Manchester’s Festival of Libraries returns with a packed programme for all the family 10-14 June 2026
Manchester City of Literature’s Festival of Libraries, the county-wide celebration of Greater Manchester’s 133 libraries, have announced a programme filled with family-friendly events, from games and performances to exhibitions, workshops and arts and crafts.
The festival returns between Wednesday 10th – Sunday 14th June 2026, with events running in libraries across all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester.
During the May half-term (25-31 May), Festival favourite Look for a Book returns across Greater Manchester. The much-loved children’s book trail celebrates Put Your Records On, the first picture book from musical artist Corinne Bailey Rae, inspired by her hit song of the same name. Beautifully illustrated by Gillian Eilidh O’Mara, Put Your Records On follows a young protagonist, Bea, discovering her great aunt’s record collection. It’s a celebration of music’s therapeutic power and intergenerational bonds. 500 copies of Put Your Records On will be hidden across the city region, along with clues and riddles to solve. Lucky winners will have the chance to meet the pop songstress herself during the festival too.
In the National Year of Reading, it is now more important than ever to encourage children and families to utilise the rich variety of resources that libraries have to offer. Interactive workshops and events hosted by Festival of Libraries will welcome children and families to explore the different ways of engaging with Greater Manchester’s libraries. Children can immerse themselves in the world of comic book creation and take inspiration from leading UK comic artists in ‘Comic Creativity Galore’ and tap into their tastebuds with ‘Tasting Children’s Literature’ (Manchester) exploring the foods that come to life in beloved works of children’s literature. The ‘See Myself in Books’ (Salford, Wigan) events will celebrate the campaign from Manchester Libraries and Read Manchester to champion diverse and inclusive children’s books, while ‘Transition Reads’ and ‘Storytelling and Moving Image’ workshops from SNE Studios will offer interactive guidance on the daunting shift from primary to secondary school.
For many across the region, local libraries are an essential part of the community – as a space to meet, learn and access resources. Award-winning duo Malandra Jacks will perform ‘Census’, a love letter to working class communities through interactive performances across the region, while ‘Names Tell Stories’ (Tameside) will explore how names shape our understanding of the places around us. The diversity of Manchester’s boroughs will be recognised through several events including an exploration of Nigerian culture through the iconic Nollywood hairstyles.
Creativity and art come in many forms, and Festival of Libraries encourages attendees to tap into their creative streak, whether pursuing a familiar artistic outlet or embracing new forms of creativity. A ‘Writing for Wellbeing’ (Manchester, Stockport) workshop will celebrate the therapeutic benefits of creative writing, while ‘Making Videogames’ (Oldham), led by a BAFTA Breakthrough game developer, will provide beginner-friendly insight into the process of creating a videogame straight from a web browser. Through a fun dance duet intertwining contemporary dance with martial arts, ‘Olive Branch’ will engage children and families in a story of nature’s beauty.
Reading and engaging with literature lies at the very heart of Greater Manchester’s libraries, and Festival of Libraries will be exploring the county’s rich literary heritage through its array of both exhibitions and workshops. Stockport’s Christopher Isherwood and his literary legacy will form the centre of an illustrated talk drawing on more than ten years of research on the author, whose double portrait with his partner Don Bachardy by David Hockney became a landmark in the history of LGBTQ+ visibility. A travelling exhibition on the Nobel Prize-winning author and childhood Didsbury resident Elias Canetti will be running in addition to the bold ‘I’ve Never Read Elizabeth Gaskell’ (Rochdale) exhibition, where the work of three young writers in receipt of writers’ residencies at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House will take centre stage.
Both Manchester and Barcelona are UNESCO Cities of Literature, and the vitality of cultural exchanges between the two cities was demonstrated in 2025 when Manchester was a guest city at La Mercé and at Barcelona’s literary festivals. Continuing this legacy of collaboration and recognition, the Instituto Cervantes in Manchester will present the Joan Brossa exhibition, in celebration of the Catalan poet and multidisciplinary artist. Also featuring at Festival of Libraries will be the ‘Barcelona Scenes Exhibition’ (Manchester), exploring Barcelona through the eyes of comic artists, and a creative writing workshop with Europeana, delving into how to use the platform’s vast database of European digital culture heritage to enhance both writing and research.
Festival of Libraries allows citizens to celebrate the important community and cultural roles of libraries across Greater Manchester. It encourages children, young people, migrant communities and vulnerable groups to use the diverse library service offer creatively. Partner libraries around the city host performances, exhibitions, concerts, art installations, workshops, writing classes, and family friendly activities. Writers, artists, illustrators and musicians are commissioned to respond to the vital role libraries play to the people of Manchester.
Almost all of the events at Festival of Libraries are free to attend, or operate a ‘Pay What You Can’ ticket policy. Festival of Libraries won Best Event at the Manchester Culture Awards 2024 and was named the second Most Inclusive Literature Festival by Inclusive Books For Children in 2025.
For more information, visit the full programme listed on the Manchester City of Literature website or your local library.
