International Mother Language Day 2019 at various venues

Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor
Poet Lemn Sissay.
Poet Lemn Sissay.

International Mother Language Day at Manchester Central Library, Manchester 21 February 2019 Entrance is free

Presented in partnership between Manchester City Council, Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester as part of Manchester City of Literature, we’ll be celebrating this year’s International Mother Language Day through a number of exciting events taking place in various venues. With the event marked around the world annually on 21 February, in 2018 Manchester’s International Mother Language Day welcomed speakers from Jamaica to Japan; this year, activities include fun, family-friendly games, crafts and performances, plus panel discussion, workshops and a lively, interactive multilingual Mushaira – all are free.

Manchester-based independent publishing house Comma Press are running Manchester In Translation workshops at Z-arts; Manchester City Council’s Libraries Team are hosting a number of events, including at North City and Wythenshawe Forum libraries, and including the Mancunian Tongues: Why Language Diversity Matters For Manchester discussion with poet/author and Chancellor of The University of Manchester Lemn Sissay MBE, Manchester Museum Director Esme Ward and Councillor Luthfur Rahman at Central Library, and Manchester Writing School are putting on the Multi-language Mushaira poetry performance event at Longsight Library in the evening. Full details in the link below.

International Mother Language Day at Manchester Central Library, Manchester 21 February 2019 Entrance is free

a white middle aged woman stands in front of flower beds and a soft beige stone garden wall with ivy.  she is wearing a white blouse and pale blue jeans and is smiling. She has dark, short hair.
LiteratureManchester
Olivia Laing at Manchester Central Library

Previously commissioned by MLF as writer-in-residence at the Midland Hotel, Olivia Laing returns to Manchester to talk about her latest book, The Garden Against Time.

from £10.00
2024 Northern Publishers' Fair
LiteratureManchester
Northern Publishers’ Fair 2024 at Central Library

Join readers and writers alike at this free event celebrating independent publishing. Peruse books from 16 publishers across genres including literary fiction, genre fiction, middle-grade and children’s, poetry and memoir.

free entry

Where to go near International Mother Language Day 2019 at various venues

St Peters Square Manchester
City Centre
St Peter’s Square

St Peter’s Square is a public space in Manchester – home to the city’s iconic library, town hall, Pankhurst statue, art gallery and famous Midland Hotel.

Manchester Art Gallery. Photo by Andrew Brooks
City Centre
Gallery
Manchester Art Gallery

The Charles Barry-designed, Grade I-listed Manchester Art Gallery is one of the city’s leading galleries and is back open for visitors once more.

Chinatown
Hotel
The Alan

This high-end city-centre restaurant has an excellent afternoon tea option that more than matches up to the superb main menu.

Salut Wines
Chinatown
Bar or Pub
Salut Wines

Salut wines pride themselves in offering “wider horizons beyond the safe choices.” With 42 wines by the glass and a regularly changing selection of bottles in their Enomatic wine preservation machines (or  “wine jukebox,” as they’re colloquially known), this is one of be best bars in Manchester for exploring new vintages.

Manchester
Restaurant
Friska

Latest branch of Friska, the independent healthy fast food chain.

Manchester
Restaurant
Don Giovanni

Traditional Italian restaurant, serving everything from pizza to steak. All this in a large modern venue with floor-to-ceiling windows.

Chinatown
Restaurant
Manchester Art Gallery Cafe

Summery bakes, seasonal salads and fresh light meals at Manchester Art Gallery’s in-house café, courtesy of highly-regarded Head Chef Matthew Taylor.

City Centre
Tourist Attraction
Manchester Town Hall

Re-opening in 2024, Manchester Town Hall is a monument to Victorian Manchester’s ambition, and one of the city’s most-loved landmarks.

City Centre
Tourist Attraction
Albert Square

A public square in the heart of Manchester which plays hosts to festivals and major events. Home to the Albert Memorial and statues of Bishop James Fraser, John Bright, Oliver Heywood and William Ewart Gladstone.

Contemporary Six, art gallery in Manchester
City Centre
Gallery
Contemporary Six

Contemporary Six is an independent commercial art gallery in Manchester city centre, set up by Alex Reuben in 2010.

What's on: Literature

LIVEwire
Until
LiteratureManchester
LIVEwire at The Edge

Following sold-out shows in 2019 and 2021, LIVEwire is back at The Edge this March, and again in June, with an electric line-up.

from £13.00
2024 Northern Publishers' Fair
LiteratureManchester
Northern Publishers’ Fair 2024 at Central Library

Join readers and writers alike at this free event celebrating independent publishing. Peruse books from 16 publishers across genres including literary fiction, genre fiction, middle-grade and children’s, poetry and memoir.

free entry
Carrie Etter
LiteratureManchester
Poets & Players at Burgess Foundation

It’s the second Poets & Players of 2024, back at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation with an afternoon of words and music, featuring readings by Peter Sansom, Carrie Etter and Anita Pati.

free entry

Culture Guides

Festival-goers at Green Island
Music in Manchester and the North

Gazing longingly towards the good times that will accompany the surely imminent sun, we take a look at the best music festivals coming up in Manchester and Salford.