Ilkley Literature Festival upcoming events

Here is the latest news on the Ilkley Literature Festival:

Registered Charity No: 501801

 

Latest News from Ilkley Literature Festival   2014 is going to be a busy and exciting year for the Festival team. At the start of February we launch our new Saturday morning groups for children, Story Explorers and Story Wizards.  We'll be running another of our popular Young People's Club Nights in February.  Find out what happened in our focus groups in November. Make a note of the dates for our first Poetry in the City weekend. Plus there are some great literature related events in Ilkley that you might be interested in!

 

Thank you   Friends, volunteers and regular Festival attenders joined us in November for a series of focus groups, to tell us what made the Festival special for them and to help us plan new ways of attracting donations and support.   You told us that you loved:   - the variety and breadth of the programme - being surprised and inspired by quirky smaller events - enjoying the intimate and friendly atmosphere - the buzz which the Festival brings to Ilkley   We were astonished to find that many people had no idea that the Festival was a registered charity!   You told us that you would like more opportunities in the rest of the year to come together around a love of books.   Our thanks to all who participated, for the valuable ideas and insights they have contributed. We hope that in the coming weeks and months you will recognise many of your suggestions as we start to put them into practice!

 

Hearts Club Night for age 12 to 17   We are looking for young bands, singer songwriters, comedians and performers to take part in our Hearts Club Night coming up on Friday 14 February at Otley Courthouse.   There will be prizes for the best performances on the night – one will be decided by a guest judge and the other will be voted for by the audience so it is well worth taking part!   Please tell any interested young people to email: info@ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk to book a performance slot.    Find out more.

 

Poetry in the City   We can now confirm that our first Poetry in the City weekend will take place in Bradford from Friday 20 to Sunday 22 June 2014.   We'll be bringing a wealth of leading poets to town and we've just welcomed two freelance staff to the team to coordinate the event.   You may remember Glenis Burgess from the Stanza Stones project, where she was Project Manager. And we're delighted to be working with Jane Bradley, editor of For Books' Sake, again. Jane first worked with us as a young graduate in 2006, when she coordinated the Fringe Festival.   We have partnered up with the World Curry Festival for this innovative poetry feast, which will be based in City Park in central Bradford. Make sure you don't miss it!

 

Events in Ilkley you might like...   Don't forget to catch the literature inspired films at Ilkley's first film festival. We're looking forward to the film adaptation of Booker Prize-winning 'The Sea' and of course Ilkley classic 'A Private Function'. Visit the Ilkley Film Festival website.   And don't miss Forward prize shortlisted poet Rebecca Goss who will be visiting the Grove Bookshop and reading from her collection, Her Birth, on Thursday 20 February.  Contact the Grove Bookshop for tickets.

 

Put the 2014 Festival dates in your diary! Friday 3 - Sunday 19 October 2014   More than 250 events across 20 venues, over 17 days! For further information go to www.ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk