The full line up of stars has been announced for Wolverhampton Literature Festival in the New Year.

The festival returns for its fifth year in February (Friday 12 to Sunday 14) with an outstanding array of authors, poets, writers, storytellers, speakers and performers from across the UK.

It will celebrate the creative communities from the Black Country and further.

Headliners for this year’s festival are journalist and documentary filmmaker Jon Ronson, recounting some of his greatest adventures from across his 30-year career and star of Coronation Street and Dinnerladies, Shobna Gulati, who will be speaking with award-winning artist, Dawinder Bansal, to discuss her newly released book ‘Remember Me’.

There will also be some home-grown talent with Patrick Vernon OBE, who will be sharing a few different approaches and lessons for Wolverhampton on celebrating and recording our collective history. Sathnam Sanghera, author and columnist, will be at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre discussing his latest Book ‘Empireland: How Imperialism has Shaped Modern Britain’ and Jed Mercurio, creator of Line of Duty and Bodyguard, will be discussing his outstanding crime writing career.

Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists will also be involved again as they bring their Fringe Room, Poetry Slam and a Valentine’s workshop to Zoom. Joelle Taylor, award-winning poet, playwright, author and editor, will be telling audiences of her travelling the world with her poetry and giving an insight into her debut book of short stories ‘The Night Alphabet’. As well as Joelle, local poet Kuli Kohli, will be exploring her rise to fame, from her childhood in Wolverhampton, her journey to publication, and recent international coverage of her life story.

There will also be outstanding workshops that will help any writers, poets and performers with takeaway tips and approaches for their creative journey. From character building to poetry writing and performance, including a special masterclass delivered by Nick Bailey, former EastEnders actor and star of stage and screen.

On Saturday, February 13, Wolverhampton will see the Children’s Festival take place. Sohan Kailey returns and will take an amazing musical dance journey, from Wolverhampton around the world. Ben Davis, award-winning author, gives a rundown of his top writing tips and children can get interactive by helping him create a new character.

City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor Stephen Simkins, said: “We are so pleased to be announcing the fifth Literature Festival in Wolverhampton.

“Storytelling, literature, poetry and performance are a vital part of the creative landscape of Wolverhampton and the Black Country, and we are delighted to have a range of events and workshops that celebrate and develop these different artforms. 

“We are also delighted to be working with partners in the city and hopefully seeing socially-distanced audiences, with safety measures in place, in venues such as the Grand Theatre and Newhampton Art Centre, which have had to remain closed during the pandemic.

“Whether you want to listen and enjoy a breadth of writers and poets, or hone your own literary skills, there really is something for everyone.”

Tickets for the festival events will go on pre-sale from Monday, January 4, with general sale opening on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. Register your interest online for early release or for further information visit www.wolvesliteraturefestival.co.uk.

You can also find us on Twitter @WolvesLitFest, Facebook @WolvesLitFest and Instagram #wolveslitfest.

Please be aware events will be delivered according to government regulations and any changes to events will be communicated in advance.