The Portico Reunited: Manchester’s historic library hosts a captivating experimental events programme this spring

This spring, The Portico will stage a series of unmissable experimental events around its unique spaces and renowned collections to support their ongoing Reunited project, a visionary £9 million transformation which will renovate and reimagine all parts of the building to create one of the UK’s most accessible, sustainable and dynamic historic libraries.

In celebration of International Women’s Day on Sat 8 Mar, The Portico hosts an illuminating talk which explores the work of forgotten women writers and artists from the library’s archive. Led by Creative Producer and cultural historian Dr. Debbie Challis, Hidden in Print will transport guests on a journey through the illustrations, reading habits and friends of mid-Victorian artist, Ann Mary Severn Newton, alongside the lives of the trailblazing writers she both knew and admired who forged a different path for themselves and railed against submissiveness and domesticity. Book tickets HERE.

On Thu 20 Mar, Dr. Rose Roberto joins The Portico to examine the inestimable literary legacy of beloved artist, Kate Greenaway, whose work influenced generations of children and left a lasting impact on the industry. For nearly seven decades, the Library Association’s Kate Greenaway Medal recognised the best illustrated children’s books, but in 2022, they quietly removed her name from the award, sparking widespread condemnation from across the literary spectrum and beyond.

This talk explores the unique influence of Greenaway’s work, alongside the ways in which named literary prizes affect book sales and the frequent erasure of historic women compared to men in the same fields. Book tickets HERE.

On Sat 22 Mar, visitors are invited to participate in the free Under Construction pop-up display, which offers comprehensive insights into the progress made to ‘reunite’ The Portico, as well as the chance to delve into the library’s history and collections. Book HERE.

Weaving together a reimagined collection of traditional tales shot through with love, life and curious myth, Stephe Harrop’s spoken word storytelling show Northering traces a strange, lesser-trodden path through the magical hinterlands of the north on Thu 27 Mar.

Raised ‘in the back of a Ford Cortina’ somewhere around the Anglo-Scottish border, Harrop draws on the boundless potential of storytelling to add fresh, compelling dimensions to regional fairytales and fabled pasts while promoting a positive sense of belonging and a spirit of creative citizenship. Book tickets HERE.

Billed as part-performance, part-game, The Unbuilt Room immerses guests in a unique ‘verbal maze’ where The Portico combines the boundless possibilities of contemporary gaming with the magical simplicity of stripped-back storytelling.

Taking place across Thu 3 and Fri 4 Apr, the specially written new edition of Kriebel’s acclaimed ‘Exploration Game’ emulates the thrilling scope of early text-adventure games and choose-your-own-path books, as a performer stands on stage and directs you through an imaginary realm with various instructions, with each show shaped by your choices as you collaborate to overcome an array of obstacles.
Book tickets HERE.

On Wed 26 Feb, The Portico heads out to The Social Refuge for a free evening of discussion and literary exploration in honour of LGBTQ+ History Month. Visitors are encouraged to offer their feedback on what they want to see in a Reunited Portico, and enjoy a selection of books brought over from the library. Find out more HERE.

Keep a look out for more Portico events in May and June via the website, and find out more about The Portico’s Reunited project HERE.