Our Story
Reading the past
The Library is intertwined with Britain’s colonial and industrial past, with its history and collection reflecting the economic, social, and intellectual innovations and inequities of the 19th Century. Our 400 founding members represented a spectrum of viewpoints, from cotton factory owners, who profited from enslaved labour, to abolitionists, and from anti-poverty campaigners to exploitative merchants. Early readers included world-famous authors, future Prime Ministers, and leading scientists, such as atomic theorist John Dalton, writer Elizabeth Gaskell, and English Thesaurus creator Peter Mark Roget. Today, the Portico seeks to acknowledge and interrogate its past by collaborating with Manchester’s diverse communities and creatives. We are undertaking critical reflection and developing restorative programmes in the original rooms in which these histories were discussed, influenced and unfolded. This project will create new, more accessible reading, archive and research spaces that will allow us to engage new generations in Manchester’s history, amplifying those voices often obscured in the Library’s collection and helping to build a more inclusive future.
“We can’t change the past but we can shape the present and create a better future.”
Learning in the present
At the Portico, we believe in the power of using our collection - fiction and non-fiction, old and new - to read be tween the lines, hear the unspoken voices of the past and present, and embed empathy into our learning. Through our public programme of events, exhibitions and workshops we have developed a range of edu cational and artistic activities designed to engage, inspire and connect with visitors of all ages, abilities, and back grounds. Portico Reunited will achieve this vision by creating new, welcoming spaces designed to inspire storytelling, curiosity and collaboration.
“The world is full of wonders - never stop exploring and learning.”
Writing the Future
Acting as a catalyst for northern writing is central to our vision for the future. Since 1985, the Portico has championed and showcased the best of northern writing through our prestigious Portico Prize. The biennial award, dubbed the ‘Booker of the North’, celebrates the best book written about the North and has been won by the likes of Ben Myers, Sarah Hall and Val McDermid.
The Portico Prize works in harmony with the Portico Sadie Massey Awards for young readers and writers aged 7-18 and the Art of the Book Awards. Through these competitions we work with over 62 schools, Pupil Referral Units, and Schools with Special Educational Needs in Manchester’s most deprived areas. Here we offer free workshops on creative writing and reading skills to accompany the development of their sub missions. Portico Reunited will create a new, inclusive home for books and learning – a place where northern writing can be nurtured and show cased for generations to come.
“Grown in Manchester, known around the World”