England literary festival

Manchester Literature Festival

City literature festival with international writers, poets, commissions, conversations and cross-arts programming.

Manchester, EnglandAutumn

Going to the festival

Tickets and programme

Festival dates, venues, line-ups and ticket releases change each year. Use the official links below for current availability and booking details.

What it is about

City literature festival with international writers, poets, commissions, conversations and cross-arts programming.

Attendance notes

Strong urban and international literary profile.

Check the official site for current dates, accessibility, venue maps, ticket rules, waiting lists and livestream options.

Book Bag connection

Related catalogue links

Suzi discusses the launch of The Aftershock Review in Manchester. video thumbnail13:19

Suzi discusses the launch of The Aftershock Review in Manchester.

Suzi discusses the launch of The Aftershock Review in Manchester issue two and recent literary events. Plus Chorley cakes and northern crisp flavours.

From costume designer to historical novelist; Sally Gardner reveals her unique writer's journey. video thumbnail1:09:29

From costume designer to historical novelist; Sally Gardner reveals her unique writer's journey.

Prizewinning author Sally Gardner joins Suzi to discuss her new historical novel 'The Bride Stone', fairy tales, the French Revolution, and her top tip for creating rounded characters

How do you write 50+ books? Children's author Joseph Coelho reveals his tricks video thumbnail1:19:31

How do you write 50+ books? Children's author Joseph Coelho reveals his tricks

Children's author and poet Joseph Coelho drops into the Book Bag to discuss his latest prizewinning book, 'The Boy Lost in the Maze', a brilliant contemporary re-working of the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur.

Suzi chats with Jenny Downham and Louis Hill about their unique collaboration and their new book. video thumbnail1:12:34

Suzi chats with Jenny Downham and Louis Hill about their unique collaboration and their new book.

How do a bestselling, prizewinning author and an actor collaborate on their first book together? Well, it helps if they're mother and son!

Suzi chats with author Liz Hyder about her unique writing process and new book. video thumbnail1:22:16

Suzi chats with author Liz Hyder about her unique writing process and new book.

Liz Hyder joins Suzi in the Book Bag to discuss her young adult novel 'The Twelve', a thrilling Welsh-set tale of shapeshifters, standing stones and cosmic peril. She talks about finding the right setting, being an obsessive writer, and why she likes puffins.

Suzi Chats with author and publisher Ariane Bankes. video thumbnail1:05:44

Suzi Chats with author and publisher Ariane Bankes.

The glamorous Paget twins had it all: looks, intellect, charm, personality. Ariane Bankes joins us to chat about 'The Quality of Love', the book she's written about her mother and aunt and how their lives intersected with some of the big names in mid-century literature: Orwell, Camus, Koestler just for starters.