Manchester Literature Festival online

Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor

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Manchester Literature Festival online

23-25 October 2020

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Poet Rachel Long.
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It’s all change this year as Manchester Literature Festival goes digital and reduces itself down to a tasty jus of 16 online events during its weekend celebration of words, running Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October. Tickets for #MLF20 are now available to book via the MLF website, with the menu dishing up leading writers and the literary stars of tomorrow, from the local scene to the international stage. Says MLF: “Our shared humanity has never been clearer. This year’s Manchester Literature Festival celebrates this connection through stories that deserve to be heard, voices that call for change, and powerful expressions of hope and resilience.”

We’re looking forward to hearing from Daisy Johnson and Sophie Mackintosh, hosted by the Centre for New Writing’s Jeanette Winterson. Author of short story collection Fen, Daisy Johnson’s debut novel, Everything Under, was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2018, when she was not yet 30, making her (beside Eleanor Catton) the youngest nominee in the prize’s history – Sophie Mackintosh’s debut The Water Cure was up for the gong the same year. The pair will be reading extracts from and discussing their latest novels – described as “powerful and disturbing” – Sisters and Blue Ticket respectively.

Jackie Kay hosts a Picador showcase featuring Raymond Antrobus, Jericho Brown, Rachel Long and Safiya Sinclair – “four prominent Black poets who speak powerfully to our present moment”

The #MLF20 programme also includes performances courtesy the new Manchester Poetry Library, work in translation, activities for families to enjoy together plus two partnership projects, including the participatory Poetry Exchange. Poet, playwright and recording artist Kae Tempest talks non-fiction with acclaimed author Max Porter, 2020 Booker Prize shortlistee Maaza Mengiste discusses her process with former Women’s Prize for Fiction winner Kamila Shamsie, and legendary writer, campaigner and civil rights activist Angela Davis is in conversation with poet and Scottish Makar Jackie Kay.

Jackie Kay, also a Patron of MLF, is then back to host a Picador showcase featuring Raymond Antrobus, Jericho Brown, Rachel Long and Safiya Sinclair – “four prominent Black poets who speak powerfully to our present moment and fuse the personal with the political”. Ted Hughes Award-winning Raymond Antrobus will read new work alongside poems from his debut collection The Perseverance, US poet and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry Jericho Brown will present work from his collection, The Tradition, and Jamaican poet Safiya Sinclair will read from Cannibal.

British poet Rachel Long, meanwhile, will gives us a flavour of My Darling from the Lions – currently shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection, and described by Stylist as “the modern poetry we need to read right now”. Man Booker winner Bernardine Evaristo, author of Girl, Woman, Other, heaps on the praise: “An enchanting and heartwarming new voice in poetry.” Not to be missed.

Where to go near Manchester Literature Festival online

Stevenson Square
Manchester
Stevenson Square

Stevenson Square, the central hub of bars and cafes in Northern Quarter. Home to some of the best bars in the city.

CUPRA City Garage DJ Decks
City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
CUPRA City Garage

Already based in Paris, Mexico City, Sydney and Vienna, CUPRA’s international expansion is driven by culture as much as cars, and Manchester’s creative energy has clearly caught their attention.

Ancoats
Restaurant
Bruco

Bruco is a new restaurant in Ancoats, serving up stylish Italian small plates.

Samsi
Manchester
Restaurant
Samsi

Long-standing Japanese restaurant on Whitworth Street in Manchester with a pleasingly affordable menu.

The Pavilion Gardens, which also houses the Pavilion Arts Centre, is a beautiful, historic venue dating back to 1871 which superbly shows off the Victorian splendour of Buxton. Set within twenty three acres of magnificent, landscaped gardens and play areas, the venue provides the perfect setting for fun and relaxing family days out, with great food and drink, shopping and over 100 events and festivals throughout the year.
Buxton
Cinema
Pavilion Arts Centre

A historic gem in Buxton’s Pavilion Gardens, Pavilion Arts Centre houses an intimate 360-seat theatre and cinema.

Leeds
Gallery
The Sculpture Gallery

The Sculpture Gallery is an outstanding new gallery, of pure sculpture, showcasing the work, not only of the six owners but guests also.

A club bedroom at Malmaison Leeds
Leeds
Hotel
Malmaison Leeds

Malmaison Leeds is a historic and dramatic building, full of character and individual style. Beautifully refurbished quirky bedrooms with power showers, blackout curtains and great beds.

On The Wall is a funky independent shop that sells a wide range of creative and artistic items including, posters, art prints, canvases, greeting cards and merchandise/gifts. They also offer a bespoke framing and canvas printing service and a screen printed t- shirt service. If you are looking for something more unique and inspiring they also sell work by local artists.
Leeds
Shop
On The Wall

Bright, bold and full of character, On the Wall pairs expert framing with prints, posters and gifts inside Leeds Corn Exchange.

Leeds
Restaurant
Canned Heat

Canned Heat is an independent bottle-shop & bar in the heart of Chapeltown, Leeds. Born out of a passion for Music, Art and Community.

What's on: Literature

LiteratureLeeds
Lisa Jewell at the Old Woollen

“Twisty page-turners. Domestic dramas. Bone-chilling suspense.” That’s how #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell is described by her publisher Simon & Schuster on their home page for her.

From £18.00
Jenn Ashworth at Blackwell's Manchester
LiteratureManchester
Jenn Ashworth at Blackwells

Jenn Ashworth is back at Blackwells bookshop for the Manchester launch of her latest work, reading extracts and chatting to Helen Mort about how The Parallel Path came about.

From £4.00
LiteratureLeeds
Chemistry at The Chemic

Leeds live literature regular Chemistry offers an exciting mix of open mic acts and invited poets – this month the headliners include Rosie Garland.

Free entry
Poet Mike Garry. Photo Paul Wolfgang Webster
LiteratureManchester
Word Central at Central Library

Word Central is a long-standing live literature favourite at Central Library and features open mic performers and a special guest, brought to you by Manchester Libraries and Flapjack Press.

Free entry

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