Manchester has been awarded City of Literature status and joins 27 such cities around the world who are part of UNESCO\u2019s worldwide Creative Cities network.<\/p>\n
The successful application was pushed forward by Manchester City Council, the Manchester Literature Festival and the city\u2019s Universities. Others destinations in UNESCO\u2019s network include Milan, Seattle and Melbourne.<\/p>\n
Manchester is home to the UK\u2019s first public lending library and gave the world work from world-class publishers and writers including Elizabeth Gaskell, Anthony Burgess and Carcanet.<\/p>\n
The City of Literature status is awarded based on the city\u2019s dedication to pursuing excellence in literature. Encouraging the creation and sharing of stories in the dynamic culture of word, the literary-acclaimed cities will work together to promote new national and international literary links.<\/p>\n
In celebration of the award, a programme of cultural events and community writing projects will be developed to continue Manchester\u2019s literary heritage. Plans for the programme include a libraries festival and the establishment of new writers\u2019 hub. The hub will not only support budding writers, it is intended to initiate support \/ promote new writing in translation, words and music, as well as the work of Manchester residents.<\/p>\n
It is well deserved too, with two of the country\u2019s most highly regarded writing schools being based in Manchester; the University of Manchester\u2019s Centre for New Writing and the Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University. The most popular and innovative Literature Festival in the UK also takes place in the city.<\/p>\n
Dr Jess Edwards, Head of Department of English at Manchester Metropolitan University said: \u201cI\u2019m actually part of the core group which made the successful bid for Manchester to become a UNESCO City of Literature. The core group includes MMU, University of Manchester, Manchester Literature Festival and the City Council, and I represent MMU.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me the City of Literature designation reflects Manchester\u2019s literary heritage and perhaps more importantly the strength and vibrancy of writing in the city right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thousands of people attend Manchester\u2019s thriving literature scene with book launches, open mic nights, live author book readings, performances and literacy groups to keep literature fanatics entertained.<\/p>\n
Short story author Lara Williams who studied, and now lives and works, in Manchester said: \u201cIt\u2019s exceptionally exciting and validating that Manchester has gained City of Literature status; it feels very special to be part of such an esteemed global network and I’m looking forward to seeing how this informs and, I hope, diversifies the writing coming out of the city.\u201d<\/p>\n
Manchester is a city for readers and writers. With this award life for creative people within the city can only get better.<\/p>\n
Dr Jess Edwards added: \u201cOur bid to UNESCO described a city where there are fifty individual live literature events taking place regularly, an outstanding of network of independent and public libraries, and the biggest community of student creative writers outside London.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecoming part of the global UNESCO Creative Cities network will give us the opportunity to build on those strengths, giving more support and recognition to Manchester writers and writing organisations, and developing links with Cities of Literature elsewhere, from Krakow to Baghdad.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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