Chapter & Verse Literature Festival

The first Chapter & Verse Literature Festival at the Bluecoat
9 – 19 October 2008

Tariq Ali…Jan Morris… Linda Grant… Lemn Sissay… Francesca Beard…Ronan Bennett… Jim Crace… Martín Espada… Helen Walsh… Sadie Jones… Erwin James … & many more

The Bluecoat in Liverpool is delighted to announce its first major literary festival. The new annual Chapter & Verse Literature Festival for Merseyside will feature will feature an exciting range of contemporary writers and performers from Merseyside and beyond. The Festival includes over 45 events and activities for lovers of words and the curious alike - from readings, book signings, talks, discussions, to performances and workshops - all under the Bluecoat’s historic roof.

The inaugural event has attracted writers from all over the UK and Ireland as well as the USA, Somalia, Serbia, Bulgaria and many other points around the world.

The Chapter & Verse Literature Festival launches on National Poetry Day, 9 October, with a special visual celebration, live on the Big Screen in Clayton Square. Acclaimed poet Lemn Sissay will explore the influence of the Mersey Beat poets before a unique joint reading from Liverpool poet Paul Farley and Pulitzer-shortlisted Martín Espada. Don’t forget to visit the Bluecoat’s poetry-themed café where even the waiters want to talk verse.

The Festival’s poetry programme continues with performance poetry from Sissay, Selena Godden and arguably the UK’s leading artist, Francesca Beard, plus Liverpool’s own hugely popular poetry collectives Mercy and Heart Beats and many more.

Prose highlights from the ten day Festival include legendary travel writer Jan Morris discussing her life’s work in the lecture Travel Writing and the Imagination. There’s an invaluable opportunity to examine writing for film and television with leading scriptwriter Ronan Bennett whose latest screenplay, Public Enemies, is being directed by Michael Mann starring Johnny Depp. Renowned political and cultural commentator Tariq Ali dissects his forthcoming book The Duel: Pakistan on the Flight Path of American Power, a timely and fascinating assessment of the many competing factions in Pakistan.

Chapter & Verse is delighted to feature one of the UK’s finest authors, Jim Crace, best known for his work Being Dead. He offers a sneak preview of his forthcoming book, Heroes, discusses the inspiration for the novel and will offer advice on what not to do if a book is going badly.

As part of a strong contingent of Liverpool wordsmiths, Linda Grant will discuss her latest novel The Clothes on their Backs, a story about concealed pasts, dark places and stark choices and how the clothes we wear define us all. It has been long listed for the 2008 Orange Prize and is on the shortlist for the Booker Prize 2008.

There will also be discussions and prison readings with ex-prisoners Erwin James (former columnist of The Guardian, which detailed his life in prison), and John Healy (author of The Grass Arena). Sadie Jones will join us to discuss her latest novel, The Outcast, a riveting portrayal of post-war provincial life, shortlisted for the 2008 Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction and selected as a Richard & Judy summer read, plus many more inspiring events and activities for anyone interested in books, writing and ideas.

One of Liverpool's most distinctive buildings at over 290 years old, the Bluecoat is situated in the heart of the city centre and uses its unique spaces to showcase talent across visual art, music, dance, live art and literature. In March 2008, the Bluecoat re-opened after a £12.5 million re-development, and is the ideal venue for the city to showcase this major literary festival during Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture in 2008.

The Chapter & Verse Literature Festival builds on the city’s active and passionate literary scene and has been working with local groups such as The Reader Organisation; the Windows Project; Literature North West; live poetry collectives Mercy and Heart Beats; and informal discussion groups Literature in Pubs and Philosophy in Pubs, to deliver an eclectic and edgy series of workshops, discussions and readings accessible to everybody.

Tickets are very resonably priced and start at £2.
Please book your tickets at www.thebluecoat.org.uk.

Venue

The Bluecoat, Liverpool

Dates

various 9 Oct 2008 - 19 Oct 2008