Manchester Literature Festival

19/08/2026

Drawing on her new book Feminism for a World on Fire, Natasha Walter offers a vision of feminism rooted in solidarity, community and care for both people and the planet, imagining how women’s liberation can sit alongside movements for equality, justice and environmental protection.

🗓️2pm, Sun 18 Oct
📍Central Library Manchester
🎟️ https://manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/natasha-walter-feminism-for-a-world-on-fire

Lady Hale, the first female President of the UK Supreme Court and author of the Women’s Prize longlisted With the Law on Our Side, joins acclaimed writer Lara Feigel, author of Custody: The Secret History of Mothers, for a compelling conversation on law, family and power.

Together they will have a lively conversation about how justice is experienced by children, mothers and families across history and today.

Co-presented with Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester. Sponsored by Weightmans.

🗓️7pm, Wed 21 Oct
📍Central Library
🎟️ https://manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/lady-hale-lara-feigel

SOLD OUT - Award-winning author Sarah Hall delivers the 2026 Faber Books Lecture: Burning Snowflake. It’s a clarion call to other writers, artists and readers for the literary imagination as a vital weapon in the fight for climate survival.

🗓️6pm, Sat 10 Oct
📍 Manchester Museum
🎟️ https://manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/sarah-hall-burning-snowflake

17/08/2026

Olivia Laing made fall in love with gardening🪏🫜🪴 Anyone remember the lovely conversation they had together, on Olivia’s book The Garden Against Time?

17/08/2026

introduces Annie Proulx’ Close Range: Wyoming Stories as a big influence for his own short story writing. He shares a short excerpt from the book with us.

17/08/2026

’s book for Manchester is none other than Nothing Like the Sun, which made him an even bigger Shakespeare fan (can you tell from his jumper?).

17/08/2026

We invited over to MLF HQ, to talk about his favourite reads against a bookshelf full of MLF26 books📚

Greg Thorpe is a short story writer, curator and producer, and a occasional enthusiastic host for Manchester Literature Festival.

Here he tells us about a book that shaped his thoughts and worldview as a young person - Meridian by Alice Walker.

17/08/2026

🎟️TICKET UPDATES🎟️

🎟️ Sarah Hall, Joseph Coelho, Sufiyaan Salam & Monika Radojevic all FULLY BOOKED🙏

🎟️Tickets selling fast for Maggie O'Farrell (9 Oct) https://manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/maggie-ofarrell

🎟️ Tickets selling fast for Simon Armitage (18 Oct) https://manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/simon-armitage-gilgamesh

🎟️ Limited tickets for Elif Shafak (25 Oct) https://manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/an-afternoon-with-elif-shafak

🎟️ Limited tickets for Emily St John Mandel (10 Oct) https://manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/emily-st-john-mandel

🎟️Venue change for Patrick Radden Keefe (12 Oct) - the event has been moved to RNCM and extra tickets released. Original tickets still valid. https://manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/an-evening-with-patrick-radden-keefe

PLEASE NOTE: Due to popular demand this event has been moved from the Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama to the RNCM.

13/08/2026

🎟️ALL TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR 🎟️

This autumn is the time where you’ll discover unforgettable authors, thought-provoking discussions and extraordinary conversations that explore the world around us in fresh and surprising ways. Head to www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk to check our full Festival programme and start filling in your diaries✍️✍️✍️

11/08/2026

📣FULL MLF26 PROGRAMME OUT NOW📣

Every MLF is an invitation for you to join us for an inspiring celebration of stories, ideas and conversation. This year’s programme brings together an exceptional line-up of artists, writers and thinkers who we hope will entertain, inspire and challenge you.

📕CULTURE: From feminism, environmental action and fresh perspectives on justice to the power of storytelling and creativity, we’re bringing together some of the most poignant voices of our time to stop collective doomscrolling.

📗FICTION: Discover fresh voices like Sufiyaan Salam and Monika Radojevic, as well as anticipated new reads from Maggie O’Farrell, Min Jin Lee, Yann Martel, Hernan Diaz, M. John Harrison and more.

📘POETRY: This year, we’re joined by luminary poets Jackie Kay, Karen Solie, Carolyn Forché and Kwame Dawes, Simon Armitage and Ian McMillan. Inua Ellams also returns with The Brown Sugar RAP Party feat an exciting mix of 9 Northern poets paying tribute to D’Angelo.

📙FAMILY: From poetry and spy fiction, football and dancing, there is plenty for families to discover. Meet Paddington actor Hugh Bonneville, enjoy football tricks and skills with Ben Nuttall, strut your stuff with Robert Tregoning, and more!

🎟️Priority tickets for all events are NOW ON SALE for Get Closer Members (check your inbox📥). General sale starts on Thursday, 13 Aug. Unlock priority booking and skip the wait by getting a Membership today!

Check out the full programme, download a PDF of the Festival brochure, or buy a Membership all at www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk

06/08/2026

Our real boss Buzz says a Get Closer Membership is the best £25/year you could ever spend on yourself🐾

MEMBER: £25 per year

🐶48 hours advance priority booking for the 2026 Festival
🐶48 hours priority booking for year-round events
🐶10% discount off Waterstones books at our events
🐶A complimentary copy of Palm Poems - New Commissions pamphlet
🐶Subscription to members only bi-monthly e-newsletter featuring literature and culture news and further recommended reads from the Festival team.
🐶Occasional ticket offers and discounts from MLF and our partners
🐶Festival brochure posted to your home
🐶Membership card

PREMIUM MEMBER: £50 per year

Go the extra mile and receive all Members’ benefits, plus:

🥂Invitation to annual VIP Festival Launch event with drinks reception
👀Front row seats guaranteed at unreserved seating events

✨Get yours now: https://www.quaytickets.com/mlf/screenloader.aspx?page=usercontent/html/manchesterliteraturefestival/memberships.html&type=include&queueittoken=e_quaysitewidesafety~ts_1786028793~ce_true~rt_safetynet~h_c9e51594abae6c40cf8ab1195d4e45d4a6384eca0ca89e049d9e703d63e4bb13✨

05/08/2026

Festival books have arrived in the office! We can’t wait to share them with you, when we reveal the MLF26 full programme next Tuesday✌️