Literary Manchester

From Marx and Engels to John Cooper Clarke, Manchester has a radical literary history - and with events such as the Manchester Literature Festival and attractions such as the John Rylands Library and Chetham's Library, there's certainly a lot to explore. And to cement the city's literary credentials, Manchester became a UNESCO City of Literature in 2017.

Manchester Poetry Library

Manchester Poetry Library, situated on Oxford Road, is the North Wests first poetry library and…

Millgate Arts Centre

Millgate Arts Centre is home to a thriving local arts community, providing a base for theatre, film…

The Portico Library and Gallery

The Portico Library & Gallery opened in 1806 as a Library and Newsroom and continues to be an…

Central Library

This iconic city venue, designed by E. Vincent Harris, was first opened in 1934. Following a…

Chetham's Library

About/History Chetham's is a unique cultural institution in the heart of Manchester combining…

Oldham Library and Life Long Learning Centre

Find out what's happening at Oldham Library - and all Oldham's local libraries. All our libraries…

Palace Green Library

Palace Green Library, in the heart of Durham city, holds Durham University's outstanding special…

Stockroom

Stockroom is an exciting new creative and cultural centre in Stockport, designed for getting…

The British Pop Archive

The British Pop Archive is a national collection dedicated to the preservation and research of…

The John Rylands Research Institute and Library

For those who set eyes on Deansgate's The John Rylands Research Institute and Library for the…

Working Class Movement Library

The Working Class Movement Library records over 200 years of organising and campaigning by working…

The Hill in the Dark Grove - Liam Higginson in conversation

Serenity Booksellers invite readers to an evening of chills as they welcome Liam Higginson to their…

17 Feb 2026 -

Keshed - Stu Hennigan in conversation with Terri White

Serenity Booksellers are delighted to welcome shop favourite Stu Hennigan back to Stockport for the…

19 Feb 2026 -

Hollie McNish – Brand New Book Tour! with Michael Pedersen

After a run of sold-out shows, Hollie is back with a brand-new book tour. Expect adult content…

29 Mar 2026 -

Henry Normal & Jan Brierton

Henry will be reading poems from his new book 'An Alphabet of Storms' whilst Jan's poems…

22 Apr 2026 -

People Pleaser: Bryony Gordon

HOME

An evening with Sunday Times bestselling author, journalist and mental health campaigner Bryony…

28 Apr 2026 -

Festival of Libraries 2026

Manchester City of Literature’s Festival of Libraries returns for 2026 and will run 10th-14th…

10 Jun 2026 - 14 Jun 2026

Manchester Literature Festival 2026

Manchester Literature Festival offers unique experiences for audiences to interact with some of the…

09 Oct 2026 - 25 Oct 2026

John Cooper Clarke

O2 Apollo Manchester

Literary phenomenon John Cooper Clarke is a British cult hero. Known as the “Godfather of Punk…

21 Nov 2026 -

Manchester Central Library

Take a tour of Manchester Central Library with our drone video. The world famous library was officially opened on 17 July 1934 , by King George V, who told the crowds of thousands, "In the splendid building which I am about to open, the largest library in this country provided by a local authority…

Guide
8 minute read

How to celebrate Manchester’s literary heritage when you visit

Manchester is renowned for being a creative hub in the UK, but did you know that the city is officially a UNESCO City of Literature? The city has a vision to create an innovative, distinctive, equitable, globally connected city of reading and writing. A city where diverse voices are celebrated…

News
3 minute read

Manchester Included in Unique UK UNESCO Sites on New Illustrated Map

Ignite your summer adventures and discover Manchester City of Literature alongside 57 other unique UNESCO sites in the UK and crown dependencies thanks to a newly illustrated map, now available to download for free from the UK National Commission for UNESCO. From expansive mountain ranges and…

1 minute read

Manchester City of Literature: A City Connects

Bringing together the whole of the Manchester literature scene; from publishers to booksellers, writers to readers and everyone in between, Manchester City of Literature has launched A City Connected. This new microsite already has 50+ events and activities listed since launching last week, several…

3 minute read

Celebrate Britain’s city of languages

Hundreds of languages will be shared and celebrated in events across the city as Manchester gets ready to celebrate International Mother Language Day between 20th and 22th February. International Mother Language Day is celebrated globally each year on 21 February after UNESCO adopted the…

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Continue your Manchester story by exploring further.

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Restaurants

What's on at Manchester Opera House & Palace Theatre

February half term in Manchester

John Rylands Library

Literary Manchester

Literary attractions

Manchester Poetry Library

Millgate Arts Centre

The Portico Library and Gallery

Central Library

Chetham's Library

Oldham Library and Life Long Learning Centre

Palace Green Library

Stockroom

The British Pop Archive

The John Rylands Research Institute and Library

Working Class Movement Library

Literary events

The Hill in the Dark Grove - Liam Higginson in conversation

Keshed - Stu Hennigan in conversation with Terri White

Hollie McNish – Brand New Book Tour! with Michael Pedersen

Henry Normal & Jan Brierton

People Pleaser: Bryony Gordon

Festival of Libraries 2026

Manchester Literature Festival 2026

John Cooper Clarke

Manchester Central Library

Manchester's literary stories

How to celebrate Manchester’s literary heritage when you visit

Manchester Included in Unique UK UNESCO Sites on New Illustrated Map

Manchester City of Literature: A City Connects

Celebrate Britain’s city of languages

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