British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful, crime novelist Ian Rankin and legendary actress Sheila Hancock are some of the first big names announced to be taking part in this year’s Manchester Literature Festival.
Now in its 17th year, the festival features a wide roster of live literature, culture, poetry and spoken word from across the globe - all hosted within some of Greater Manchester’s most iconic and atmospheric venues.
Manchester Literature Festival will run from October 7 to 23, with a number of headline events announced ahead of a full programme reveal.
READ MORE: World's largest Banksy exhibition comes to Manchester this autumn
The first day of the festival will feature BAFTA award-winning Welsh screenwriter Ruth Jones, who is most known for her work on BBC’s Gavin & Stacey, in conversation with journalist Julia Wheeler.
The October 7 event, held at HOME, will see Ruth talk about writing, creating and playing strong characters, friendship and female solidarity and her forthcoming novel Love Untold.
Manchester Literature Festival Patron and former Women’s Prize for Fiction winner Kamila Shamsie will unveil her new novel Best of Friends at an event hosted by BBC News broadcaster Razia Iqbal at the Martin Harris Centre on October 8.
British actor and writer Sheila Hancock will appear at Royal Northern College of Music on October 9 with Alex Clark to discuss her extraordinary career, her time spent in the North West, her new memoir Old Rage, and her commitment to activism and championing working class creatives.
‘King of Scottish crime’ Ian Rankin will talk to poet and former Makar of Scotland Jackie Kay about creating characters and his latest thriller A Heart Full of Headstones at the Royal Northern College of Music on October 12.
Edward Enninful, the first Black editor-in-chief at British Vogue will discuss fashion, beauty, identity, leadership, visibility, race and culture with award-winning author Bernardine Evaristo. During the event at the RNCM Theatre on October 23, Edward will also discuss his memoir A Visible Man.
Writer Maggie O’Farrell, who won the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2020, will discuss her latest novel The Marriage Portrait with award-winning writer Kamila Shamsie at an event at HOME on November 24.
Further events will be revealed as part of the festival’s full line-up announcement on August 24.
Tickets to the announced events are on sale now via the Manchester Literature Festival website.
Get the latest What's On news - from food and drink to music and nightlife - straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter.
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT:
