Brontë Festival of Women's Writing

Friday 14 – Sunday 16 March

Join us for the fourth Brontë Festival of Women’s Writing at the home of the Brontës. An exciting range of events will take place throughout the weekend, including talks, workshops, readings and family events. There’s something for everyone!

To book tickets or for further information contact louisa.briggs@bronte.org.uk / 01535 640188 or book online at www.bronte.org.uk/whats-on

Friday 14 March

Jackie Kay

West Lane Baptist Centre, Haworth, 7.30pm

Join the 2013 Brontë Society Writer in Residence, Jackie Kay as she opens the fourth Bronte Festival of Women’s Writing. Jackie Kay grew up in Glasgow and has written all her life, publishing novels, poetry and short stories. Several of her adult poetry collections have won or have been shortlisted for awards. Her first novel Trumpet won the Author’s Club First Novel Award and the Guardian Fiction Prize. Red Dust Road won the Scottish Book of the Year award and was picked as a World Book Night title.

Tickets: £6

To book tickets contact louisa.briggs@bronte.org.uk / 01535 640188 or book online at www.bronte.org.uk/whats-on

Saturday 15 March

Festival Fun at the Parsonage!

Brontë Parsonage Museum, 10am-4pm

Visit the Brontë Parsonage Museum for some festival family fun. Follow clues to a literary trail around the village or play a giant game of Wuthering Heights poetry on the front lawn.

Free with admission to the Parsonage.

Saturday 15 March

Louise Crosby: Creative Writing Workshop West Lane Baptist Centre, Haworth, 10am-1pm With the recent growth in popularity of graphic novels and memoirs this workshop provides a simple introduction to working with words and pictures together.  Participants will create their own short graphic memoir inspired by a Brontë poem.  This may form the basis for a future graphic short story, visual diary or even the start of your own graphic novel!

The course is suitable for writers and artists of all abilities.

Tickets: £12

To book tickets contact louisa.briggs@bronte.org.uk / 01535 640188 or book online at www.bronte.org.uk/whats-on

Saturday 15 March

Readings by Ilkely and Calderdale Young Writers

Bronte Parsonage Museum, 12pm

Hear Ilkley and Calderdale Young Writers in the rooms of the Parsonage as they read their own poems inspired by the Brontës and the museum’s collection.

Free with admission to the Parsonage.

Saturday 15 March

Jackie Kay: Creative Writing Workshop

West Lane Baptist Centre, Haworth 2-5pm

A rare opportunity to join award-winning poet, novelist and short story writer Jackie Kay in this creative writing workshop inspired by her 2013 Brontë Writer’s Residency.

Tickets: £15. Booking essential.

To book tickets contact louisa.briggs@bronte.org.uk / 01535 640188 or book online at www.bronte.org.uk/whats-on

Saturday 15 March

Sarah Dunant: Blood and Beauty

West Lane Baptist Centre, Haworth, 7.30pm

Internationally bestselling writer Sarah Dunant visits Haworth to discuss her latest novel, Blood and Beauty, which takes on the Italian Renaissance’s most infamous family: the Borgias. Sarah Dunant is famous for her Italian historical novels: The Birth of Venus, In the Company of the Courtesan and Sacred Hearts, which have been translated into more than thirty languages and bring voice to the lives of three different women in three different historical contexts. She has worked widely in television, radio and print, has written ten novels and edited two collections of essays.

Tickets £6

To book tickets contact louisa.briggs@bronte.org.uk / 01535 640188 or book online at www.bronte.org.uk/whats-on

Sunday 16 March

Drop-in Creative Writing

Bronte Parsonage Museum, 11-4

As part of our Festival of Women's Writing, visit the Parsonage for a drop-in creative writing session. Create your own piece of writing inspired by the Brontës and the museum collection.

Free with admission to the Parsonage

Sunday 16 March

Rebecca Stirrup: Creative Writing Workshop

Brontë Parsonage Museum, 10.30am-1.30pm

Gothic fantasy is that wonderful combination of horror, folklore, fairytale and myth.  Monsters may exist in these worlds, but often it is the humans that are monstrous.  There is a potency to gothic fantasy that, in our attempts to tame the beasts, is often lost today.  Vampires should not be considered good boyfriend material, werewolves are not our friends (at least not during the full moon), and while our heroes strive for goodness they do so at a cost.  This workshop will explore gothic fantasy through excerpts and through writing exercises.  You will develop ideas for your own gothic fantasies, and generate and develop the motifs and symbols of the genre in your writing. 

For everyone from the budding to the experienced writer.

Tickets: £12

To book tickets contact louisa.briggs@bronte.org.uk / 01535 640188 or book online at www.bronte.org.uk/whats-on