"I am very happy to be a patron of Huddersfield Literature Festival, where established authors will be able to give a platform for new writers to launch their work to the public. It is so difficult to be a new writer nowadays and yet there has never been more exciting new talent and more interest in books. I am delighted to be associated with this project."
Joanne Harris, author and patron
"Words are the backbone of my life, as an actor. Therefore it is my absolute pleasure to be asked to be a patron for Huddersfield Literature Festival. It's fitting that what has been described as 'the poetry capital of the North', finally has its own literature festival. This emerging and dynamic new festival is dedicated to celebrating the power of words, wherever we may find them.May you enjoy all that the festival has to offer."
Patrick Stewart, actor and Chancellor of the University
Rescheduled Festival Finale!
Sunday 14 June 2009
I am delighted to inform you that the Mark E Smith in conversation event has now been rescheduled. All tickets from the previous event are still valid.
The new date for this event is Sunday 14 June 2009 at 7.30pm, in order to allow for Mark to make a full recovery. The location is the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield which is just over the road from St Paul’s Hall where the event was originally intended to be. It’s a state of the art space with a fully licensed bar. The previous event sold out, but as this is a bigger space, there will be extra tickets available from the box office: 01484 430528. I will arrange for free parking at the university.
I do hope you will be able to make this date – it’s going to be a great evening. If, however you can’t make this date and want a refund, please contact the box office on: 01484 430528.
Thank you once again for your patience and understanding. Hope to see you all there.
Michael Stewart
Festival Director
The 4th Huddersfield Literature Festival 11-15 March 2009
Featuring: Ian McMillan, Lemn Sissay, Joanne Harris, John Cooper Clarke, Mark E Smith
This year’s festival promises to be the biggest and best yet. The festival launch party is in the style of a cheeky cabaret called Doctor Buck’s Burlesque and will feature, comedy, music, poetry, sketches and burlesque dancers, all tied together with the theme of literature past and present.
Other highlights include Ian McMillan and Tony Husband’s Cartoon History of Here:Comedy, cartoonery, poetry & impro. A very funny live-action cartoon of Huddersfield starring its friendly folks, fantastic fortunes, dazzling ambition and tender moments.
The festival finale is a genuine coup for Huddersfield. For over thirty years Mark E Smith has been the front man of The Fall - one of the most exciting and innovative rock groups in England. Mark will be talking about his life, work, writers and writing and his autobiography: Renegade: The Lives and Tales of Mark E Smith, an hilarious comic rant. ‘I hope this book turns out like Mein Kampf for the Hollyoaks generation’ (Mark E Smith). This is a rare chance to meet the living leg end.
Click here to download this year’s brochure (pdf). For the most up-to-date information please refer to the diary of events.
Tickets available from LBT - www.lbt-uk.org/hLF.html OR Tel: Box Office - 01484 430528
Thanks
Michael Stewart, Festival Director
Festival Volunteers
Each year's festival is transformed by the generous support of the festival volunteers. If you'd like to help out with this years festival and enable it to grow, please contact Faye Dowson 01484 473703 or email litfest@hud.ac.uk
Disclaimer: "The views expressed publicly (or privately) by individuals of the Huddersfield Literature Festival team do not necessarily represent the official views of the Huddersfield Literature Festival co-ordinators, patrons, partners, funders nor its steering group.
This website may provide links to other sites. This information is provided as a convenience and does not imply any responsibility, warranty or assurance on the part of Huddersfield Literature Festival, or agreement with any views expressed on such sites."
…A Resounding Success
David Gill, Fay Dowson, Gaia Holmes, our magnificent team of student volunteers and Michael Stewart, Festival Director, are exhausted but still buzzing with excitement at what has been a superb Literature Festival this year. All events were well-attended, many of them full to bursting and we have had fantastic feedback from fest-goers during the festival and since. It is a pity that the festival ended on a low note with Mark E. Smith having to cancel his event due to injury, but there is a silver lining in that the event will be taking place soon, subject to Mark's recovery, which means that the festival is still on-going! Do look out for news of this re-scheduled event as there will be tickets available.
