Manchester’s Festival of Libraries, the largest festival of its kind in the country with all 133 of Greater Manchester’s libraries taking part, has announced its full programme for 2025. This is a joyful and uplifting coming together of libraries that celebrates the inspiration, creativity and community that they represent and reminds us that they are places to cherish. Taking place from Wednesday 4 June to Sunday 8 June there are events for everyone, which range from author talks, exhibitions and writing workshops, to things you really wouldn’t expect to see in a library, including classic comedy and music masterclasses. Almost all of them are FREE and most are bookable in advance. It is organised by Manchester City of Literature and connects the city and its communities to other UNESCO Cities of Literature around the world.

2025’s Festival of Libraries arrives at an exciting time for libraries in Greater Manchester: John Ryland’s Library is marking its 125th birthday, a future looking transformation is taking place at Portico Library, the restoration of Grade II listed Chorlton Library has recently been completed and Stockport has just opened a brand new library, the Stockroom. This belief in libraries and their roles in communities is reflective across Greater Manchester and celebrated in the Festival of Libraries.

Inspired by Libraries
Recognising the role that libraries can play throughout your life is the backdrop to a returning series of Inspired By Libraries events that are a festival highlight. Taking their place for the 2025 roll call are Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Jordan Stephens, Yasmin Evans and Sean Keaveny.

One of libraries’ most vocal champions, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2024-26, has long been advocating for the difference that reading can make to a child’s life and the vital role that libraries play in communities. Books for young readers, such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again, writing for iconic series such as Dr Who, working alongside Danny Boyle to create the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympic Games and so much more – Frank’s work has proliferated so many different areas of our culture that to hear him chat about these experiences will be fascinating. The event takes place at Leigh Library on Wednesday 4 June.

The talking points that creative, musician, writer and performer Jordan Stephens – whose work has led to appearances in Stars Wars: Rogue One and the Sunday Times Bestsellers list with his book, Avoidance, Drugs, Heartbreak and Dogs – will be bringing to the festival will resonate with many. He will be chatting to Manchester Slam Champion Griot Gabriel at Manchester Poetry Library on Wednesday 4 June about the power of literature, inclusivity and community as forces for good in life.

Broadcaster and presenter Yasmin Evans is returning to her roots in Stockport, where she will be appearing at Greater Manchester’s newest library: the Stockroom on Friday 6 June. A radio career that has taken her from community to national radio and presenting on a range of TV shows including CBBC’s Saturday Mash Up! means there’s lots to chat about.

Sean Keaveny has just been announced as part of the Inspired By line up. To find out more about when and at which library he will appear follow the latest updates here.

International interventions
You might be sitting in your local library or visiting a library for the first time, but with Festival of Libraries there is also the chance to travel the world! In an immersive experience award-winning Québec poet, author and performer Vanessa Bell invites audiences of five at a time aboard an imagined road trip from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland, joining her on a ferry, camping, fishing and walking the sub-arctic tundra. Voices, texts, photos and videos align to create MONUMENTS, which is a work of both performance and installation. It will be staged at Alliance Française de Manchester on Friday 6 June, which also marks its UK premiere.

The Embassy of Utopia will be opening its doors at Manchester Central Library on Wednesday 4 June, where artist and writer David Hartley will host over 60 performances in a project that sees Manchester UNESCO City of Literature collaborate with Tartu UNESCO City of Literature, in Estonia. Responding with their thoughts on eco-futures and ecology will be members of Fuse Manchester and Muslim Social Justice Initiative, poet Nóra Blascsók, and community members from the Let’s Talk in Rochdale, who will perform alongside international artists from Quebec and Nanjing. And there will be an exhibition called Real Contentment at Manchester Central Library that celebrates Manchester poets, illustrators, and playwrights with another UNESCO City of Literature, Nanjing in China. Having visited the city in March, the exhibition will share their work inspired by the poetry of Han Dong, alongside the artwork of children from both cities. The exhibition takes place from Monday 2 June to Sunday 8 June.

For younger audiences how about a Mexican Storytime at Instituto Cervantes in Manchester? Taking place on Saturday 7 June children will hear the story of La leyenda de los ojos del bosqu and have the opportunity to craft a traditional “penacho” (head dress) inspired by Mexican culture.

Comic capers and community connections
With the immortal line “I will not have chutney on my periodicals!” comes Victoria Wood In The Library. Taking place at Bury Library on Thursday 5 June, participants will enjoy a viewing of one of the legendary comedian’s half-hour plays, first broadcast on the BBC in 1989, followed by a discussion with Victoria Wood expert and superfan Philip Tipton, a lecturer in English Language at the University of Salford. Observations of library life and reflections of how local and civic life were cherished in the comedy of Victoria Wood will all be part of the conversation. Just like some of the events in the festival programme, including Knit and Natter at Walkden Library (Thursday 5 June) and Friends and Neighbours Session at Wardle Library (Wednesday 4 June).

