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In 2026 - the UK’s National Year of Reading - it is worth asking not how many books we consume, but what kind of reading culture we are choosing to sustain.
York Literature Festival offers an alternative to the noise. It resists the idea of literature as spectacle or lifestyle branding, and instead treats reading as a civic practice: slow, collective, and rooted in place. Across more than 40 events, its about to bring writers, readers, students and scholars into conversation - not to perform certainty, but to think together.
This is a festival unafraid of difficulty. Its programme moves through folk horror and feminism, political legacy and digital culture, crime fiction and poetry - recognising literature as a way of grappling with power, fear, memory and desire. The expanded Hauntology weekend, the prominence of debut authors, and the space given to workshops and student work all point to a belief in writing as something made, contested and shared - not passively consumed.
At a time when attention is increasingly monetised and cultural life drawn towards a handful of metropolitan centres, York Literature Festival insists on the value of gathering locally. It affirms that reading is not an escape from the world, but a means of understanding it - and, occasionally, of changing it.
In the National Year of Reading, the festival stands as a reminder that books still matter not because they are new, viral or profitable, but because they help us practice attentiveness, empathy and collective thought. Reading, here, is not a hobby. It is a form of care.
This year's Festival, which returns on 28 February with a rich and thoughtfully curated programme, bringing best-selling authors, emerging voices and expansive conversations to readers of all ages.
Now entering its third year, the festival continues to balance literary heritage with contemporary concerns, offering more than 40 events across the city. At its heart is a commitment to York’s writing community - with opportunities to engage with local authors, performers and groups, and to take part in workshops designed to nurture creative practice.
A central feature of this year’s programme is the return of Hauntology, now expanded into a dedicated weekend exploring Folk Horror and the Urban Wyrd. Introduced by Professor Robert Edgar and Dr Wayne Johnson of York St John University, the weekend brings together acclaimed writers including Ramsey Campbell, Lucy Rose, Andrew Michael Hurley, Amy Jane Stewart and Lucie McKnight Hardy. Audiences are also invited to join Lowen Frampton Thornburn and The York Society of Hauntologists for a discussion of Robert Aickman’s The Hospice. Run in partnership with the Hauntology and Spectrality Research Group, the weekend promises to be one of the festival’s most atmospheric highlights.
Among the festival’s headline conversations is Rónán Hession, whose debut novel Leonard and Hungry Paul (2019) was shortlisted for the British Book Awards and adapted into a BBC television series in 2025. Hession will appear in conversation with contemporary women’s fiction writer Colette Snowden, discussing writing, adaptation and his most recent novel, Ghost Mountain.
Laura Bates, Sunday Times best-selling author and founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, joins the festival to discuss her latest book, The New Age of Sexism: How the AI Revolution is Reinventing Misogyny. Known for her clear-eyed analysis of misogyny in both intimate and digital spaces, Bates brings urgent attention to how emerging technologies risk embedding new forms of inequality. This event includes a content warning for emotionally challenging material.
Spoken-word poet Isabella Dorta returns to York to mark the launch of her new book I Don’t Think I’m Straight. With a large online following and a deeply personal performance style, Dorta’s work - dedicated to “every woman I have ever loved, and to those I was afraid to” - celebrates queer love, vulnerability and self-discovery.
Music and literature meet with Mark Webber, guitarist with Pulp, who discusses his 2025 memoir I’m With Pulp, Are You?. Spanning forty years of the band’s history, the book traces Webber’s journey from devoted fan to band member, offering an insider’s view of the music industry and a lifetime shaped by passion, collaboration and pop culture.
Fantasy writer Susanna Clarke appears in conversation with Rob O’Connor, Chair of York Literature Festival, reflecting on writing, genre and her celebrated body of work. From Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (2004) to Piranesi (2020) and her most recent publication The Wood at Midwinter (2024), Clarke’s writing has received international acclaim. Her appearance also marks her ongoing connection to York, following her honorary Doctor of Letters from York St John University.
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Jasper Fforde, author of the Thursday Next series, delivers an evening for readers and aspiring writers, sharing insights into his creative life and offering advice on sustaining a writing career.
Crime fiction takes centre stage as Elly Griffiths launches The Killing Time, the latest novel featuring Detective Ali Dawson. Set partly in Victorian London and framed by the historic Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, the event promises an atmospheric evening of mystery and time travel.
Scarlett Thomas joins Creative Writing Professor Vybarr Cregan-Reid to discuss The Sleepwalkers, a modern gothic novel told through diaries and letters. Gritty, unsettling and intimate, the book explores secrecy, relationships and fractured truths.
The festival also shines a light on debut voices, with events featuring Nikitha Bakshani (Ghost Chilli), Lucy Andrew (A Very Vexing Murder), Stu Hennigan (Keshed) and Manish Chauhan (Belgrave Road), each offering distinct perspectives on identity, masculinity, love and belonging.
Students from York St John University’s Creative Writing undergraduate programme will host their annual showcase and launch the latest edition of Beyond the Walls, celebrating creative work by students and staff.
Non-fiction highlights include Tim Minshall, Professor at the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing, discussing Your Life is Manufactured and the impact of industry on everyday life and the natural world, and a political conversation between Alan Johnson and Steve Richards exploring Labour leadership through the legacies of Wilson, Blair and Starmer.
At The Crescent, Guardian video games editor Keza MacDonald discusses her first full-length book Super Nintendo: Why Do We Game?, examining gaming culture through the history of Nintendo.
Poetry remains central to the festival, with the third annual International Women’s Day Poetry Showcase, curated by local poet Chloe Hanks, alongside workshops and performances celebrating women’s voices. Family-friendly events include children’s author Liz Flanagan and poet Olivia Mulligan, who leads a playful poetry workshop for all ages.
With more than 40 events across genres and generations, York Literature Festival 2026 is set to offer a generous and expansive celebration of reading, writing and shared cultural life.
For more information:
Contact Chloe Hanks or Julia Edgar at programming@yorkliteraturefestival.co.uk
Full programme HERE
Tickets:
York Theatre Royal Box Office - 01904 623568
boxoffice@yorktheatreroyal.co.uk
or via yorkliteraturefestival.co.uk
