York Centre for Writing launches at York Literature Festival

The evening will be a celebration of York writing showcased in York St John University’s Temple hall between 7:30-9:30pm where the Centre for Writing team will be in the spotlight with a selection of readings from authors and lecturers.

The Centre for Writing is already well-established with a wealth of events, projects and publications.  The Beyond the Walls anthology compiles creative student work in poetry and prose; it also provides a valuable experience for students on the employability module who help to curate the content ready for publication by Valley Press. 

Publications also include York Literary Review, a journal of new fiction, essays, poetry and reviews from both established and new writers. 

Some of York’s Centre for Writing projects include Terra Two, a digital archive of critical and creative responses to science fiction, and The Pollination Project which compiles multi-disciplinary responses to the ‘Save the Bees’ environmental campaign.  Partnered with York Literature Festival, the Centre for Writing also collaborates with local arts organisations on a number of interdisciplinary creative projects.  

Following the Centre for Writing launch there will be an informal interview by York St John University tutor and Literature Festival Director Rob O’Connor with York-based writer Fiona Mozley.  This will be an exciting opportunity to hear the MAN Booker nominee discuss her debut novel Elmet and will continue the celebration of York writing which is central to the launch.  The York Literature Festival programme will run for just under two weeks and will include talks by Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, the UK’s first Muslim cabinet minister, and Dr Lucy Worsley, broadcaster, writer and Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces.

York St John University's official launch for the Centre for Writing will be a wonderful opportunity for staff, students and members of the public to celebrate local writing and literature.