Birmingham Literature Festival

Home
United Kingdom
Birmingham
Birmingham Literature Festival

Birmingham Literature Festival: Celebrating writers, books and ideas since 1999. This year’s festival will take place from the 8th-12th October 2026.

The Birmingham Literaure Festival is an annual festival of literature events, workshops, seminars, discussion and debate that takes place in October. The Birmingham Literature Festival is a project of Writing West Midlands, the literature development agency for the West Midlands. For more information about Writing West Midlands please visit the website www.writingwestmidlands.org

04/09/2026

Is it ever really possible to separate the art from the artist? And should we really ‘cancel’ works of art and their makers for the troubling and tumultuous details of their lives?

In her provocative new book Depraved, philosopher of art Daisy Dixon turns her gaze on some of the most revered (and contentious) works of art to ask whether the questionable deeds of the artist can really transfer onto the canvas, page, or screen. And is it still possible to find light in the darkest corners of our collective souls?

Join us on Saturday 10th October, 11 AM to see Daisy in conversation with Birmingham-based author and psychologist, Kate Mascarenhas.

02/09/2026

From live performance poetry to the inauguration of the new Birmingham Poets Laureate – we have a huge amount for poetry lovers at this year’s festival.

We’re delighted to be hosting a whole day of wonderful poetry events run by VERVE, a mix of poetry workshops, and an evening with acclaimed poet Liz Berry in the beautifully atmospheric Birmingham Cathedral, and more.

01/09/2026

George Michael: musician, icon and writer of arguably one of the greatest love songs of the 20th century. But alongside the magic of the music, his life led him through one of the most turbulent periods of recent British history.

In his expansive and joyful new book Tonight the Music Seems So Loud, bestselling journalist and broadcaster Sathnam Sanghera returns to the Birmingham Literature Festival to guide us beyond the unmistakable beat of the 80’s dancefloor into the life and times of this most bold and beloved artist.

A story of radical invention, sexuality and songs we can still sing every lyric from… Join us on Friday 9th October, 8:30 PM at The Rep, Birmingham to see Sathnam in conversation with journalist and broadcaster, Pete Paphides.

28/08/2026

Meaningful conversations, the exchange of ideas and making new connections - all reasons to love Birmingham Literature Festival. Come along to hear from your favourite authors, connect with fellow readers and discover new titles!

26/08/2026

Are you an experienced writer looking to take your work to the next level?

Or perhaps you have always wanted to write, but never had the chance to start?

This October we're offering workshops and events for writers at all stages of their journey.

There are a range of workshops where you can participate in fun, creative writing exercises in an encouraging environment. If you write poetry and would like the chance to share it with others, come along to one of the Verve open mic poetry events.

We're also offering a free, writer-focused event featuring award-winning writer Liam Brown who will share the secrets of getting published and building a sustainable creative career.

25/08/2026

Suburban England: a respectable enclave for the upwardly mobile replete with pebble-dashed walls, tightly cultivated lawns and two-point-four children; a place where heterosexuality is the ‘obviously’ dominant mode. But as social historian John Grindrod demonstrates, the real story of life behind the net curtains has always been one teeming with colour and q***r narrative.

Drawing on extensive archive material and insightful oral history, Tales of the Suburbs colours an entire palette of LGBTQ+ suburban life and culture, centring the stories – along with the challenges and hard-earned joys – of those who have lived and loved in these curious, sometimes closeted, spaces.

Join us at The Rep, Birmingham on Thursday 8th October, 6:30 PM to see the author in conversation with Chair of Birmingham LGBT, Dr Steve Ball.

21/08/2026

Historically, the concept of Flamboyance may perhaps have encouraged misguided visions of the in-yer-face, the out-there, the over-the-top: a term often deployed to denigrate, above and beyond its uses to celebrate. But from its origins in art history to its symbolic representation and adoption in protest, the concept of flamboyance has played a huge role in crafting our cultural, social and political histories.

Writer Jack Parlett takes us behind these multiple meanings, representations and associations to examine flamboyance’s fundamental role in human existence, drawing on an eclectic array of works from Gothic architecture to the music of Elton John. It is also a deeply personal coming-of-age story: of learning to understand oneself better and burning brightly at the same time...

Join us on Saturday 10th October at 7 PM to see Jack in conversation with Birmingham-based writer and journalist, Philip Ellis at The Rep, Birmingham.

19/08/2026

Discover events that explore love in many forms, examine identity and self-expression, and consider the politics of taking up space at Birmingham Literature Festival 2026.

18/08/2026

In July 2025, only two-weeks after the Back to the Beginning concert at Villa Park saw him say farewell to a stadium full of adoring fans – and with thousands viewing his final performance online – Birmingham’s beloved son, Black Sabbath frontman and pioneering metal artist, Ozzy Osbourne passed away: a beautiful death, accompanied by a unique outpouring of local, national and international grief.

In his new book The Beautiful Death of Ozzy Osbourne, cultural theorist and acclaimed metal writer Keith Kahn-Harris reveals not only the story of Ozzy’s own complicated life – his roots in working-class Aston, his long struggle with substance abuse, and his infamous, quasi-mythical on-and-off stage exploits, (yes, including that one with the bat!) – but also how much we can learn about our own lives from the sound and culture Ozzy undoubtedly – perhaps unwittingly – pioneered.

Join us on Saturday 10th October, 4:30 PM to see Keith in conversation with founder of the Birmingham Music Archive, Jez Collins at The Rep Birmingham.

14/08/2026

The British Isles: a landscape rich in history; of mythology, symbols and age-old custom. But what if there’s another tale to tell about the times we have already lived through? And what about the times we are living through now?

In Finding Albion, writer, broadcaster and DJ Zakia Sewell journeys across our mystical map, following the hidden songlines of Britain’s deep past, to sites of spiritual significance, carnivals of communion and along long forgotten trade routes in search of a national identity beyond the divisive stories we often share about ourselves.

Join us on Saturday 10th October, 2:30 PM to see Zakia in conversation with historian and Professor of Colonialism and Heritage at the University of Leicester, Corinne Fowler. Taking place at The Rep, Birmingham.

Address

Gibb Street
Birmingham
B94AT

Telephone

0121 246 2770

Website

http://www.birminghamliteraturefestival.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Birmingham Literature Festival posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Establishment

Send a message to Birmingham Literature Festival:

Want your establishment to be the top-listed Arts & Entertainment in Birmingham?