Manchester Small Press Fair

The Manchester Small Press Fair heads to SEESAW for a weekend celebrating the city’s independent publishing scene, bringing together publishers, editors, artists and readers to showcase the creativity and diversity of small press publishing.

Taking place on 3–4 July 2026 at SEESAW on Princess Street, Manchester, the fair is free to attend and offers visitors the chance to explore a wide range of literary fiction, poetry, experimental writing, zines, artist books and hybrid publications. Across both days, audiences can meet the makers behind the books, discover new work, and browse stalls from some of the UK’s most distinctive independent presses.

The weekend opens on Friday evening with a programme of live readings introduced by participating publishers, featuring contributors from presses including Carcanet, Saraband, Comma Press, Fly on the Wall Press, Trident Press, Maddison House Press, Northodox Press, Big Thinking Publishing and Stairwell Books, among others. On Saturday, the fair continues with an informal publisher panel and Q&A session, offering insight into the ideas, processes and motivations behind independent publishing today.

Alongside the stalls and events, visitors can enjoy SEESAW’s café space while browsing work from publishers such as Fly on the Wall Press, known for its politically engaged fiction and poetry; Saraband, an award-winning independent press publishing literary fiction and non-fiction; Comma Press, specialists in short stories and translated fiction; and Carcanet, a long-established poetry and literature publisher. The fair also features artist book and zine makers including Trident Press, ABC Artists Books Cooperative and George Grace Gibson, alongside inclusive and experimental presses such as Big Thinking Publishing, Caterpillar Press, Sweet Tooth and Stairwell Books.

From feminist fiction and northern literary voices to risograph zines, archival experiments and contemporary poetry, the fair reflects the breadth and energy of the UK’s small press landscape, with a strong focus on independent, underrepresented and innovative publishing.

The Manchester Small Press Fair offers an open, welcoming space for readers, writers and publishers to connect, discover new work and celebrate the continued importance of independent publishing in the UK literary scene.