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Greater Manchester’s libraries will once again step into the spotlight this June, as Manchester City of Literature’s Festival of Libraries returns with a county-wide programme celebrating the region’s 133 libraries.
Running from Wednesday 10 to Sunday 14 June 2026, the festival will bring performances, exhibitions, workshops, writing sessions, games, family activities and creative encounters to libraries across all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester.
Ahead of the main festival, the much-loved Look for a Book trail returns during May half-term, from 25 to 31 May. This year’s edition celebrates Put Your Records On, the first picture book by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae, inspired by her hit song of the same name.
Illustrated by Gillian Eilidh O’Mara, the book follows Bea, a young girl discovering her great aunt’s record collection, in a story about music, memory, healing and intergenerational connection. Across the city region, 500 copies of the book will be hidden for children and families to find, alongside clues and riddles. A small number of lucky winners will also have the chance to meet Bailey Rae herself during the festival.
The 2026 programme arrives during the National Year of Reading, giving this year’s festival an added sense of urgency. At a time when libraries continue to provide not only books, but vital access to learning, creativity, digital resources and community space, Festival of Libraries places young people and families at the heart of its offer.
Children can explore the art of comics in Comic Creativity Galore, drawing inspiration from leading UK comic artists, or discover the edible worlds of favourite stories in Tasting Children’s Literature in Manchester. In Salford and Wigan, See Myself in Books will spotlight diverse and inclusive children’s literature, building on the work of Manchester Libraries and Read Manchester.
For children preparing for the move from primary to secondary school, SNE Studios will lead Transition Reads and Storytelling and Moving Image, offering creative, interactive ways to approach what can be a daunting life stage.
The festival also recognises libraries as places where communities gather, histories are shared and identities are explored. Award-winning duo Malandra Jacks will tour Census, an interactive performance described as a love letter to working-class communities, while Names Tell Stories in Tameside will consider how names shape our understanding of place.
Elsewhere, the programme reflects the cultural breadth of Greater Manchester’s boroughs, including events exploring Nigerian culture through the visual language and storytelling traditions of Nollywood hairstyles.
Creativity runs throughout the festival. Writing for Wellbeing sessions in Manchester and Stockport will focus on the therapeutic power of writing, while Making Videogames in Oldham, led by a BAFTA Breakthrough game developer, will offer a beginner-friendly introduction to creating games straight from a web browser.
For younger audiences, Olive Branch combines contemporary dance and martial arts in a playful duet exploring nature, movement and connection.
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Literary heritage remains central to the festival’s identity. In Stockport, an illustrated talk will examine the life and legacy of Christopher Isherwood, drawing on more than a decade of research into the author, whose double portrait with partner Don Bachardy by David Hockney became a landmark image in LGBTQ+ visibility.
A travelling exhibition will celebrate Elias Canetti, the Nobel Prize-winning writer and former Didsbury resident, while Rochdale’s I’ve Never Read Elizabeth Gaskell will showcase new work by three young writers who have undertaken residencies at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House.
The festival also looks beyond the region, continuing the cultural exchange between Manchester and Barcelona, both UNESCO Cities of Literature. Following Manchester’s role as a guest city at La Mercé and Barcelona’s literary festivals in 2025, Instituto Cervantes Manchester will present an exhibition dedicated to Catalan poet and multidisciplinary artist Joan Brossa.
The Barcelona connection continues with Barcelona Scenes Exhibition, which presents the city through the eyes of comic artists, alongside a creative writing workshop with Europeana, exploring how digital cultural heritage can inspire both writing and research.
Festival of Libraries has become a distinctive part of Greater Manchester’s cultural calendar, championing libraries as civic spaces where reading, imagination, social connection and public access meet. Its programme is designed to welcome children, young people, migrant communities, vulnerable groups and regular library users alike.
Almost all events are free to attend or offered on a Pay What You Can basis. The festival was named Best Event at the Manchester Culture Awards 2024 and, in 2025, was recognised by Inclusive Books for Children as the UK’s second most inclusive literature festival.
The full programme is available through the Manchester City of Literature website and local libraries.
