Gladfest 2019

Welcome to the SEVENTH year of Gladfest!

At Gladfest we bring together the most exciting contemporary writing from all over the country, and this year is no exception with history, poetry, art, memoir, nature writing, spirituality and fiction of all kinds.

THIS YEAR award-winning novelists Patrick Gale and Salley Vickers return with their new books, while Sarah Perry, Michael Nobbs and Oliver Emanuel run new and exclusive masterclasses. The literary world is buzzing with news of Damian Barr's first novel and it'll be right here with us, and the buzz continues with Kit de Waal, Alix Nathan, and Suzette A. Hill, who'll all be talking about their latest books.

As always, it's not just fiction! Melanie Reid, Damian Le Bas and Dan Richards share their journeys and some of the UK's most creative minds will be showcasing their research: Joe Moran on shyness and creativity, Danny Dorling on Brexit, Charlotte Higgins on labyrinths, Rachel Hewitt on women in the mountains. And we remember William Gladstone with our 19th Century strand - Deborah Wynne on Victorian recycling, Claire O'Callaghan on Emily Bronte and Simon Grennan on comics.

Plus there are spiritual reflections with Pádraig Ó Tuama and Zia Chaudhry, life reflections with actor Neil Pearson and a look to the future of local with Tamara Harvey and Charlie Gladstone.

The Gladfest Fringe will be packed full of free music, spoken-word poetry, family entertainment and refreshments. Plus, we've got a drop-in programme of crafting activities for young people and those young at heart. Come and try a bit of Gladfest for free!

See you in September!

With love from the Gladfest team

#Gladfest19