At Stalybridge Library on Wednesday 4 June there is the chance to take part in a workshop that explores how women use comedy to tell stories about class, gender, and the realities of life up North, inspired by figures from Caroline Aherne to Sophie Willan. For Comedy Queens on the TV Screen: Manchester’s Working-Class Write Back, participants will join Dr Laura Minor, Lecturer in Television Studies, and Ric Michael, former Head of Development for Baby Cow Manchester and Development Producer on Gavin & Stacey, and take part in writing exercises inspired by The Royle Family and other northern favourites. Or for the chance to share your story telling a Connecting Communities of Women Through Comedy workshop is taking place at Wigan Library on Wednesday 4 June with Caroline Jones and colleagues from the University of Salford. And at Chorlton Library there is an Acting For Fun Workshop introduced by The Edge theatre company on Thursday 5 June.

Alongside the public events there is also a schools programme including workshops with UK Comic Laureate Bobby Joseph and internationally renowned comics creator Francis Desharnais. Taking place at Bolton Library and Wigan Library respectively, these give Greater Manchester schoolchildren the opportunity to be inspired by ground-breaking figures in the world of comics.

Musical maestros
Included amongst the surprising finds of this year’s festival is a Silent Disco For All, which is taking place at Great Moor Library on Thursday 5 June and proving that libraries are also places for making noise is Billy and Andy’s Musical School, which is taking over Didsbury Library with a session on Wednesday 4 June; seeking to bring the joy of music to those who face barriers to traditional music-making. Or at Longsight Library you can have a go at playing the zither, a string instrument that is known for its mesmerizing sound, alongside The Tulip Zither Ensemble, whilst at Langley Library on Thursday 5 June its Ukulele Storytime with the chance for little ones and their grown ups to listen to stories and join in with the ukulele.

For something completely different you can join Reform Radio for an Interactive DJ Workshop which they will be running at Gorton Library on Friday 6 June. It’s your chance to get your hands on the decks and get an insight into life as a DJ. Or maybe podcasting is more your thing, and in which case you can explore The Podcasting Phenomenon with the team from University of Salford at Ashton Library on Thursday 5 June and go from being a listener to a creator.

Extraordinary exhibitions
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House is marking the 10th anniversary of its restoration and opening to the public with a bold new exhibition called I’ve Never Read Elizabeth Gaskell, as part of a project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. It takes place at Manchester Central Library from Wednesday 4 June to Monday 30 June. Three young writers – Georgia Affonso, Princess Arinola Adegbite and Guruleen Kahlo – have been awarded writers’ residencies at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, Manchester’s only literary house, and it is their endeavours that take centre stage. They began their journey having never read Elizabeth’s work, but by spending time at the house they have been immersed in her writing and role as a social reformist. Through their eyes visitors will also be able to discover just how much there is to the inspiring world of Elizabeth Gaskell.

On Saturday 7 June you are invited to celebrate 125 Years Of The Rylands with the new Collections Gallery being showcased, which has on display over 40 rare and remarkable objects tracing the history and evolution of John Rylands Library’s special collections, revealing the influence of visionary founder Enriqueta Rylands. There is also the chance to see the latest special exhibition The Secret Public: LGBTQ Pop 1955-1985.

At Levenshulme Old Library the work of 12 Palestinian comics is part of a unique installation that has been designed by architects Rabih Koussa and Nabil Farhat that looks at the endurance of people, using the fragility and resilience of paper to symbolise this. Enter the Mulberry Tree and Fly Free: Palestinian Comics Revealed brings “gentle whispers of hope” and runs from Thursday 15 May until Monday 14 July.

Environmental exchanges
Environmental ideas and discussion are a hot topic for Festival of Libraries. How we integrate green spaces into urban areas is the focus for a workshop taking place at Bredbury Library on Friday 6 June. Visualising Urban Greening looks at how, through our imagination and collective ideas, we can create actionable solutions that would enhance urban biodiversity and improve community health. Helping to navigate and visualise these ideas is specialist in 3D design and illustration, Adelina Court.

Also looking to the future is Carbon Ruins at Manchester Central Library taking place on Thursday 5 June and created by Manchester Museum. Participants are asked to imagine how life would be in 2050 if zero-carbon targets have been reached, meaning many items from the 2020s have become obsolete. Set to become museum artefacts, what would you choose from your life today? And you can learn how to reuse plastic bottles as part of a session in which you’ll get to turn your own plastic bottle into a mini greenhouse. Plastic Not So Fantastic is aimed at ages 7 to 12 years and takes place on Friday 6 June also at Manchester Central Library.

All of these thoughts link to the thinking behind the roundview, which is to stop environmental problems before they start. Taking you on a roundview journey, by solving colourful puzzles, completing creative activities and taking part in some sketching and rhyming, is Get Green! Get Creative! Get the RoundView! led by the Roundview team at Manchester University and taking place at the Heatons Library on Friday 6 June and then Wigan Library and Stretford Library on Saturday 7 June. Suitable for anyone aged over 8, this is one for all the family.

Festival of Libraries’ partners include: Archives+, Central Library, Chetham’s Library, John Rylands Research Institute and Library, Manchester Poetry Library, NHS Libraries, The Portico Library, Working Class Movement Library, University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, Institute Cervantes Library, Levenshulme Old Library, Greater Manchester libraries (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan), Bee Network, People’s History Museum and Spinningfields.