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Interested in meeting new people and getting involved in your community? Do you have a passion for libraries or want to gain valuable experience in events?
We’re particularly looking for confident, helpful individuals to assist in Front of House roles such as:
To apply, you’ll need:
If you’d like to be part of this vibrant celebration of libraries, and are interested in volunteering at any of the events listed below, please fill out our volunteer form to provide your details and select the events you’re available for.
Specific opportunities you can register interest in:
Pop Poetry Ever fancied being a poet for 10 minutes? Ever wanted to see your work published in print? Join Pop Poetry to sit down and have a brew in our pop-up greenhouse. Write with the support of one of our poets and be part of creating a new community zine. What is Pop Poetry? Pop Poetry is Ella and Chris, local artists who love poetry, the environment and popping up in local sites. Join them for quick ten-minute workshops where you’ll write a new poem and then watch as it is inputted directly into a digital zine. The following week the zine will be printed, bound and posted to your local library where it will be on display for everyone to see and read. A digital zine will also be uploaded online.
Locations, Dates & Times: Irlam Library, Wednesday 4th June, 1:30PM – 4:00PM Oldham Library, Thursday 5th June, 11:30PM – 2:00PM Urmston Library, Friday 6th June, 11:30AM – 2:00PM Edgeley Library, Saturday 7th June, 11:30AM – 2:00PM
Embassy of Utopia Mancunian writer David Hartley will partner with Festival of Libraries to re-imagine The Embassy of Utopia in Manchester after its successful running at Festival of Libraries 2024 and in 2022, 2023 in Tartu City of Literature.
Manchester Central Library, Wednesday 4th June, 10:00AM – 5:00PM
Monuments
This summer will see the UK premiere of MONUMENTS: a short, looped twenty-minute performance in which voices, texts, photos, and videos meet around a real territory, Newfoundland, and an imagined road trip. Audiences of five at a time will be taken on an intimate journey from the eastern tip of Nova Scotia to Newfoundland. Award-winning Québec poet, author and performer Vanessa Bell takes audiences on the ferry, camping, fishing, walking the tundra, and experiencing the cold waters of this fertile island. MONUMENTS is a performance and installation based on the book of the same name, published in August 2022 in collaboration with photographer Kéven Tremblay by Éditions du Noroît.
Alliance Française, Friday 6th June
Threads Threads is a poignant and powerful story about mental health, friendship and identity. This latest work from Coalesce Dance Theatre uses stories from young people across the North of England to delicately weave together an emotive and uplifting contemporary dance and physical theatre performance about growing into adulthood. Threads turns the spotlight on mental health and how important friendship and support can be when it comes to navigating adolescence. Performed amongst tossed away clothes, and a large wardrobe structure, two dancers use a highly physical movement language to connect and explore their intertwined experiences.
Manchester Central Library, Saturday 7th June, 1:30PM – 2:30PM
Inspired by Libraries We’re hosting “Inspired by Libraries” talks across Greater Manchester, featuring inspiring voices from the worlds of arts, sports, science, business, and politics. Each event will be an informal, engaging conversation between a guest speaker and a host, taking place in a local library. Guests will share insights into their life journeys, work, passions, and the impact libraries have had on them.
Two ‘Inspired by Libraries’ events volunteering opportunities: The Poetry Library – Wednesday 4th June 2025, 5:00pm – 7:30PM The Stockroom – Friday 6th June 2025, 5:00PM – 7:00PM
The Festival of Libraries programme will be full of imagination, ideas, connections and discussion with exhibitions, author talks, performances, installations, live music, workshops and international collaborations which are all free to take part in. The festival will also remind people the breadth of what libraries offer and the incredible contribution they make to communities as places that not only give access to books, but provide services, learning and creativity; all with an open invitation to anyone. As a UNESCO City of Literature, Manchester believes passionately in the value of libraries and the Festival of Libraries, which is Arts Council England funded, is a reflection of this.
Please note that the cutoff date for expressions of interest is the 28th May 2025. Please subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to hear about further opportunities to get involved, and we hope to see you at the Festival of Libraries events 4-8th June 2025!
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