The Second Bradford Literature Festival Ready To Wow Audiences

Thursday, 19 May 2016 13:23

Bradford Literature Festival gets under way tomorrow and following the success of last year’s inaugural event promises to be something really special attracting visitors into the city as well as engage with enthused residents.

The Festival celebrates the written and spoken word and showcases the intimate relationship between words and art forms such as film, theatre and music, set against the city’s distinctive backdrop. With over 200 events featuring world renowned speakers, artists and authors, Bradford is the place to be from the 20th to the 29th of May.

For 2016, the organisers have created something very special for all guests and visitors, the Bradford Literature Festival Hub, the go-to point for everything you need to know about the festival; a great place to bump into your favourite authors and poets, catch up with friends, see movies on the Bradford Big Screen and be part of the magic going on in the heart of the city.

The Hub takes over City Park for 10 days, from Friday 20 May, in time for the Superhero themed opening weekend alongside some waterborne fun with a pirate ship floating on the Mirror Pool, and culminating with Harry Potter inspired events during the closing weekend.

The Bradford Literature Festival team is led by self-confessed book worm Syima Aslam (right) and filmophile Irna Qureshi (left), who decided to combine their passions to create a cultural and literary extravaganza celebrating the written and spoken word. They are both passionate about the importance of language and literacy, and the role it plays in enabling children and young people to realise their potential. An understanding of the English language is crucial to the understanding of every other subject in the curriculum, and the inability to effectively use and deploy language is a key reason for under attainment. However, an understanding and appreciation of language cannot come from school alone, it has to come from a love of the language in all its forms. The aim of the festival is to help take literacy out of the classroom, by inspiring parents and children, through innovative festival and outreach programmes.

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