Manchester Literature Festival

Welcome to the website of the annual Manchester Literature Festival. From 4th to 14th October 2007 we presented a fantastically eclectic line up of internationally-renowned poets, novelists, and screen writers, including: Paul Abbott, Roddy Doyle, Carol Ann Duffy, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Jackie Kay, Galway Kinnell, Andrew Motion and Rose Tremain.                                                                    

Other festival highlights included our inaugural Independents Day at the Lowry, where we showcased hot-off-the-press talent from the region and beyond, provided inspiration for DIY production, and debated the future of the independent publishing industry; our specially commissioned Manchester Blog Story; a unique live art and installation performance of the winners of our Urban Myths competition at Urbis; a Doctor Who writers event in association with the Manchester Science Festival and some tasty food-themed events.

The whole festival kicked off on National Poetry Day with a dream of an event featuring Rosie Lugosi and Kei Miller performing from a four-poster bed in the window of Heal's department store and we closed the festival with a Comedy Curtain Call compered by Sally Lindsay (aka Coronation Street’s Shelley Unwin) at the Frog & Bucket.

We are immensely grateful to all our partners, participating artists, funders, freelance associates, volunteers and our board of directors for their enthusiasm and whole-hearted support in bringing 2007's festival to fruition. Can't wait for MLF 2008? For up-to-date information on what's happening in local literary circles, check out the new Manchester Libraries blog here.

Cathy Bolton

Festival Director