Patrons of the Festival
Patrick Stewart

"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."

Sir Patrick Stewart, actor and Chancellor of the University

Lemn Sissay - Photo Credit Dominique Brewster

"It’s an honour to be a Patron of The Huddersfield Literature Festival. Huddersfield is a shining beacon on the map of literature in Britain and a part of GPS: Global Poetry System. Before CNN, before Sky and the BBC it is our writers and poets that we depended on to explore and share the infinitesimal and vast inner and outer world. If you have never been to a reading before make this your first time. And if you have, welcome back to a week packed with events. Change your Climate."

Lemn Sissay, poet. (Photo Credit:Dominique Brewster)

Did you attend this year's festival? Click the link below and tell us your thoughts....

Online Questionnaire

Michael Stewart

Michael Stewart, Festival Director

Huddersfield Lit Fest Documentary 2009!

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 ring 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.
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2010 Festival Competition

The Huddersfield Literature Festival is proud to announce this year's winners:

Winners of the ‘Less is More’ short story competition:-

1st – CHLOE by Jenny Oliver
2nd – EARTH: A REVIEW by Stephen Maxwell
3RD – SOMETIMES I THINK THAT IF I START CRYING THEN I AINT GONNA STOP by Mark Ellis

Winners of the ‘Less is More’ short poetry competition:

1st -  3AM PHONE CALL by Jacky Tarleton
2nd- PRESCENCE by Julia Deakin
3rd- TRAMPS by Rosie Blagg

Full shortlist for the Festival Competition

The aim of this year's event was to write a story in fewer than 1,000 words or a poem with 10 lines or less.

The best entries will also be published in the next Grist Anthology

The competition is now closed.

Congratulations to all who took part in the Huddersfield Literature Festival Album In A Day project.

We wrote, composed, performed and recorded an album, never mind in a day - in six hours! The following are the songs performed at the showcase:

"Keep Your Chin Up"(lyrics Dave Griffiths, music Dave Gill)
"I Don't Mind" (music and lyrics Hayley Gaftarnick)
"This Is A Letter" (lyrics Jenny Goodman, music Freya Robinson)
"Yesterday's Family" (lyrics Rachel Kerr, music Alistair McIlroy)
"Lost and Found" (lyrics Barbara Schiff, music Alice Nicholls)
"The Photograph" (lyrics Cath Everett, music Jason Smith)
"Life In A Foreign Language" (lyrics Dorothea Smartt, music Alex Kyle)
"hand of god" (lyrics David Spencer, music Martin Bond and Martin Wickham)
"Dear Anna" (lyrics John Avison, music Nicky Phillips)
"Little House of Books and Wool" (lyrics Dawn Rodgers, music Benson J. Walker)

A remarkable day and a fantastic atmosphere at the showcase in Sleepers Jazz Bar. Thanks to everyone involved.

Mother's Day School Poetry Competition Winners

Beech School:

1st Leah Taylor
2nd Millie
3rd Jamie-Leigh McDonald

Lepton C of E School:

1st Megan Parnell
2nd Daniel Wright
3rd Rudy von Dort

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