Brontë Festival of Women's Writing - Reminder

A press release from the Brontë Parsonage Museum:

'Brontë Festival of Women's Writing' at the Brontë Parsonage Museum

31 August - 2 September 2012

The Brontë Parsonage Museum is preparing for its third Brontë Festival of Women’s Writing which will take place in Haworth from Friday 31 August to Sunday 2 September 2012. Festival events will include the ultimate showdown between Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters, as well as a busy programme of readings, talks, workshops and family events dedicated to celebrating and showcasing women’s writing.

On the evening of Saturday 1 September, writers Helen Simpson, Tiffany Murray and Claire Harman will debate whether Jane Austen or the Brontës have had the greatest influence on contemporary fiction, and the audience will be invited to join in the lively debate! Novelist Sadie Jones will be in conversation with writer and poet James Nash about her work and latest novel The Uninvited Guests, on the evening of Friday 31 August. An exhibition of new poetry by Zoe Brigley and Hebden Bridge-based poet Amanda Dalton, inspired by their previous residencies at the Brontë Parsonage Museum, will go on display in the period rooms of the Parsonage for the weekend, and Amanda Dalton will be reading from her Brontë poems as part of the festival. There will also be a variety of creative writing workshops taking place to enable emerging writers to develop their own creative skills, and a series of events for museum visitors and families. The full programme details are included below.

The first Brontë Festival of Women’s Writing was held in September 2010 and was supported by the poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy. The festival is funded by Arts Council England and the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and takes place as part of the Brontë Parsonage Museum’s contemporary arts programme.

“The Brontës were pioneering women writers, so it’s fitting that the museum should explore their legacy and showcase the work of both high profile and emerging women writers working today. The festival is going from strength to strength and we hope that people will come along and join us, either to listen to our great line up of speakers, or to try their own hand at creative writing.”(Jenna Holmes, Arts Officer, Brontë Parsonage Museum.)

Events will take place at various locations in Haworth, and tickets can be booked from the museum: jenna.holmes@bronte.org.uk / 01535 640188. Events can be booked individually.

Check the Full Programme here.

EDIT: The Telegraph & Argus publishes the press release.