Birmingham Book Festival

What? The Birmingham Book Festival was established in 1999. It is a project of the West Midlands’ literature development agency, Writing West Midlands. The festival was set up to encourage the city of Birmingham to engage with words in many distinct forms. It has evolved into a literature-focused arts organisation which recognises the value of participatory activity, inspirational thinking and creative writing. It continues to pioneer unusual and innovative arts/literature experiences which connect the West Midlands with the communities in its midst and those beyond, both nationally and internationally.

Each year in October the Festival welcomes novelists, speakers, poets, journalists, storytellers, dramatists and others from around the UK to participate in a rich and diverse programme of events, workshops, seminars, debates and discussions on a myriad of subjects that have included Politics, Fairtrade, Genetics, Digitalisation of the arts, the writing industries and craft, Religion, Liberty, Clouds, Denial, and The Smiths.

The Festival also runs year round events: book launches, workshops, writer networking events and a smaller Spring Festival.

Whilst Birmingham is not easily identified as a literary city, and is very different from the towns and cities that host some of the UK’s commercially successful literary festivals. The Birmingham Book Festival doesn’t compete with these festivals: it wants to be different.

Who? 2011 Programme

When is it? 6 – 16 October 2011 Main Festival: October Spring Festival: April. Events Per Year: 40-60

Where? Birmingham City Centre, West Midlands- Exact venues TBC in August

How much? £5 - £8 events £23-30 workshops

Festival Website: www.birminghambookfestival.org | www.writingwestmidlands.org

Telephone for Enquiries? 0121 246 2792

Festival Phiilosophy? "We offer creative use of limited resources and imaginative programming to reflect the diversity of our audiences and the urban landscape that we occupy. We work with, rather than against, the complex environment the city and the region presents. We want to hear everybody’s voice. While we do utilise the typical literature event model, we also like to challenge it, by creating events where the ordinary, intelligent, inquisitive reader is the focus."

It is our experience that the opportunity for discussion and argument – as well as reading, writing and thinking – is an arts experience that is especially important to the people of the West Midlands. It is this that, along with a desire to support the growing professional writing sector in the region, informs the spirit of our yearly programme.

Creative Talent? Sara Beadle- Director, Jonathan Davidson- Associate Director, Joanne Penn- Administrative Assistant

Previous festivals: The Birmingham Book Festival was founded in 1999 and has run throughout the month of October every year since then. Now in its 11th year we also run one off events throughout the year such as our first ever Spring Festival ‘The Spring Thing’ in May 2010.

Past authors? Lionel Shriver, Jackie Kay (left) , Catherine O'Flynn, John O'Farrell, David Nicholls and Jonathan Coe, Fatima Bhutto Jörg Albrecht, Philip Barclay, David Shukman

We apprecicate you insights into literary festivals that you might have attended or are hoping to get too, or your views on award winning books.