The following are just a few of the comments we've had from audiences across the festival:Song Lyric Writing Workshop
"Stimulating. Enjoyable. Lots of new ideas. More please!"Regional Voices Julia Deakin, Glyn Hughes, Gaia Holmes
"Fantastic. Best reading I've been to in ages - and I go to loads!. Excellent. Inspiring."A Cartoon History Of Here (Ian McMillan and Tony Husband)
"Excellent stuff. Brought the venue alive."The Workshop Of Sensory Delights (Gaia Holmes)
"Exercises really good - I'm going to carry on with them afterwards. I loved the film! Loved the idea of having things to touch and smell - I enjoyed the red jelly cube! Great handout to take home."Poetry Karaoke
"More!! Very enjoyable! Emphatic thanks for all the fun and awards and for a useful lesson in the poetry conga method. Cheers!"Vlad, The Last Confession C.C. Humphreys
"Fantastic! he has opened up a new sphere of literature for me to read. C.C. Humphreys for the win!" "My favourite event ever." (note from the author to his publisher)A Write Character Workshop (Michael Stewart)
"The session enthused me about beginning to write again after a few months of inactivity. Thanks!!"Million Miles An Hour Show (Nick Toczek)
"Absolutely brilliant! Wicked! Loved every second. Entertained all ages."Stream Of Conscious Mess Workshop (Rob Chapman)
"Enjoyed it. Introduced me to new ways of writing."ode to crayola visions
Ode to crayola visions brings together the work of Robert Partridge, Lisa Stansbie, Steve Swindells and students from BA (Hons) Fine Art with Contemporary Writing. The exhibition will explore themes and passages relating to mimesis, narrative, representation and writing within the context of contemporary art. The exhibition will take place in the foyer of St. Pauls and T1 Project Space throughout the Huddersfield Literature Festival.
International Writing Competition
Winners for the Grist Competition were announced on Wednesday 11th March at the official Festival Launch. The winners are as follows:
Poetry Competition
1st - The Birdbath's Saying 'Dive' by Jonathan Asser (£250 plus £150 book tokens)
2nd - The Fishing Trip by Hilary J Murray (£150 plus £100 book tokens)
3rd - Poem for the Love Lane Crow by Gareth Durasow (£100 plus £50 book tokens)
Short Fiction Competition
1st - Indigo Runway by Jess Richards (£250 plus £150 book tokens)
2nd - Martin in a Hole by Brindley Hallam Dennis (£150 plus £100 book tokens)
3rd - Stinky by Ben Cheetham (£100 plus £50 book tokens)
The full shortlist can be found here
Facebook Site
Last Year's Festival Competition Winners!
1st Place: Mark Jervis - The Hooded Men
To read the piece, click HERE
" I allowed myself to be surprised and utterly delighted. I’m my own worst critic and, as an inexperienced writer, to have a story acknowledged and supported in this way has been a tremendous boost to my confidence. It’s the best encouragement and incentive I could possibly have wished for and the obvious enthusiasm and passion for literature shown by everyone involved in the competition is very refreshing".
2nd Place: Sally Baker - Man Leaving
To read the piece, click HERE
'Beast Market' was a great theme, because it could mean so many different things. The photographs were very inspiring, both ordinary and extraordinary at the same time, like the lives of the people in them. The photo I chose to base my poem on had a strong atmosphere - red walls, light streaming in at the foot of the stairs, a shady figure descending. My poem was a response to that image; someone going from one world to another. Pictures and poems have a lot in common, really. They are both glimpses into other worlds at a particular moment, from a particular angle.
3rd Place: Angi Holden - The Market
"I appreciated the opportunity to read my poem and listen to other writers' work. I'm a Creative Writing student at MMU; We regularly share our work and I also read at a regular Chester open-mic poetry evening. Having work recognised by the Creative Writing Competition run by Huddersfield Litfest adds credibility to my writing process.The presentation evening also gave me the opportunity to meet small press publishers, a vital part of a writer's networking.
To read the piece, click HERE
See the photographs that inspired the writing, and find out more about the Beast Market Photography and Writing Exhibition on at The Media Centre.
Runners up: Gareth Durasow, Julie Rose Clarke, AJ Kirby
Gareth Durasow -"I was surprised when my poem was shortlisted. Poetry is a more recently discovered passion and for that reason I’m greatly encouraged by this success. The Huddersfield Literary Festival has provided me with a rewarding opportunity to test the merit of my writing, develop it through feedback and broaden my readership."
To read the piece, click HERE
AJ Kirby -"The story was inspired by Amanda Crowther's photgraph of the bearded old man in the cafe, I was really happy to be invited to the Small Presses, Big Voices event on Saturday night, (where winning entries were announced), and even though I didn't win, it was fantastic to be involved!"
To read the piece, click HERE
