Manchester is bursting with literature, it’s leaping off the page and onto our streets. You can download or pick up a physical copy of the Manchester City of Literature Map in venues across the city and explore our rich literary heritage with your own two feet.

You’ll find poems on pavements, up walls and sprawling out to reach literary houses, writing schools, heritage libraries and language centres. Grab a book from one of our bookshops and head to new-found reading spots, discover local publishers, comic artists and the lively radical history of Manchester’s literature.

Manchester was designated as a City of Literature by UNESCO in 2017. It’s a permanent designation acknowledging the incredible work that goes on in historical and contemporary contexts to further the artform of literature.

It’s one of our core values as a UNESCO City of Literature to connect literary activity in the city, as well as enabling collective advocacy for Manchester’s literary community. Part of our work to do this is working with a huge partnership of literature organisations that all contribute to the ecology of literary Manchester.

Download your copy of the map, launched to celebrate Manchester Literature Festival 2024, below under ‘downloads’.

Commonword’s Digital Literature Map

The interactive digital Manchester Literature Map was created by a partnership of organisations that make up Manchester City of Literature, to showcase the stories, poems, performances so closely linked to our city.

Click the icons on the map above to read a piece of local writing associated with that area. You will find contributions from the Commonword Archive, Flapjack Press and Manchester City of Literature.

There are many maps created over the years to celebrate the rich literary heritage of Manchester. If you’ve got a favourite or thing we’re missing something for the next iteration, please let us know.