Storytelling & Moving Image Showcase: A Schools Takeover

Join us at Manchester Central Library for the premiere screening of short films created entirely by students from St Peter's RC High School, as part of the Festival of Libraries 2026.

This showcase celebrates the culmination of an eight-week pilot programme delivered by SNE Studios in partnership with St Peter's RC High School and Manchester City of Literature. Throughout the programme, students worked alongside professional creatives to explore the power of storytelling and narrative voice, get hands-on with cameras and editing software, and transform poems by Manchester writers into original short films exploring themes of place, belonging, and community voice.

The evening features:

• Film Premiere / The finished student films shown to a public audience for the first time
• Awards Ceremony / Celebrating the students' creative achievements
• Panel Discussion / A conversation on the future of storytelling, media literacy, and young people's voices in the creative industries, co-hosted by Baka Bah (Executive Director, SNE Studios) and a student from the programme

This is the proof of concept for a wider vision: an annual moving image and media literacy programme for young people, built on the belief that the next generation of storytellers deserves the tools, the training, and the platform to tell their own stories.

This event is part of Festival of Libraries 2026, which takes place 10 to 14 June across Greater Manchester.

Festival of Libraries is a county-wide celebration of the rich literary history of Greater Manchester, connecting communities across all ten boroughs with events and celebrations happening in local libraries across the region. Whether you are new to libraries or have a well-used library card, you are invited to come along and celebrate your local library and community.

This year's theme is Belonging.

Find out more: manchestercityofliterature.com/event/festival-of-libraries-2026

Check out #FestivalOfLibraries on social media to join the celebrations.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Manchester Central Library, Saint Peter's Square, Manchester, United Kingdom

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