Durham Book Festival 5-13 October

With full details of the Festival that starts today:

The latest news from New Writing North Poetry and Performance at Durham Book Festival We have an exciting range of poets and performers appearing at Durham Book Festival this year. Our Festival Laureate is rising star Raymond Antrobus, who recently won both the Rathbone Folio Prize and the Ted Hughes for his poetry. We also have an appearance from much-loved poet and broadcaster, Roger McGough, once dubbed ‘the patron saint of poetry’ by Carol Ann Duffy.  Look out for specially commissioned poems by Jasmine Simms which will be painted around Durham by her collaborator Lily Arnold during the festival.  We’ve several family-friendly performances at the festival, including an immersive space inspired piece: The Infinite Cold, a Spectacular Drag Story Time and the return of our ever-popular story-gig, which this year is based around our Little Read, Perfectly Norman.  We hope you find something that appeals!  Durham Book Festival team The Infinite Cold: Anna Clarkson Saturday 5 October, 10.30–12.15pm, Gala Studio Relax in the Gala Studio and enjoy a family friendly immersive theatre experience. Specially commissioned by Durham Book Festival, and created by Anna Clarkson and Jennifer Hardy, The Infinite Cold takes you on a journey of imagination through the...read more Damian Le Bas and Joanne Clement: The Traveller Road to Holy Island Saturday 5 October, 6–7pm, Palace Green Library Damian Le Bas is a journalist, poet and the award-winning author of The Stopping Places: A Journey through Gypsy Britain. This year we’ve commissioned him to walk through Northumberland and County Durham exploring how more than 500 years of ethnic Romany presence...read more Blokes, Fellas, Geezers Written and performed by Jake Jarratt Saturday 5 October, 8–9pm, Gala Studio This one-man show explores a Northern lad’s story about inheriting working-class masculinity. Somewhere in rural North East England Jake is discovering what kind of person he wants to become. Jake’s Fatha always told him that as a bloke “If someone...read more Spectacular Drag Storytime Sunday 6th Oct, 10.30–12pm, Gala Theatre Studio Welcome to drag storytime, where every story is fabulous! Forget traditional tales and enter a place where storybook adventures break the norms and imagination is unlimited. Join Ben at their grandparents’ house for a storytime like no other…read more Mim Skinner, Sinéad Morrissey and Avril Joy: Writing from the Inside Sunday 6 October, 12.30–1.30pm, Palace Green Library Join three acclaimed writers as they discuss their experiences working creatively inside the justice system. Mim Skinner was an art teacher in a women’s prison in the North East. Her new...read more Sarah Watson: Zones Sunday 6 October, 2–4pm, Gala Studio Zones is a semi-autobiographical play by Gateshead writer Sarah Watson that asks us to understand the roots of homelessness, trauma and addiction. Using science fiction and fantasy, the play follows the lives of a brother and sister who return to their childhood and ask...read more James Clarke, Will Harris and Ingrid Persaud: Independent Alliance Proof Party Sunday 6 October, 6.30–7.30pm, Palace Green Library James Clarke’s, Hollow in the Land is written in the tradition of Jon McGregor and Sarah Hall and illuminates issues such as class, poverty and regional decline. Will Harris is a rising star in contemporary poetry, who reflects on race, culture and identity in his first full-length collection, Rendang...read more An Evening with Roger McGough Monday 7 October, 7–8.30pm, Gala Theatre We’re delighted to welcome Roger McGough back to Durham, as he presents his brand new collection, joinedupwriting. The collection ranges from poems about forgotten friendships and the idiosyncrasies of family life to the trauma of war and contemporary politics. These poems explore...read more The Gordon Burn Prize Thursday 10 October, 8–10.30pm, Durham Town Hall Join us for an evening of literature and music at the 2019 Gordon Burn Prize ceremony, as we showcase the six shortlisted books and announce this year’s winner. Including a special musical  performance by acclaimed folk group, The Unthanks. The Gordon Burn Prize celebrates...read more The Shining Levels: Music Inspired by the Gallows Pole  Friday 11 October, 7–8pm, Old Cinema Launderette The Old Cinema Laundrette presents an evening celebrating the writing of Durham-born author Benjamin Myers. North East folk collective, The Shining Levels, will play music inspired by The Gallows Pole, Myers’ novel about the Cragg Vale Coiners, which won the 2018 Walter Scott Prize. Benjamin Myers will also sign copies...read more Phoebe Power and Katrina Porteous: People’s Landscape on the Durham Coast Saturday 12 October, 11am–12pm, St Chad’s College Chapel The beautiful Durham Coastline between Seaham and Horden was once home to one of the biggest coal mines in Europe and suffered some of the worst pollution in the world. The landscape was transformed by a massive clean-up project twenty years ago. In partnership with the National Trust, we are supporting poets Phoebe Power and Katrina Porteous to...read more The Little Read: Perfectly Norman Saturday 12 October, 11am-12pm, Gala Theatre The Little Read returns to Durham Book Festival with the uplifting storybook Perfectly Norman, written and illustrated by Tom Percival. This exciting project for children and families will see us distribute 500 free copies of the book to every primary school in County Durham, along with teachers’ resources. We will also be working...read more Republic of Consciousness: The Best of Small Presses Saturday 12 October, 12.30–1.30pm, St Chad’s College Chapel The Republic of Consciousness Prize rewards small independent presses who publish challenging and experimental work and recognise that a book is a collaborative process. This panel will shed light on the way writers and publishers work together to create a book. In this special event, Carcanet Publisher Michael Schmidt and poet and Anglican priest Rachel Mann will discuss...read more Jasmine Simms and Marcus Hammerschmitt: Tübingen Exchange Saturday 12 October, 2.30–3.30pm, Durham Town Hall This event celebrates the 50th anniversary of the twinning of Tübingen in Germany and Durham City, bringing together two writers to reflect on each other’s cultures and to share the work they created inspired by their experiences. Marcus Hammerschmitt is a German author, journalist and photographer. His work ranges from essays to young adult fiction and poetry. Durham Book Festival commissioned him to...read more Festival Laureate: Raymond Antrobus Saturday 12 October, 4-5pm, St Chad’s College Chapel This year’s festival laureate is the phenomenal poet, Raymond Antrobus, whose debut collection The Perseverance won the 2019 Ted Hughes Award and the Rathbone Folio Prize for best work of literature in any genre. As part of his laureateship, Raymond will present a newly commissioned poem at the festival, as well as visiting local secondary schools and taking part in a special event for...read more New Writing North PO Box 1277, Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 5BP Tel: 0191 204 8850 office@newwritingnorth.com     Like     Tweet     Share     Forward