The first Stoke Book Festival will be staged in Stoke-on-Trent from 3 to 10 October, organisers have confirmed, in an event intended to broaden access to books and complement existing city literacy work.
Partnerships and purpose
The week-long programme is presented by Stoke Minster together with Stoke-on-Trent City Council Libraries, Visit Stoke-on-Trent, YMCA North Staffs and the National Literacy Trust. Organisers say the festival will include author talks, workshops, family activities, events for schools and community celebrations designed to encourage reading and storytelling.
Festival director Simon Drakeford, Communities and Arts Manager at Stoke Minster, said organisers want to make reading more widely available across the city. He added that the festival will enhance Stoke-on-Trent’s cultural offer and support work tackling literacy deprivation.
"We are excited to bring Stoke Book Festival to Stoke... The festival seeks to make books and the joy they bring accessible to every single person."
Confirmed contributors and programming
Confirmed speakers include Sunday Times bestselling author AJ West, art historian Verity Babbs, gardens writer Helena Attlee and Stoke-on-Trent novelist Mel Sheratt, who has published 26 novels. Organisers say a full timetable will be published in August.
- Dates: 3–10 October
- Hosts and partners: Stoke Minster, City Council Libraries, Visit Stoke-on-Trent, YMCA North Staffs, National Literacy Trust
- Offer: author talks, workshops, family and school events, community celebrations
Context: literacy and accessibility
Organisers have emphasised that accessibility is central to the festival: many events will be free to attend and ticketed sessions will be priced with affordability in mind. The festival is billed as part of the city's contribution to the National Year of Reading and as complementary to local schemes including the National Literacy Trust’s Story Quest, the Stoke 100 Reads initiative and Tales in the Park.
| Partner | Role |
|---|---|
| Stoke Minster | Presenter and lead organiser |
| Stoke-on-Trent City Council Libraries | Programming and outreach |
| National Literacy Trust | Literacy programming and alignment with national initiatives |
City residents and community groups will watch closely for the full programme in August, including details about venues, accessibility arrangements and how the organisers intend to reach communities most affected by literacy challenges. The festival’s stated ambition to tackle deprivation through culture raises questions for civic partners about long-term funding, outreach and evaluation — matters on which further information is expected when the timetable is released.
For now, the announcement represents a coordinated cultural effort by civic and voluntary bodies to position Stoke-on-Trent as a destination for arts and reading while attempting to address entrenched literacy issues affecting parts of the city.
