Top five live literature.

No disrespect to the city’s worthy literary heritage, but the writers of the present could well be Manchester’s real claim to fame. All year round the city centre hosts a heady mix of poetry slams, storytelling nights, book launches, literary salons, open mike, one-off themed readings, and events that merge words and music. Kate Feld and Katie Moffat get an earful.

1. Bad Language

Run by a small collective of energetic young writers who also publish a series of anthologies, this monthly night seems to have filled the place vacated by The Deaf Institute’s popular there’s no point in not being friends, attracting a steady stream of willing readers across fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Why does it work? A great setting in The Castle Hotel’s atmospheric back room and a careful balance onstage between newcomers, regulars and talented headliners (this month it’s Manchester’s own Socrates Adams). Go early if you want a seat. The next Bad Language is on 25 January at 7:30pm at The Castle Hotel, 66 Oldham Street, Manchester M4 1LE. Free.

2. The International Anthony Burgess Foundation

Rather than existing as a quiet and scholarly memorial to the great man, the Burgess Centre aims to honour his spirit by opening its doors to a really engaging series of live literature events. It’s quickly become the go-to place in town for literary talks and panel discussions, book launches and workshops, holding them alongside events such as their upcoming A Clockwork Orange 50th anniversary programme, and doing duty as Manchester Literature Festival hub. All this and their cafe serves wonderful homemade food. We’re sure Anthony would approve. International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Chorlton Mill, 3 Cambridge Street M1 5BY

3. Manchester writing school events

The city writing schools attract heavy hitters, masters of the craft who typically read to packed houses. Literature Live is the events programme of the Centre for New Writing at Manchester University; it’s featured the likes of Hilary Mantel, Will Self and Neil Gaiman. On 27 January, five-time fringe-award winning poet Mark Gwynne Jones reads as part of the centre’s Beat The Rush Hour early evening series (5:30pm at the John Harris Studio Theatre, £5). Manchester Writing School at MMU also runs an excellent series of events, but their next one isn’t until March, when Jean Sprackland reads at The Royal Exchange Theatre.

4. Tales of Whatever

Live storytelling is hugely popular in the US, where nights like New York’s The Moth have revived interest in the most ancient art form in the world. Manchester now has its very own live storytelling night, Tales of Whatever, held on the second Wednesday of every month at The Castle. Still in its infancy, it has a rough-around-the-edges charm and a few simple rules: anyone can get up and tell a story but the story must be true, told without notes and be no longer than 10 minutes. So what’s your story? The next Tales of Whatever is on 11 January ,7.45pm at The Castle Hotel. Free. 

5. The Other Room

Experimental poetry is the focus of this regular reading night at The Old Abbey Inn, which celebrates its fourth birthday this spring. Like Bury’s Text Festival, it’s not a place to go looking for rhymes and iambic pentameter: avant garde is on the menu here, and it’s a friendly crowd that welcomes new faces and new readers. The Other Room’s website is also a great resource for news of small publishers and similarly-minded events in the area. The next The Other Room is next on Wednesday 29 February, 7pm. The Old Abbey Inn, 61 Pencroft Way, M15 6AY. Free, booking via Eventbrite.

Images: (from top) courtesy of Bad Language, courtesy of International Anthony Burgess Foundation. Creative Tourist’s top five lists (always given in no particular order) are our writers’ highly personal and opinionated selections. If you disagree, or feel we left something out, speak up in the comments.

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