The Welcome Roadshow – Manchester Central Library
23 Oct 2023
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- Date
- 23 Oct 2023
- Venue
- Manchester Central Library, St Peter's Square, M2 5PD
- Tickets
- Free, pre booking available. Drop-ins welcome on the day
Age Guideline: 5-13 years. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult aged 18+
Running time: 90 minutes per workshop
Accessibility features available for this event: Wheelchair Access
Get ready Greater Manchester! The Welcome Roadshow is coming to your area this October half term, bringing the magic of dance, circus skills and craft workshops.
Ever pictured yourself in a circus? Learning to dance like the professionals? Or getting creative with household waste?
We visited all 10 boroughs in Greater Manchester, offering free workshops at local libraries and community centres.
The Welcome Roadshow wasn't just about honing your dance, circus and craft skills; it was about connecting with your community and finding out more about The Welcome, a nine-day extravaganza coming to Aviva Studios this autumn.
Our talented facilitators introduced participants to the magical worlds of dance, circus and craft.
Workshops
Participants took part in a Free Flow workshop with Company Chameleon to explore the elements of qi gong – fire, water, earth, metal and wood – through creative dance and movement.
Join the Circus taught participants to perform skills in a non-competitive, inclusive environment, led by Skylight Circus Arts and Circus Sensible.
What is The Welcome?
The Welcome is a series of events celebrating the opening of Aviva Studios, curated by the Factory Assembly. Representing a cross-section of the people of Greater Manchester, we’re calling the shots with a programme that brings together the best in circus, street culture, music, food, art and more.
This is your chance to be part of The Welcome Roadshow, ask us questions in person and explore some of the themes of the The Welcome – right before the main event takes off in a few weeks!
Access information
Here you can find out about different access features and performances and advice on content. For more information about the different types of access performances we offer, please visit access performance information. If you have specific access needs that aren’t yet addressed, please email access@factoryinternational.org prior to the event and we’ll do our best to help.
The event takes place in Manchester Central Library. The full address of the venue is Manchester Central Library, St Peter's Square, Manchester, M2 5PD and what3words is puts.toned.lucky.
Manchester Central Library is housed in a round-shaped building with a domed roof and pillars around the outside. It is located in St.Peter’s Square and opposite St Peter’s Square Metrolink tram stop.
Alongside book lending services, the library houses a special jungle themed children’s section. There is also a café, a media centre, a unique black history collection (at the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre) and the largest public music library in the country.
There are comfy seats and access to free Wi-Fi, computers and online resources.
The Welcome Roadshow takes place in Manchester Central Library. The event will be set up with open space for different workshop activities with standing and seated options available.
Manchester Central Library has level and ramped access with automatic doors at ground level and lifts which provides access to each floor. All exhibition areas, meeting rooms and public spaces are fully wheelchair accessible, and there are accessible toilets on every floor with a changing place on the lower ground floor.
The Welcome Roadshow starts at 10.30am and runs until 4.30pm.
Participants are welcome to arrive 15min before the workshops.
10.30am – 12.00pm: ‘Free Flow’ a dance workshop delivered by Company Chameleon
12.00pm – 1.00pm: Lunch
1.00pm – 2.30pm: ‘Join the Circus’ a circus skills workshop delivered by Skylight Circus Arts
3.00pm – 4.30pm: ‘Balete Spacecraft’ a creative craft workshop using household waste led by Factory International
Accessible toilets are available at Manchester Central Library. They are located on each floor of the library, all have step free access, handrails and are wide enough for users with wheelchairs.
Travel information
Below you can find information on how to get to the venue/event.
Our closest stations are:
St Peter’s Square tram: 177 ft from Manchester Central Library
Manchester Oxford Road station: 0.3 miles
Deansgate station: 0.5 miles
Manchester Piccadilly station: 0.7 miles
Manchester Victoria station: 0.8 miles
The Central Library is a 10 minute walk away from Manchester Oxford Road station, or can be reached easily from either Piccadilly or Victoria stations by taking the Metrolink tram to St Peter’s Square. You can also take a free Metroshuttle bus from both stations which stop near the Library.
All platforms at the Metrolink and railway stations have step-free access to the platforms.
Free bus services stop at all city-centre stations, and near to Manchester Central Library along Portland Street and Charlotte Street. Buses on these free routes are wheelchair accessible. For full details of the free bus routes, please visit the TfGM website.
Follow signs to the city centre. Car parking is available at NCP car parks on Chepstow Street, Faulkner Street, Sackville Street, Manchester Central and the Great Northern – all are approximately 5 – 10 minutes walk from the library. The nearest disabled parking is on Central Street right behind the Library, Princess Street or Fountain Street, approximately 100 metres away.
For a list of other parking bays available in the area, visit Manchester City Council website.
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