Manchester Independent Books And Arts Fair at PLANT NOMA

Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor

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Manchester Independent Books And Arts Fair

28 July 2018

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Dostoyevsky Wannabe Editor Victoria Brown.
Dostoyevsky Wannabe Editor Victoria Brown.
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Earlier this year, Claire Armitstead said in The Guardian: ‘…any publisher called Dostoyevsky Wannabe, frankly, has to be worth a ticket to Manchester, which – along with Sheffield and Norwich – is becoming a soul city of micropublishing’ – and who, frankly, are we to argue?

As well as national press coverage, largely as a result of finding their way onto the boutique 2018 shortlist of über-on-trend the Republic of Consciousness Prize for Small Presses, the two-strong team at staunchly indie publishing house Dostoyevsky Wannabe are making waves from their base in Manchester with a burgeoning list of novels, non-fiction titles and collections. Since getting underway four or so years ago, Victoria Brown and Richard Brammer have published 51 or so books, under different imprints (Original, Experimental, Cities, and so on). They’ve just enjoyed two weeks on The Publisher’s Table at the South London Gallery. They’re being interviewed right now over at 3:AM. Hell, they even have button badges.

Isabel Waidner’s Gaudy Bauble – a Dostoyevsky Wannabe Original – got them on that RoC list (won, incidentally, by Influx Press for Attrib. and other stories by Eley Williams, so we won’t complain too loudly). Manchester-based Richard Barrett and Steve Hanson’s co-authored and hot-of-the-press The Acts – a Dostoyevsky Wannabe Experiment – will be showcased at the Manchester Independent Books And Arts Fair (aka Dostoyevsky Wannabe Goes To Manchester).

Look out also for the even-hotter-off-the-press anthology Dostoyevsky Wannabe Cities: Manchester, featuring contributions from prose and poetry writers Bryony Bates, Tristan Burke, Sian Cummins, Valerie O’Riordan, Lee Rourke, Anthony Trevelyan and Peter Wild. Oh, and your favourite Creative Tourist Literature Editor. It’s the latest in an international DW series so far featuring Bristol and aforementioned and fellow UNESCO City of Literature Norwich, with Brooklyn, Coventry, Dundee, Glasgow, London, Madrid, Nottingham and Santiago hot on its heels.

Alongside Dostoyevsky Wannabe, there’ll be a stall run by London-Manchester publisher Dodo Ink (whose Thom Cuell commissioned Dostoyevsky Wannabe Cities: Manchester), representatives of some of Manchester’s finest indie presses, including if p then q, Knives Forks & Spoons and ZimZalla, and Manchester-based arts collective Generic Greeting.

Basically, you can go home happy with armfuls of lovely books, pamphlets and zines, tees and maybe some cassettes. We’re heading towards Christmas – what are you waiting for?

Where to go near Manchester Independent Books And Arts Fair at PLANT NOMA

Sela opened in 2004 with an idea to provide quality imported beers from around the world, fun cocktails to compliment the beer selections and a stage for the region’s finest and most talented musicians to play on.Over ten years later, we’re still all about the beer, cocktails, live music and pizza!We carry over a selection of over thirty different beers spanning the globe from Pickering with The Great Yorkshire Brewery’s Yorkshire Blackout, to New York with a selection from Brooklyn Brewery, and Belgium with longtime Sela favourite, Vedett.Our cocktails change regularly too. Our best-sellers are joined by fun, new offerings and our pizza menu is regarded as one of the best the city of Leeds has to offer.As for the live music, Sela has had not only the great and the good from the region. Local funksters, The New Mastersounds are regular visitors and we stage the amazing Mojah Reggae Band for their weekly Wednesday residency.  Our other long running programming incl
Leeds
Restaurant
Sela Bar & Pizzeria

Sela Bar is a cosy Leeds basement spot with live music, great drinks, and a cool, laid-back, atmospheric vibe.

Leeds Beckett SU
Leeds
Restaurant
Leeds Beckett Student Union

Leeds Beckett Student Union hosts big-name artists and supports students through events, live music, and a vibrant campus venue.

