A film that beautifully captures how staff, books, and ideas within the library, are impacted and changed through decolonising practices.
A bookclub but with a difference - just a few passages to read & discuss in a relaxed environment. Perfect for a Friday afternoon. . .
Step into an unforgettable evening of powerful true storytelling on the theme “Owning It”, where our storytellers take us from the quiet beginnings of self-discovery to celebrating their stories and sharing them on stage.
Join artist and writer Stephen Emmerson for an evening of curated poetry relating to his exhibition How to read a book.
The Portico Christmas Feast returns!
Join us for our ever-popular yearly shindig of fine food, entertainment, and fundraising for the Portico.
Listen to a series of quickfire talks with specially invited guests from across the history and heritage sector, then take to the stage yourself to share your own historical passions!
The Creative Society Manchester and The Portico Library invite you to step into a world of intrigue, suspense, and mystery. Don't miss this unforgettable Murder Mystery Evening, where you'll have the chance to unravel a centuries-old Victorian enigma.
Try an experimental yoga flow class that combines poetry with movement to bring light to the dark days.
Join us for a special evening with poet Mike Harding as he shares some stories from his latest books - including Specky Four Eyes.
Try an experimental yoga flow class that combines poetry with movement to bring light to the dark days.
Explore book covers and the arts and crafts movement with bookbinder and arts & craft expert Barry Clark.
Join the Portico Kitchen team for a series of unique dining experiences in one of the city’s most extraordinary settings.
Ancient bog man’s story unearths magic, murder and mystery in Wilmslow - find out more in this performance with Rachel Pugh and Lucy Nolan.
These Isles: The Fascinating Story of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Bestselling author Brian Groom will discuss the entwined histories of Britain and Ireland’s nations – and the people who have called them home.
Bringing together his years of experience on stage, Cole Stacey’s deeply personal shows are rooted in storytelling - perfect for a library.
Haunting, timely & bold, this new novel on Elizabeth Gaskell explores the limits of compassion & the cost of telling the truth — then & now.
A display of words, spineless wonders and dialects from the singer Jennifer Reid interwoven with books from the Portico Collection. Ballads and broadsides sing out under the Portico Dome, moving between the worlds of the nineteenth-century street and the library of the elite.
We will make a proper hardback book with a difference!
A rare chance to hear the eerie stories of M R James, performed by R M Lloyd Parry, in an atmospheric 19th century Library.
Rewriting the lives of the Brontës and Elizabeth Gaskell through material evidence - An evening with Sharon Wright and Graham Watson
Free - drop in! Spend time finding about bees and their importance with beekeeper and author of A Bee, Natasha Devine, Secretary of the Manchester & District Beekeepers’ Association.
A bookclub but with a difference - just a few passages to read & discuss in a relaxed environment. On Halloween at dusk, it has to be The Vampyre. . . .
Join the Portico Kitchen team for a series of unique dining experiences in one of the city’s most extraordinary settings.
Join us to explore witches, wizards and magical creatures in our collections and more recent children’s books. And for an excuse to dress up and make the most of our Halloween costumes.
Step into the rich world of Islamic illumination – a centuries-old art form used to beautify sacred manuscripts with intricate floral motifs and shimmering gold accents.
In this inspiring masterclass, Kevin Dalton-Johnson shares his personal experiences as a student, teacher, and leader in the arts.
Join award-winning novelists Essie Fox and Kate Griffin to find out more about the process of writing historical fiction and how to create a Gothic atmosphere. They will be talking about their recent novels, Essie Fox’s Dangerous (2024) and Kate Griffin’s Fyneshade (2023).
Join the Portico Library to mark the 80th anniversary of the1945 Pan-African Congress with an interview with the writer of Liberation.
The Agile Employee, provides a guide to building a career focused on professional growth and mental wellness simultaneously. The book, and Bimbo Ponmile's work in general, advocates for a leadership and work culture that prioritises psychological safety and empathy, allowing individuals to thrive without sacrificing their well-being.
A bookclub but with a difference - just a few passages to read & discuss in a relaxed environment. Perfect for a book few people have actually read.
Carol Ann Whitehead FRSA CMgr CCMI, welcomes Portico member Prof Phil Harris & co-author Patricia Rees for a discussion on Machiavelli.
This Saturday join us to meet two Manchester women who have written books celebrating the communities of this city and hope for the future.
How to read a book is an exhibition by Stephen Emmerson about language, writing, and memory. It also explores themes of neurodiversity by offering different ways of exploring and reading books.
To celebrate the 250th anniversary of her birth, join the Portico Kitchen for an afternoon of thoughtful conversation and delectable bites centred on the work of Jane Austen.
Take part in a themed life drawing session under our 19thC dome with Happening in MCR. More details coming soon!
Slow down, read closely, think and discuss - that's what we are asking you to do in this club. Debbie Challis has choosen a few passages illustrating pride and prejudice from the novel of the same name. Turn off your smart phones, step away from the hectic pace of life, and discuss words.
Step into an unforgettable evening of powerful true storytelling as we explore the theme ‘Reframing Resilience’.
Join us for an inclusive event where voices share raw, real and extraordinary personal stories that will move, challenge and inspire.
We will make an A6 crossed structure notebook - a non-adhesive binding developed by Carmencho Arregui.
Join us for an intimate sonic experiment where UnHeard presents original classical contemporary works by Manchester-based composers.
Join contemporary storyteller Stephe Harrop for a creative writing workshop around stories and folk tales from the northern borders.
Voice ESEA look forward to welcoming people on 4 September for a launch reception honouring the Titanic's Chinese passengers.
Join us at the Portico Library this summer to make postcards of our space and books using collage and photos.
Take part in a themed life drawing session under our 19thC dome with Happening in MCR. More details coming soon!
New research by Manchester’s Global Threads team, published by The Portico Library, traces the library’s foundation in 1802 as an exclusive members’ Library to profits and individuals linked to the city’s underacknowledged history connected to the transatlantic slave trade.
Join the Portico Kitchen team for a series of unique dining experiences in one of the city’s most extraordinary settings.
Join us at the Portico Library this summer to record our space and books as they look now.
