Latest News

Would you like to work at Ilkley Literature Festival – the North’s biggest and most exciting literature festival? We are currrently looking for a Head of Finance and Adminstration to join our friendly, enthusiastic staff team. Closing date for applications: Monday 20 June. Click here for more information on these…more

Applications for 2016 Apprentice Poet in Residence are now open. The Festival’s Apprentice Poet in Residence is an opportunity for an exceptional, emerging poet who is based in the Northern region and at the start of their career. As Apprentice Poet in Residence they will shadow this year’s Poet in…more

We are delighted to announce that Andrew McMillan will be returning to Ilkley Literature Festival as our 2016 Poet in Residence. Andrew, who was Apprentice Poet in Residence in 2010, recently became the first poet to win the Guardian First Book Award for his collection, Physical which was also shortlisted…more

We are now taking applications for the 2016 Ilkley Literature Festival Fringe. Groups or individuals from, or with strong links to, the Yorkshire Region are invited to submit an application to present a Fringe Event at the Festival in 2016. Writers, poets and live literature performers of all kinds including…more

Congratulations to friends Eva and Ella, aged 10 from Rawdon St Peter’s Primary School, who won the 2015 Design a Book Cover Competition. The Competition is run by the Grammar School at Leeds as part of our Children’s Festival and received some brilliant and creative entries. Eva and Ellie, who…more

1st Bernadette Hughes A Different Place 2nd Clare Fisher Whoever You Are, You Are Not Juliet 3rd Sally Jubb Between the Trees Highly Commended Linda Fulton A Pram Fit for Purpose Frances Gapper In Need Of Melanie Whipman Each Side of the Water Virginia Ledlowe Undine Patricia Duncker’s Judgement: What…more

1st John Foggin Short back and sides 2nd Jacqueline P. Haskell Cora 3rd Ian Royce Chamberlain A Handful of Water Highly Commended Sharon Black Thirty Seventh View of Mt. Fuji Philip Dunn Reginald Joseph Mitchell Cathy Galvin Rough Translation Blake Morrison’s Judgement: The poems on this year’s shortlist not only demonstrate…more

As a pre-Christmas treat you can watch Ilkley Young Writers performing with Chapel FM’s Associate Writers at Friday Night Live on Friday 11 December. Following two joint workshops Ilkley Young Writers and the Associate Writers will perform Hidden, a collaboration between the two groups exploring hidden objects, hidden feelings, hidden…more

With the help of the Audience Agency, we have developed a survey to help us learn more about our audience, why you come to the Festival, how best to communicate with you and how we can make the Festival better. Even if you have already filled out a questionnaire at…more

Due to a family emergency tonight’s event with Dom Joly has been cancelled. We apologise for any disappointment or inconvenience. The Box Office will contact ticket holders to arrange refunds.