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Derby’s Literature Festival runs every two years. But what’s it all about?

Derby’s Festival of Words is happens in October every two years. Events celebrating writing in all its forms run over the course of ten days, although in the past it has been up to a month of events!

The festival offers the chance to explore many varieties and styles of writing through a range of events at venues across the city. It aims to:

• showcase the range and quality of ongoing work in Derby including Flying Donkeys storytelling, Derby City Poets, many other writing groups and of course individual writers within the city
• promote literature and encourage people to get involved by bringing a range of high quality writing events to Derby. These events cover many subjects and forms of writing.
• support the development of local writers, performers and arts workers
• engender the inclusion of non-traditional literature audiences and encourage a wider range of people to take part, including young people and culturally diverse audiences
  

The Festival is an excellent chance to raise the profile of the work that is going on as well as draw figures from the national literature scene to Derby. Past visitors include Jackie Kay, Ian McMillan, John Harvey and Preethi Nair, among many other established writers.

It also enables larger scale events to run than would be possible in the year-round program. This gives artists and arts organisations the chance to work together, including cross artform collaborations. Past events have enabled partnerships with with Derby Dance, The Voicebox, Assembly Rooms, Metro Cinema, Q-Arts, Derby University and Derby Museum and Art Gallery.

Overall the Festival is an exciting opportunity for people to get involved in literature, to take in some high quality performances and to sample different styles of writing in a wide variety of locations.

Derby’s Festival of Words 2007 takes placed from the 11th-20th October 2007.

Contact: Derby’s Literature Development Officer on 01332 715434.