Latest News

After 7 years we are saying goodbye to Laura Beddows this week as she leaves Ilkley to work as Assistant Producer at Hull City of Culture. Laura first joined the Festival in 2009 first as Festival Intern then returned with the Box Office team before becoming Festival Administrator and finally…more

Applications for 2017 Apprentice Poet in Residence are now open. The Festival’s Apprentice Poet in Residence is an opportunity for an exceptional, emerging poet who is based in the Northern region and at the start of their career. As Apprentice Poet in Residence they will shadow this year’s Poet in…more

We are delighted to announce that the 2017 Ilkley Literature Festival writing competitions are now open for entries. The Poetry and Short Story competitions are open to anyone aged over 18 and entries can be on any subject. The judges for the competitions include author of The Watchmaker of Filligree…more

We are now taking applications for the 2017 Ilkley Literature Festival Fringe. Groups or individuals from, or with strong links to, the Yorkshire Region are invited to submit an application to present a Fringe Event at the Festival in 2017. Writers, poets and live literature performers of all kinds including…more

Ilkley Literature Festival is offering a spring treat of three special events designed to inspire, provoke and engage audiences who just can’t wait until October. The Spring Series starts on Wednesday 19 April with screenwriter Sally Wainwright talking about her work and her love of the Brontës, former Chair of…more

We are delighted to announce that McCarthy and Stone are joining us as a headline sponsor! McCarthy and Stone are the UK’s leading builders of retirement properties and are currently building an exclusive, dual retirement development in the town. Festival Director, Rachel Feldberg said, ‘We are very excited to be…more

We have some inspiring, provocative and engaging speakers lined up, including screenwriter Sally Wainwright discussing her career and recent Brontë drama, To Walk Invisible with Ann Dinsdale, Principle Currator of the Brontë Society. Full details of the Spring Series will be announced on Thursday 23 February! Photo c. Michael Prince…more

Zodwa Nyoni tells us more about how she found a connection with Charlotte. I’m standing in the dining room looking down at the small table where Charlotte, Emily and Anne sat around and wrote together. My desk is situated on the top floor of my house. It is away from…more

2016 has been an amazing and busy year for Ilkley Literature Festival, we held over 275 events for over 28,800 people including the October Festival, Words in the City and our year round work with children and young people. In February we launched Bradford Young Writers and the group is…more

With over 230 events in 17 days Ilkley Literature Festival 2016 was a whirlwind of authors, poets, politicians, historians, scientists and of lots fun! As well as all our staff, we would like to thank our amazing team of volunteers, the wonderful authors, writers, poets and performers that took part…more