Postponement of MLF 2020

Manchester Literature Festival has made the difficult decision to postpone this year's physical festival. The Festival team is deeply disappointed not to be able to deliver its usual full-scale Festival but the need to prioritise the health and wellbeing of its authors, hosts, audiences, Festival staff and volunteers is paramount. The decision has been taken in the light of the on-going impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, including the effect social distancing restrictions are having on the Festival’s partner venues and also general audience confidence.

The good news is that exciting plans are well underway to deliver a special series of digital Manchester Literature Festival events over a long weekend in mid or late October. The full details of the programme, including unique In Conversations and Showcases, will be announced in September.

We understand the Festival is a special place that brings writers, readers and book lovers together to enjoy new stories, to discover new writers, to be entertained, challenged and engaged, as well as meet new friends and see the world from a different perspective. We very much hope to return with another physical Manchester Literature Festival in October 2021. Meanwhile we hope that you’ll join us to celebrate virtually this October when we’ll be moving online with a feast of fabulous events of the calibre Manchester Literature Festival audiences have come to expect.

The cancellation of live events for the foreseeable future and the loss of box office income from Spring and Autumn 2020 leaves Manchester Literature Festival in a very precarious financial position. MLF needs urgent support to help continue the valuable work it has been delivering for the past 15 years. That includes showcasing amazing and diverse writers from across the globe, commissioning new work from emerging and established poets and authors, platforming writers in translation, and producing the great storytelling sessions and young creatives projects to inspire and upskill children and young people from some of the most disadvantaged communities in Greater Manchester.

We appreciate that not everyone has cash to spare in this challenging economic climate, but if you can afford to make a donation, however big or small, it will really help the Festival to survive and thrive. You can make a regular or one-off donation through our Donation page here.

In keeping with government guidelines the MLF team are continuing to work remotely. If you need to contact the Festival, please email: office@manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk and your email will be passed on to the relevant person.

We understand how important literature is and feel lucky to be part of such a wonderful and creative community of writers, readers, performers and storytellers. We thank you for your continued support of Manchester Literature Festival and look forward to sharing more brilliant events with you soon.