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

Restaurant 2
Leeds
Café or Coffee Shop
Empire Café

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

Restaurant
Leeds
Restaurant
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.

A club bedroom at Malmaison Leeds
Leeds
Hotel
Malmaison Leeds

Malmaison Leeds is a historic and dramatic building, full of character and individual style. Beautifully refurbished quirky bedrooms with power showers, blackout curtains and great beds.

On The Wall is a funky independent shop that sells a wide range of creative and artistic items including, posters, art prints, canvases, greeting cards and merchandise/gifts. They also offer a bespoke framing and canvas printing service and a screen printed t- shirt service. If you are looking for something more unique and inspiring they also sell work by local artists.
Leeds
Shop
On The Wall

Bright, bold and full of character, On the Wall pairs expert framing with prints, posters and gifts inside Leeds Corn Exchange.

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
LiteratureLeeds
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.

Free entry
Poet Mike Garry. Photo Paul Wolfgang Webster
LiteratureManchester
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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