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Liverpool Central Library was transformed into a vibrant performance space on Saturday 24 January 2026, as the city officially launched its Year of Reading with a day-long celebration of poetry, movement, storytelling, and social history.

The open event brought together an eclectic mix of live performances, interactive stalls, and community-led campaigns, creating an atmosphere that felt both playful and purposeful. At its heart was a shared belief in the power of reading—not just as a solitary act, but as something lived, spoken, danced, and felt.

The Circle Reading Journal is perfect for recording your reading throughout the Year of Reading, with guided sections for reviews, favourite quotes, and in-depth notes.

Poetry, Homesickness, and Finding Your Voice

Across the afternoon, audiences were treated to performances exploring what it means to live away from home for the first time. Spoken word pieces touched on homesickness, identity, and the emotional dislocation of leaving familiar places, striking a chord with students, newcomers to the city, and long-time Liverpool residents alike.

This was complemented by an array of stalls supporting literacy initiatives, including a growing campaign to establish a dedicated Poetry Library in Liverpool—a proposal that felt particularly fitting given the city’s deep-rooted spoken word culture.

The Mersey Beat poets helped define Liverpool’s poetry scene in the 1960s, and The Mersey Sound: Restored 50th Anniversary Edition remains essential reading for anyone connected to Liverpool’s literary culture.

Joseph Steals the Show

The event closed on a high note with a standout performance from spoken word poet Joseph, who more than lived up to his reputation. With sharp humour and unmistakable Scouse warmth, he delivered pieces celebrating Liverpool dialect, local identity, and the way language shapes how we see ourselves.

His work paid affectionate tribute to Scouse culture, proving that poetry grounded in place can be both deeply personal and universally resonant. It was an electrifying finale that left the audience wanting more.

Curious about Scouse dialect? Learn Yerself Scouse offers a brilliant starting point.

Flash Mobs and Unexpected Moments

Throughout the day, visitors were caught off guard by pre-arranged flash mob dancers, including performers from Liverpool City College. These surprise interventions challenged the stereotype of reading as something quiet or passive, turning the library into a space of movement and joyful disruption.

Interested in taking part in a flash mob but short on time? Dance Essentials Training lets you learn the moves online, at your own pace.

History, Healing, and Storytelling

Adding a powerful historical layer to the programme, speakers from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine shared research connected to former prisoners of war returning from South East Asia. Their talk explored long-term medical treatments for infections and hearing loss, as well as early work around what we now recognise as PTSD, decades before it was formally acknowledged.

Visual references to the Bridge over the River Kwai and its bamboo scaffolding offered a striking glimpse into the lived realities behind historical narratives, highlighting how research, memory, and storytelling intertwine.

A Fitting Start to the Year of Reading

From poetry and dance to medical history and social reflection, the Year of Reading launch showcased Liverpool at its most creative and curious. It was a reminder that reading extends far beyond the page—it lives in voices, bodies, archives, and shared experience.

If this opening event is anything to go by, Liverpool’s Year of Reading promises to be anything but quiet.

For visitors to Liverpool seeking a more authentic Liverpool experience, this walking tour explores the city’s story with an expert local guide.

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