Showcase. Why not partner with us and champion literacy in Greater Manchester’s Schools, or bring the love of books to every borough of Greater Manchester with our Look for a Book treasure hunt.
Inspired By Libraries Talks Sponsorship (£1800)
Promote a love of reading, literature, writing, and Manchester heritage through specially designed events for Manchester audiences.
The 2022 programme will feature FIVE talks from well known figures with questions from local residents. Confirmed speakers include Lemn Sissay OBE, The Repair Shop’s Jay Blades and TV presenter and public historian Greg Jenner.
For more information please get in touch with us and we’d be happy to help.
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