Real Contentment is a 9-month artist exchange programme that will be the start of a lasting partnership between Manchester and Nanjing, both UNESCO Cities of Literature and UNESCO Cities of Lifelong Learning.

Collaborations between six artists – poets, illustrators and playwrights – will create new multilingual work to be published and exhibited in both cities in 2025, including at the Festival of Libraries in Manchester in June 2025.

All creative collaborations plus a parallel schools engagement programme will respond to the ecological themes of the poetry of award-winning Nanjing poet and essayist Han Dong.

This project has been made possible with funding and support from the British Council.

 

The project is delivered in partnership with: