By Sophie Dickinson, Sabeehah Saleq and Kellie Smith
SYP Oxford Anything but Editorial: Comms, Events and PR Panel
23 June, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Join the Oxford branch of the Society of Young Publishers in a new online event as part of their 'Anything but Editorial' series, focusing on communications, events and PR in the publishing industry. Speakers will include Lily Orgil, Publicist at New Frontier Publishing, comms-expert Frederica Trogu, Penguin Random House and Charlie Bush, an Oxford-based bookseller. This event will take place over Zoom, and tickets are available here.
Power Hour Live: Adrienne Herbert in Conversation with AJ Odudu
23 June, 7:30 p.m.
Fans of the popular Power Hour podcast will not want to miss this. Join Adrienne Herbert, Power Hour podcast host and author, for this exclusive live podcast. This is the first time that Adrienne herself will be in the hot seat, interviewed by none other than TV presenter AJ Odudu. You’ll even get the chance to put forward your own questions! There will also be an opportunity to purchase a discounted signed copy of Power Hour as part of your ticket. Don’t miss out, tickets here.
OKHA , The Queer + Black Book Club
26 June, 4:30–7:00 p.m.
OKHA is a book club which aims to create a space for queer and Black communities to come together to discuss literature, plays and poetry by African, Caribbean and Afro-Latinx authors. In order to bring the work of these marginalised communities to the forefront, each book club session focuses on an exhibition led by a queer and Black artist. The sessions also include other thought-provoking components such as panel discussions, film/documentary screenings and author Q&A’s. This month’s read is Feeling Myself by Natalie Lee. If you’d like to join this community and be part of these ever-important conversations, sign up here.
Write On! Open Mic: Loud & Queer - Pride at Waterstones Bristol
1 July, 7:00 p.m.
Celebrate Pride month and join this fantastic event where you can submit your own poetry and enter the open mic night competition, which will be printed and displayed in Waterstones Bristol if you win. All entries and formats are welcomed, but the competition is for poetry only. For more information and ticket registration, click here.
Festival of Arts, Science & Ideas 2022
2–3 July
Newnham College Cambridge is hosting the Festival of Arts, Science & Ideas, featuring a wide range of literary speakers across the weekend. Saturday sees Margaret Drabble in conversation with Jean Gooder, alongside writers packing the festival Book Tent, including Jenn Ashworth discussing her new novel, Ghosted. Sunday in the Book Tent promises more authors, with a specific focus on women's fiction. Tickets are available here.
Notes on Heartbreak with Annie Lord
7 July, 6:00–7:15 p.m.
Join Vogue columnist Annie Lord at Waterstones, Cambridge as she discusses Notes on Heartbreak. This novel is a dark, fierce love story told in reverse, starting with a messy breakup. It details the best and worst of love, the beautiful and the messy. Tickets available here.
The Mixed Race Experience, Book Launch and Talk
15 July, 6:30–8:00 p.m.
Join Naomi and Natalie of Everyday Racism at Prior Shop, Bristol to celebrate the launch of their new book The Mixed Race Experience. Conversation will focus on living between different cultures, growing up mixed race in Britain and their journey running one of the largest anti-racism platforms on social media in the United Kingdom. This event is free, but donations are welcome. Tickets are available here.
Bradford Literature Festival
24 June to 3 July This summer, visit the North of England's largest book festival to explore words and discover worlds.
BLF is a major cultural event in the United Kingdom and the country's most dynamic festival, which you will not want to miss. The festival takes place every year for ten days at the end of June and the beginning of July, with around 500 events extending from the city's centre to the district's outskirts, attracting approximately 70,000 visitors. Meet authors, poets, speakers, musicians and artists from Bradford, the United Kingdom, and worldwide.
BLF attracts a more socio-economically varied audience than any other literature festival in the United Kingdom, thanks to low ticket pricing overall (a standard priced ticket costs as little as £7).
To find out more, subscribe to the BLF mailing list and to buy tickets, click here.
Buxton International Festival
7–24 July
Recognised internationally as one of the United Kingdom’s leading arts festivals, this three week festival in Buxton, Derbyshire promises many events of literary interest. Including conversations with Booker Prize winner Damon Galgut and many other authors across the month, this is a great festival with lots of bookish opportunities. Tickets are available here.