Festival Of Libraries 2022 at various venues

Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor
Lemn Sissay. Photo by Hamish Brown
Poet and Festival Of Libraries Ambassador Lemn Sissay. Photo by Hamish Brown.

15 — 19 June 2022 Entrance is free — Visit now

Manchester UNESCO City of Literature’s Festival Of Libraries is back with a programme of 80 events for all running from Wednesday 15 to Sunday 19 June.

This is the second year for the county-wide celebration of Greater Manchester’s 133 libraries, and once again features a varied and vibrant programme that highlights the library network’s offer for people from all backgrounds and demographics, with events taking in wellbeing, activism, culture and creativity, digital and information, and reading, and showcasing digital art commissions, writer residencies, dance, performance, panel talks and walking tours.

Festival Ambassador and BAFTA-nominated, international prize-winning writer Lemn Sissay OBE appears at Manchester Central Library leading the Inspired By Libraries events.

The events take place across Greater Manchester’s rich tapestry of heritage libraries, including Central Library – the busiest public library in the country – and internationally renowned institutions like Chetham’s, The Portico and John Rylands, as well as the equally important and vital local libraries that deliver much needed support and services to their communities. There are also tours of the book collections of Manchester University and Bolton NHS Libraries, not normally open to the public, with highlights including the only entire hospital based copy of the human printed genome.

There are plenty of free family activities and a showcase author event on 18 June in Manchester city centre with Sir Lenny Henry and his book The Boy With Wings, as well as much for adults, including writing for wellbeing workshops, shared reading experiences and author evenings across the region’s libraries. King of Manc Noir David Nolan is at Bredbury Library on 15 June (7-8pm) while crime writer Chris Simms graces Marple Library with his presence on 16 June (7-8pm), and there’s more crime at The Portico, hosting the first Palmer Crime Writing Lecture on 15 June (6.30pm) as part of the festival.

Festival Ambassador and BAFTA-nominated, international prize-winning writer Lemn Sissay OBE appears at Manchester Central Library leading the Inspired By Libraries events, which will hear from a number of famous faces on how libraries have had an lasting positive effect on their lives, including historian Greg Jenner (Horrible Histories; You’re Dead to Me) at Urmston, Salford-born BBC Radio Manchester DJ Mike Sweeney in Eccles, The Repair Shop‘s Jay Blades, who famously learnt to read at the age of 51, at Bolton Le Mans Crescent, and actress and activist Julie Hesmondhalgh.

Former Scottish Makar Jackie Kay CBE will be chatting to visual artist Abigail Reynolds (her Elliptical Reading project is part of the British Art Show 9) at Manchester Poetry Library, on the Manchester Metropolitan University campus, which is hosting the free Love To Read strand. Open to all, it features, on 15 June (7-8pm, online), poet Andrew McMillan, presenting 100 Queer Poems, a new anthology which he curated alongside Mary Jean Chan, and award-winning author Lara Williams, reading from and chatting about her new novel The Odyssey on 16 June (2-3pm, Manchester Poetry Library). Throughout the Festival Of Libraries, there will be 20-minute introductory tours of Manchester Poetry Library and the chance to join up, as well as a discussion about the future of poetry libraries.

On 18 June (1-3.30pm), poet and Burgess Fellow Will Harris will be running a creative writing workshop in the book-lined and wood-panelled Chief Librarian’s Office at Central Library – his debut poetry book RENDANG was published by Granta and was a Poetry Book Society Choice and won the Forward Prize for Best First Collection.

15 — 19 June 2022 Entrance is free Visit now

Where to go near Festival Of Libraries 2022 at various venues

food and drink
Restaurant
Belzan

Belzan is a modern bistro serving delicious food in a relaxed and friendly setting, in an unexpected location.

food and drink
Restaurant
NORD

A Scandi-inspired restaurants that celebrates Northern hospitality, with a seasonal menu made from locally-sourced ingredients.

food and drink
Liverpool
Restaurant
Mahoe Blue

Mahoe Blue is a bar and bistro that serves authentic Jamaican food in a cosy venue in South Liverpool.

music 2
City Centre
Music venue
Rough Trade

The largest of Rough Trade stores, it’s record shop, event space and concert venue in the heart of Liverpool, complete with its own gift shop

exhibition
Wirral
Gallery
Hamilton Vault Studios

A disused bank vault now conceals a unique gallery space and filming location, championing local creatives and their vision.

exhibition
Wirral
Gallery
Lake Gallery

Lake Gallery is an artist-run space in West Kirby, showcasing fine art and contemporary craft in regularly changing exhibitions.

literature
Library
Birkenhead Central Library

Birkenhead Central Library provides books and resources, and welcomes everyone to their community hub in a stunning, historic location.

library
Shop
The Reader, Calderstones Park

The Reader brings people together through a shared love of literature and their home is in the beautiful Calderstones Park in Liverpool.

bar
City Centre
Brewery
Ye Cracke

Hidden in the Georgian Quarter, Ye Cracke is a historic Liverpool pub, known for being John Lennon’s local in his student days

record shop
City Centre
Shop
81 Renshaw

81 Renshaw is a record store in Liverpool city centre, selling new and second-hand vinyl from a location with a long musical history

shop
Lark Lane
Shop
Larks

Larks is a vintage clothing and gift emporium in a bright pink shop where you’ll find a bit of everything, sprinkled with glitter.

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