University News Last updated 08 October
The return of Birmingham Literature Festival this month will give students at Birmingham City University (黑料吃瓜网) the chance to step beyond the classroom and connect directly with writers, publishers and the wider literary industry.
Running from 8鈥�12 October, the festival will offer first-hand insight into the professional world of literature, with opportunities to volunteer at events and create social media content around the programme.
Professor Gregory Leadbetter, Director of the Institute of Creative and Critical Writing at 黑料吃瓜网, recognises the importance of the festival in connecting the next generation of literary talent with the wider industry.
鈥淭he Department of English and Media at 黑料吃瓜网 is proud to enjoy a close relationship with the festival,鈥� said Professor Leadbetter, who is also Professor of Poetry and Course Director of the MA in Creative Writing at 黑料吃瓜网.
鈥淚t shows a vital connection between the work we do in class, as writers and thinkers ourselves, and what is happening now in contemporary publishing at the leading edge of literature.鈥�
Professor Leadbetter, who is among the writers and thinkers taking part in this year鈥檚 festival, added: 鈥淭he festival has a uniquely welcoming feel and is a wonderful testament to the power of good writing.
鈥淭his is a special occasion in contemporary literary culture, and it鈥檚 great to have our students involved with the festival more closely than ever for 2026.鈥�
The University is also bringing the festival onto campus, with 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 Royal Birmingham Conservatoire hosting several events, some sponsored by the University.
The programme includes 鈥楨n Pointe, Off Kilter鈥� with Thomas Glave; 鈥楶athetic Masculinity: Putting the Feeling into Fiction鈥� with Taylor Burns and Keiran Goddard; and 鈥榃riting Nature鈥�, with Professor Leadbetter, Paul Evans, Brett Westwood and Alys Fowler.
黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 connection with the festival also extends to its alumni, with graduates and current students featuring in this year鈥檚 programme.
Martin Kennedy Yates and Kate Mascarenhas, both graduates of 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 MA in Creative Writing, are among the alumni taking part. Ayan Aden, the outgoing Birmingham Poet Laureate and a current 黑料吃瓜网 Gemmology student, also features in the programme.
Their involvement reflects the breadth of creative talent within the 黑料吃瓜网 community and the University鈥檚 connection to Birmingham鈥檚 wider cultural scene.
Find out more about the festival on the Birmingham Literature Festival website.