Arts Derbyshire

28.09.2026

Derby Book Festival newsletter: Our Autumn Edition events are now on sale!

From Pompeii to Pop!

We have 28 entertaining, informative and inspiring events in a range of venues, including QUAD, Derby Theatre, St Peter’s Church, Derby Market Hall, Museum of Making and libraries.  We also have our Book and Craft Market on Saturday 7 November in Derby Market Hall, FREE CivicLab events and an exciting children and families’ programme.

Festival Programme
This year’s Festival cover design is by Ailija Davidaviciute, who has recently graduated from the University of Derby with a BA in Illustration. Ailija was also the winner of last year’s Flash Fiction Illustration competition and her work was used on our Festival bookmarks.

Pick up a copy of the Festival programme, which are now available from our Festival venues and will be in city and county libraries later this week and other public spaces around the area.

Digital Pass and Recordings
We are offering a Digital Pass which includes four recorded events.  This will cost £22.  The recordings will be available after the Festival finishes and you can watch them for up to six weeks. You can also buy individual recordings of these four events, which each cost 50% of the in-person ticket price, apart from Fergal Keane’s event, which costs £10 (which is 50% of the in-person ticket minus the booking fee).

You can only buy the Digital Pass and individual recordings online from the Festival website not from QUAD.

How to book
You can book all tickets for all events online* and also:

  • for events at QUAD: in person for the events they are hosting but please note that the box office is only open from Thursday to Sunday so please check their website for opening times
  • for events at Derby Theatre: in person at their box office or by telephone (01332 593939)
  • for events at other venues: Museum of Making, St Peter’s Church and Chapel Street Arts Centre, you must book online through the Festival’s website
  • *for events in libraries: contact the individual library to book.
Booking online
To buy tickets online, you will need to log into your DBF account.  If you don’t have an account,  please use this link which will take you to a simple form.

On this page you will just need to enter:
•            your name
•            email address
•            a password and then click the ‘Register’ button. Your account is then created.

If you have forgotten your account password, it is very easy to reset it.

As with previous years, to purchase tickets for events taking place at QUAD and at Derby Theatre, you will need to log into your account ith them once you have clicked the booking link on our website.

Tickets and proof of bookings
For events held at QUAD and Derby Theatre, you will be able to print off an e-ticket or collect tickets in person.

For all other events, which you have to book through the Festival’s website, print your email confirmation which you can use as your ticket at all other venues.   We will also have a guest list at these events of all ticket holders.

If you have any problems booking tickets, email:
hello@derbybookfestival.co.uk
and we will help you.

Children’s Book Appeal
Following the success of previous Book Appeals, we are organising another Children’s Book Appeal to coincide with the Autumn Edition.  Since we began the Book Appeal in 2023, over 22,000 books have been donated and subsequently distributed to organisations in Derby, including schools, to pass on to children.  Throughout the Autumn Edition people are invited to donate gently used, pre-loved books suitable for primary school children. You can drop books off at Festival venues when you visit.  Partners who are providing drop-off points for books include Marketing Derby’s City Lab in the Market Hall, Derbion, Moorways Sports Centre, Wathalls and QUAD.

We are inviting schools to register for books and aim to distribute them to city schools before the Christmas holiday.

Check our website for details of drop off points as more may be added before the Festival.

We look forward to seeing you at our next Festival:

Book and Craft Market, Saturday 7 November

Autumn Edition: 12 – 15 November

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