Welcome to Headingley LitFest 2012
This year our theme is Lingo and we have over thirty events spread across sixteen days - plus one ‘early bird’ event on 2 March.
We have Ian McMillan ‘talking himself home’ on 16 March. Don’t miss this as his rip-roaring poetry shows are legendary.
We are also joined by Ross Raisin, renowned Palestinian singer Reem Kelani, Headingley’s very own Ginnel poet Lucy Newlyn, Sunday Mirror sports reporter Anthony Clavane, the 2011 Not the Booker Priz winner Michael Stewart (who is appearing at Headingley Library) and Paul Adrian winner of the Poetry Society’s National Competition in 2010.
We have workshops about: stand-up comedy, lyric writing, telling life stories (in whatever language), calligraphy and, for young people (7 to 11), telling stories through funny pictures.
There are talks about: the Irish language revival, Yorkshire dialect, experimental languages, like Elvish and Newspeak, and translation.
Poetry features again with poets from in and around Headingley being joined by those from further afield. Often the poets team up with musicians and in one event, we hear about poetry under occupation.
Poetry slams are happening at Lawnswood and City of Leeds schools and stories are being told by children and OWLS at Weetwood primary.
The film Il Postino is being shown at the Cottage Road cinema, Salvo’s is hosting Mik Artistik, Café Lento is hosting an Iberian evening and Mint Café a Lebanese evening. We have drama from Theatre of the Dales and Trio Literati, and Teresa Brayshaw and Friends are sounding out in Heart café.
Following on from their great success last year two WEA creative writing groups are examining the Lingo of Food and as always the people of Headingley are giving generously of their time and talent with the house events and the many other events in which they are involved.
