Writers' Festival returns to Leeds Trinity University

Professor Hardwick with Chancellor Debbie McAndrew who is also a playwright

Source: Leeds Trinity University

Aspiring writers, poets and creative minds will collaborate with professional writers, attend writing workshops and listen to readings from featured poets and novelists at Leeds Trinity University's annual Writers' Festival taking place this month.

Now in its 16th year, the Writers' Festival will return to the University on Tuesday 17 March 2020, welcoming attendees from across the region.

Children's author, primary teacher and Leeds Trinity Creative Writing alumna Jane Browne will deliver a workshop on climate fiction, which will explore how to create a future imagined world through the lens of the current climate emergency.

Jane's published children's trilogy, The Earth Chronicles, raises awareness of climate change through the adventures of 13-year-old Hannah, who is tasked with saving her family as well as Gaia, the mother of all nature, whose demise would destroy worlds and all of humanity with it. The final instalment of the trilogy, Hollow's End, will be published in Autumn 2020.

Jane said: "We must face the fact that we may not ever tackle climate change, but we are and will continue to have to learn to live with it and the consequences of our actions. Literature so often reflects a truth back at us, so we see life how it really is with all its imperfections, beauties and intricacies.

"Stories heighten our emotions and spark imagination, and my workshop at the Writers' Festival will explore how we can channel those emotions and use our imagination and creativity to chart a new path through this man-made catastrophe we face."

More than 100 aspiring and established writers are expected to attend the event, along with many award-winning workshop facilitators including: Leeds Trinity Creative Writing alumni Jane Browne and Gill Lambert, John Irving Clarke, Dr Jo Clement, Mark Conners, Char March, Tim Murgatroyd and Hannah Stone.

Professor Oz Hardwick, award-winning poet and Principal Lecturer in English at Leeds Trinity University, said: "The Writers' Festival is a major event in the creative life of the university, but it also means a lot to many writers in the area who have no other connection to us. What never ceases to amaze me is that, even after all these years, I still come away from the day buzzing with different ideas myself.

"This is largely down to the excellent workshop leaders and being amongst so many people who are all focused on their writing - it's like breathing in an atmosphere of creativity! It's a very special day, and a great opportunity to stir up the creative juices."

Tickets for the Writers' Festival cost £15 per person, and it is free for Leeds Trinity staff, students and alumni. For more information about the Writers' Festival and to purchase tickets, please visit the events page: www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/events/annual-writers-festival-2020.php