Stanza Stones, an imaginative collaboration between Simon Armitage and Ilkley Literature Festival, is part of imove, a Cultural Olympiad programme in Yorkshire.

Limited edition, numbered and signed by Simon Armitage, with a foreword by the author.

The chance to perform your own work: poetry, prose, or stand-up. But you’ve only got three minutes to convince your audience and win £200 and the coveted Open Mic title; 2nd prize £75; 3rd prize £25. A great night for the audience too – come along and bring your friends.

Phone 01943 816714 or email admin@ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk by Sept 30 for a chance to perform.

Playwright and novelist, John Spurling, takes up the challenge set by composer Franz Liszt: ‘My biography is more to be invented than written after the fact.’ Spurling reads from his novel, A Book of Liszts, which tells the amazing story of a remarkable, romantic, and musical genius while pianist, Richard Kenwood Herriott, begins and ends the programme with performances of Liszt’s music.

Phil Sheppard’s hilarious poems, stories and live cartoon drawings. Family event. Age 5–95.

Tim Harford lays out his thought- provoking, entertaining arguments against top-down design. He debunks our obsession with a ‘command-and-control’ approach to economic policy and social planning and suggests instead we explore trial and error (and error in particular!) as a way forward.

Sponsored by Garbutt & Elliott

Hilary Spurling, one of the UK’s most distinguished biographers, rediscovers American writer and civil rights campaigner, Pearl Buck, the first person to make China accessible to the West. Growing up in imperial China, Buck witnessed the first stirrings of Chinese revolution.

In this much awaited, second volume of her memoirs, prize-winning author Janice Galloway casts her extraordinary gaze on the morals and ambitions of one small town on Clydeside, revealing how the awkward child introduced in her dazzling This is Not About Me evolved through the teenage years.

What warms you best after a frosty walk? The author of the hugely successful How to Drink suggests celebratory and warming drinks for the season of chill and parties, from spiced apple juice to hot buttered rum. Victoria Moore, Britain’s brightest young wine critic introduces some exciting Christmas tipples with tastes and seasonal nibbles provided by The Wheatley Arms.

Drop in for a cup of tea with members of the Festival Team any time between 3.30–4.30pm upstairs in the Winter Gardens to let us know your thoughts on this year’s Festival. Brickbats, praise and ideas for next year all very welcome – PLUS put your name in the hat for guaranteed free tickets to next year’s headline event!