Located on Cardigan Fields Leisure Park, Vue Leeds Kirkstall is a nine screen cinema with almost 2000 seats. There's ample parking and the cinema is surrounded by various restaurants and entertainment facilities, making for a great evening out!

Watch the latest film releases and enjoy the industry-leading Sony 4K Digital screens, boasting spectacular picture quality, along with enhanced audio quality courtesy of Dolby 'Profound Sound'. Stepped SuperVue seating means you will never miss a second of the action while VIP seating guarantees you an extra touch of luxury whenever you want to upgrade.

Three of the nine screens showcase the newest 3D releases while Vue Classical brings the latest stage sensations to the big screen, and parents can save as they go with Family Tickets and Kids AM screenings offering great value for money.
Leeds
Cinema
Vue Cinema – Leeds Kirkstall Road

Located on Cardigan Fields Leisure Park, Vue Leeds Kirkstall is a nine screen cinema with almost 2000 seats. There’s ample parking and the cinema is surrounded by various restaurants and

Restaurant 2
Leeds
Café or Coffee Shop
Empire Café

Empire Café is located in Leeds’ ‘home of day dining’- Fish street!

Restaurant
Leeds
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Phranakhon

Phranakhon Thai Tapas is a revolutionised Thai dining restaurant with a combination of European indulgence and authentic Thai tastes.

Restaurant
Leeds
Restaurant
Wen’s

Wen’s is a family owned Chinese restaurant specialising in authentic, home cooked cuisine.

Stevenson Square
Manchester
Stevenson Square

Stevenson Square, the central hub of bars and cafes in Northern Quarter. Home to some of the best bars in the city.

CUPRA City Garage DJ Decks
City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
CUPRA City Garage

Already based in Paris, Mexico City, Sydney and Vienna, CUPRA’s international expansion is driven by culture as much as cars, and Manchester’s creative energy has clearly caught their attention.

Ancoats
Restaurant
Bruco

Bruco is a new restaurant in Ancoats, serving up stylish Italian small plates.

Samsi
Manchester
Restaurant
Samsi

Long-standing Japanese restaurant on Whitworth Street in Manchester with a pleasingly affordable menu.

The Pavilion Gardens, which also houses the Pavilion Arts Centre, is a beautiful, historic venue dating back to 1871 which superbly shows off the Victorian splendour of Buxton. Set within twenty three acres of magnificent, landscaped gardens and play areas, the venue provides the perfect setting for fun and relaxing family days out, with great food and drink, shopping and over 100 events and festivals throughout the year.
Buxton
Cinema
Pavilion Arts Centre

A historic gem in Buxton’s Pavilion Gardens, Pavilion Arts Centre houses an intimate 360-seat theatre and cinema.

Leeds
Gallery
The Sculpture Gallery

The Sculpture Gallery is an outstanding new gallery, of pure sculpture, showcasing the work, not only of the six owners but guests also.

What's on: Literature

LiteratureLeeds
Lisa Jewell at the Old Woollen

“Twisty page-turners. Domestic dramas. Bone-chilling suspense.” That’s how #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell is described by her publisher Simon & Schuster on their home page for her.

From £18.00
Jenn Ashworth at Blackwell's Manchester
LiteratureManchester
Jenn Ashworth at Blackwells

Jenn Ashworth is back at Blackwells bookshop for the Manchester launch of her latest work, reading extracts and chatting to Helen Mort about how The Parallel Path came about.

From £4.00
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Chemistry at The Chemic

Leeds live literature regular Chemistry offers an exciting mix of open mic acts and invited poets – this month the headliners include Rosie Garland.

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Poet Mike Garry. Photo Paul Wolfgang Webster
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Word Central at Central Library

Word Central is a long-standing live literature favourite at Central Library and features open mic performers and a special guest, brought to you by Manchester Libraries and Flapjack Press.

Free entry
Cover of a book with a canal boat on it saying boater by Jo Bell
LiteratureManchester
Jo Bell at The Portico Library

Poet and now memoirist Jo Bell invites you to join her “for a friendly evening” at The Portico Library when she’ll be talking about her new “smart, funny” memoir Boater.

From £6.00

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