The Portico Library

We can't wait to welcome the Happening in MCR team back to the library for two more of their always excellent themed life drawing sessions beneath our glorious 19th-century dome.

Book for August: www.theportico.org.uk/event-calend...

Book for September: www.theportico.org.uk/event-calend...

NortheringWorkshop — The Portico Library Join contemporary storyteller Stephe Harrop for a creative writing workshop around stories and folk tales from the northern borders.

My September storytelling and creative writing workshop @porticolibrary.bsky.social has already sold out!

Those Manchester folk must be properly hungry for more wandering through storied landscapes, imagining new ways to inhabit our different, diverse norths.

www.theportico.org.uk/event-calend...

YouTube video by Andrew Brooks Streets of Manchester. A workshop/walk from the Portico Library, with Ian McMillan & Andrew Brooks

The pair took a group out onto the streets of Manchester to photograph, write and explore the everyday world, and search for beauty and strangeness in the fabric of our city.

Below, is a slideshow of some of the work that was created!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Jtg...

Last month, poet Ian McMillan and photographer Andrew Brooks hosted a workshop and walk leaving from the Portico as part of their exhibition, The Songs The Morning Sang, which is currently on display at the library....

Join us this September for an intimate sonic experiment where UnHeard presents original classical contemporary works by Manchester-based composers, inspired by literature, myth and popular culture...

www.theportico.org.uk/event-calend...

There's always something incredibly special about discovering people have visited the Portico whilst on their travels.

This is Rod, from Madrid Libraries, who recently stopped by for a look around and a chat.

Gracias, Rod! Hopefully we'll be able to welcome you again soon!

Running away with Bryan the Boggart Talking to our comfort cat, the Lady Bastet, is not the silliest thing I have done in The Portico Library People, Purpose and Place in Historic Books funded The National Lottery Heritage Fund. (Final ...

Linked in article on @heritagefunduk.bsky.social funded project @porticolibrary.bsky.social & headline findings.

(Should point out the comfort cat is the Portico’s, not mine.)

And my confession to an affair with Bryan the library boggart. Now to join the fae.

www.linkedin.com/pulse/runnin...

Fancy a bite to eat in one of Manchester's oldest lunch spots?

Our Chilli Cheese BLT, served on gorgeous Holy Grain sourdough, is always a big hit with guests.

We'll be serving until 4pm, feel free to pop by!

www.theportico.org.uk/kitchen

We're also thrilled to welcome Manchester writer, poet, performer and Melbourne City of Literature Writer in Residence, Louis Glazzard, as our very special guest for the evening.

Spaces are extremely limited, and these events always sell out.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/portico-pr...

Our next Secret Supper Club, Portico Pride, will be taking place on Thursday 21st August, coinciding with Manchester Pride Week.

The tantalising menu will feature dishes inspired by books from our collection, served in the beautifully intimate surroundings of our stunning Reading Room...

A woman looking at an exhibition in a library

Holiday Sketches is on for another month @porticolibrary.bsky.social. It’s not closing in July after all.

Thanks so much for the kind comments from visitors. Am so happy to put Mary Severn Newton’s work on display & have nuanced conversations about the eastern Mediterranean - Ottoman & Greek.

The Portico will be closed today as we're hosting a party to celebrate our incredible volunteers!

We apologise for any inconvenience, and look forward to welcoming everyone back as normal tomorrow.

Summeractivities2025 — The Portico Library Join us at the Portico Library this summer to record our space and books as they look now.

You’ll also get the chance to make a postcard and record your thoughts through blackout poetry to take home or send as a memento.

There's no need to book, just turn up and get involved between 2.30pm - 4.30pm!

You can find more information here: www.theportico.org.uk/event-calend...

Starting tomorrow and continuing every Thursday throughout the summer holidays, we'll be running a series of free, family-friendly workshops.

These fun, drop-in sessions will invite curious kids to capture different features of the historic building and record them via Polaroid images.

Learning through fun, creative activity, writing, and reading is the beating heart of the library.

We also believe learning is lifelong, and offer a range of free resources that can be enjoyed, whatever your age.

You can find the Portico's learning resources here: www.theportico.org.uk/learning

We're over the moon that The Portico Sadie Massey Awards for Young Readers and Writers and our Art of the Book Award have been included in the 2025-26 Creative Cultural Directory!

If you'd like to find out more about our awards, you can do so here: www.theportico.org.uk/portico-sadi...

Later this month, Jo Bell joins us to discuss Boater: A Life on England's Waterways - the debut memoir written by the UK’s inaugural Canal & River Trust poet laureate.

Book your spot: www.theportico.org.uk/event-calend...

Looking forward to the Year of Reading? Even our cats at home are getting involved!

This is Lucia, who clearly can't get enough of this latest page-turner...

Thank you to Julia, one of the Portico's volunteers, for sharing the lovely clip 😍

Did you know that you can adopt a book from the Portico's collection?

You can help us preserve the Library’s historic collection by donating to our adopt-a-book fund, or choosing an individual book to adopt.

www.theportico.org.uk/adoptabook

Cake against books

Lovely to see so many tourists in #Manchester.

Find an oasis from Oasis with us tomorrow or pop in if you are visiting the city.

We’ll have cold drinks and cake (no lunch menu this sat - apologies), including this gluten free orange & almond cake.

We welcome making 2026 The year of Reading with an emphasis on reading for pleasure from the National Literacy Trust & DoE.

We know first-hand the magic that reading can bring to people of all ages, & we're excited to see what the future holds...

www.gov.uk/government/n...

We'd love for you to join us tomorrow evening!

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/songs-the-...

It’s an exciting evening for us as we - trustees, staff, committee members, consultants- examine design for #reunitingtheportico. So much work & still more to do.

Thank you all for coming to our events, taking part in consultation & learning sessions. And to our funders @heritagefunduk.bsky.social.

We’ve just released four extra tickets for Ian McMillan & my photography & poetry walks from the @porticolibrary.bsky.social Library in Manchester that’s happening tomorrow morning at 10.30am

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/songs-the-...

We’ll be sharing ideas connected to our exhibition at the library.

Jo Bell at The Portico Library | Literature | Creative Tourist Poet and now memoirist Jo Bell invites you to join her at The Portico Library when she'll be talking about her new memoir Boater.

A big thank you to the folks at creativetourist.com for their lovely words about Jo Bell's book launch at The Portico later this month...

www.creativetourist.com/event/jo-bel...

This Thursday, poet and presenter of the Verb on Radio 4, Ian McMillan, and photographer @andrewpbrooks.bsky.social will be back at the library talking about their collaborative exhibition The Songs The Morning Sang...

www.theportico.org.uk/event-calend...

Portico Public Programme Committee Chair Carol Ann Whitehead FRSA CMgr CCMI playfully unpicked the characters with Will, leaning on her inner thespian and deep diving into the character of Grandma, without giving too much away…

William was the winner of the Merky Books New Writers Prize in 2022, and this new work is a dazzling and poignant exploration of race, status and the parts of ourselves we risk losing when we fall in love.

Last Saturday, coinciding with Portico Pride, we hosted the launch of William Rayfet Hunter's new book Suntruck, as part of the Penguin Random House book tour...

NortheringWorkshop — The Portico Library Join contemporary storyteller Stephe Harrop for a creative writing workshop around stories and folk tales from the northern borders.

‪After a sold-out spring session, I'm excited to be returning to the beautiful @porticolibrary.bsky.social this autumn with a workshop on Wednesday 10 September.

Get inspired by the strange old tales of the north, through storytelling and creative writing ...

www.theportico.org.uk/event-calend...