We Were Strangers is an anthology of 10 original short stories inspired by Joy Division’s debut album, Unknown Pleasures. The collection features new fiction from award-winning authors including Jenn Ashworth, Toby Litt and Eley Williams, and this launch event features readings from the book by David Gaffney, Zoe Lambert, Sophie Mackintosh and Nicholas Royle.
From £3
Back for a fifth year, the Northern Lights Writers’ Conference is perfect for writers, from early career (and earlier!) to already established and out there. Bringing together leading authors, poets, editors, agents and publishers, the day-long programme focuses on both the craft and the business of writing.
From £30
Manchester Fiction Prize 2017 shortlistee Michael Conley launches his new prose collection Flare and Falter with a night of readings from fellow writers Sarah-Clare Conlon, Kate Feld, Tania Hershman, Abi Hynes and Steve Smythe.
Free entry
Your friendly local in Didsbury, full of style and character serving quality food and drink.
Join Manchester’s finest young spoken word performers Young Identity, working in partnership with Contact for the last 10 years, for a boisterous night of poetry and music.
From £8
Poetry reading series Murmur is back at Common, showcasing the talents of Holly Pester, Vala Thorodds and James Davies, and presenting a film by David Bailey.
Free entry
Penguin Pride comes to Manchester with an awe-inspiring line-up of LGBTQ+ writers, poets and performers to showcase some of the UK’s most exciting queer talent.
From £8
The second event of new bi-monthly poetry performance series, this time featuring readings from three headliners Sarah Bernstein, Carl Gent and Linda Stupart.
Free entry
Organised by Manchester-based publishers Dostoyevsky Wannabe, this special pop-up has lots of lovely stalls where you can pick up lots of lovely books, pamphlets and zines from Manchester’s finest indie presses, including if p then q, Knives Forks & Spoons, ZimZalla, Generic Greeting and Dodo Ink.
Free entry
The Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University presents the first in a brand-new series of The People’s Poetry Lectures: today’s leading writers talking about their favourite poets.
From £3
The launch of the summer issue of PN Review will see readings from contributors Simon Armitage, Fiona Moore and Vala Thorodds, who will read from her translations of Icelandic poet Kristín Ómarsdóttir, plus PN Review Prize winners James Womack and Chris Preddle.
Free entry
Celebrate 10 years of top-notch experimental poetry with a one-off event featuring readings by Tim Allen, Lucy Harvest Clarke, Emma Cocker, Stephen Emmerson, Peter Jaeger and Tom Jenks.
Free entry
