Word Central at Central Library

Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor
Lisa O'Hare. Photo by Tricia Yourkevich
Lisa O'Hare. Photo by Tricia Yourkevich

Word Central at Manchester Central Library, Manchester 30 January 2024 Entrance is free — Visit now

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

Join some of the award-winning wordsmiths of Salford-based publishing house Flapjack Press and performers from further afield for the latest instalment in what you can expect to be a no-holds-barred evening of performance poetry, all compered by the affable Tony Curry.

Stepping up to Word Central headliner duties at the opening event of 2024 is Lisa O’Hare, one of the current hosts of another live lit scene stalwart, Verbose.

Poet and storyteller Lisa O’Hare was a 2023 BBC Words First finalist and her work has been featured on BBC Radio Manchester and in the UN Women UK’s virtual Safe Spaces Now gallery. She performed her Saboteur Award-nominated spoken word show, Do You Remember The First Rhyme?, at Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2023 after a successful run of shows at Greater Manchester, Camden and Morecambe Fringe Festivals. She says of the show: “It tells the story of how I returned to creativity in my 40s and the new lease of life it has given me.”

There’s a sign-up-in-advance open mic for Word Central, but if you fancy taking part, you need to be quick – the three-minute performance slots are bookable from noon two weeks before (this month, the list opens on 16 January) via email to the Flapjack address and are allocated on a ‘first come first served’ basis (if none are left you will be offered a space on the reserve list).

And if you fancy a little extra Flapjack, the publisher is holding a book launch at Central Library for award-winning playwright Cathy Crabb’s new Selected Plays, on 22 January, 6pm (doors 5.40pm), free entry. Celebrating 20 years of productions, Cathy has selected 11 of her works for staging – filled with humour and emotional resonance, these texts explore themes of family, trauma, neurodivergence, class and locality, and their experiential effect on the ordinariness of life and repercussions. Join Cathy and special guests for an evening of performance, archival material, author interview and audience Q&A.

Word Central at Manchester Central Library, Manchester 30 January 2024 Entrance is free Visit now

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Where to go near Word Central at Central Library

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
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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.

Chinatown
Restaurant
1847

1847 Manchester is an excellent vegetarian restaurant in the centre of town.

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.

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3Space Manchester

The building consists of five floors of 10,000sqft in an L shape configuration – three of which are open-plan and the other two floors are divided into studio size spaces.

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Friska

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

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Don Giovanni

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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