What’s On
From Page to Stage: 20 Years of Manchester Literature Festival Exhibition
12 September – 16 December 2025, Central Library (The Wolfson Reading Room)
Feast your eyes on two decades of literary magic with From Page to Stage, a photographic exhibition celebrating Manchester Literature Festival’s 20th anniversary.
Featuring photographs by Jon Parker Lee, Chris Bull, Chris Payne, Matthew Priestley and Ed Swinden, this collection of intimate photos charts the Festival’s journey from its early days to becoming one of the UK’s most distinctive literary events. Through striking portraits, we revisit the unforgettable moments and remarkable voices that have shaped the Festival – from award-winning novelists and poets, to leading songwriters and musicians, artists, comedians, children’s writers, activists and change-makers.
We’re fortunate to have welcomed some of the world’s greatest writers to our UNESCO City of Literature and From Page to Stage captures international authors Margaret Atwood, Armistead Maupin, Celeste Ng, Elif Shafak, Jo Nesbo and Asako Yuzuki rubbing shoulders with homegrown favourites Jackie Kay, Jeanette Winterson, Maxine Peake and Lemn Sissay. It also documents some of the city’s most treasured venues and landmarks.
See Johnny Marr, Guy Garvey, Bernardine Evaristo, Edward Enninful and Vivenne Westwood backstage at the RNCM. Encounter Elif Shafak, Jo Nesbo, Jackie Kay and Linton Kwesi Johnson at Manchester Cathedral, Manchester Town Hall and Contact. Glimpse best-selling authors and poets in every nook and cranny of Central Library from the Stacks to the Chief Librarian’s Office. Revisit the Cornerhouse with crime writer Walter Mosley and raise your spirits with Lemn Sissay and Henry Normal at The Dancehouse. Finally, dance in the rain with poet Ian McMillan outside the Hallé St Peter’s.
The exhibition is in the Reading Room on the 1st Floor of Manchester Central Library and will be open Monday – Saturday during normal Library opening hours: Mon-Thurs 9am-8pm; Fri & Sat 9am-5pm.
You can find more information about the photographers on their websites: Jon Parker Lee, Chris Bull, Chris Payne, Matthew Priestley, Ed Swinden.
12 September – 16 December 2025, Central Library (The Wolfson Reading Room)
Feast your eyes on two decades of literary magic with From Page to Stage, a photographic exhibition celebrating Manchester Literature Festival’s 20th anniversary.
Upcoming Events
September 2025
October 2025
Box Office & FAQ
Tickets for most Manchester Literature Festival events can be booked through our main Box Office agent Quaytickets. You can book online or by phone on 0161 876 2015. The box office phone line is open Monday – Friday: 9am – 6pm, Saturday – Sunday 10am – 6pm. For all events booked through Quaytickets there is a one-off e-ticket transaction fee of £1.75 but no additional booking fees on tickets.
Tickets for MLF events at Contact, HOME and Z-arts are sold directly by the venue and additional booking fees may apply.
Further Information
Plan Your Visit
All our venues are near good public transport links, and we strongly encourage audiences to support our efforts in reducing the Festival’s carbon footprint by traveling to events by public transport if at all possible. We recommend using the Transport for Greater Manchester Journey Planner to plan your journey via train, tram and bus.
Manchester is one of the UK's most exciting, vibrant and multicultural cities. A designated UNESCO City of Literature, Manchester has a wealth of talented writers, independent publishers and a nurturing literature scene as well as beautiful Libraries, historic performance spaces and literary landmarks. Check out the Manchester City of Literature's What's On page and Visit Manchester website for the latest cultural offerings and activities.
Alongside stunning architecture, distinctive venues and acclaimed restaurants, bars and cafes, the city offers a wide variety of places to stay, from historic luxury hotels to midrange and budget hotels, apartments and hostels.
If you are looking to book a trip to Manchester, we highly recommend booking a stay with one of our iconic hotel partners.
Winner of 'Leading Hotel of the Year 2019', The Edwardian, Manchester brings redefined five-star luxury to the city's beautiful Grade II-listed Free Trade Hall. Their spacious rooms and stunning suites feature sweeping city views and you can enjoy award-winning contemporary Japanese and Mexican small plates at Peter Street Kitchen and a Parisian-inspired menu at The Library curated by Assouline.
Originally built to serve rail travellers from London, The Midland Hotel has been a much-loved part of this magnificent city's life for over 115 years. Step into its timeless elegance and experience award-winning restaurants and an idyllic urban spa.
Past Festivals
The 2023 Manchester Literature Festival took place 7 – 22 October with Bookend events in September and November and featured 43 live events and masterclasses.
The programme showcased the rising stars of literature alongside award-winning writers and featured special conversations with national and international novelists, poets, musicians, artists and activists.
Programme strands included Fiction (Naomi Alderman, Richard Armitage, Deborah Levy, Kate Mosse, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Max Porter, Elif Shafak, Zadie Smith and Jeanette Winterson), Culture (Jeremy Deller, Afua Hirsch, Michael Lewis, Doon Mackichan, George Monbiot, Lisa Nandy, Thurston Moore and Yanis Varoufakis), Poetry (Simon Armitage, Kwame Dawes, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Arlo Parks and Lemn Sissay), Young Readers (Little Reads Family Day with Nathan Bryon & Dapo Adeola, Michael Morpurgo’s I Believe in Unicorns and a Skateboard Drawing Club) and New Commissions (Jason Allen-Paisant, Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir and young Manchester and Danish poets from our Cities Untold project). We also delivered a series of Masterclasses (How to Write Historical Fiction with Kate Mosse, and poetry/editing workshops with Kwame Dawes, Anthony Vahni Capildeo and Will Harris).
