Bath Literature Festival

Launched in 1995, the Bath Literature Festival has become one of the UK's best known festivals for stimulating debate, lively conversation and fascinating authors insights.

Taking place annually over 9 days in February/March, and using The Guildhall in Bath as its base, the Festival seeks to make you think whilst it entertains, with unique events pairing like-minded authors, dynamic debates on topical issues, and specially commissioned work by leading contemporary writers. Far from a stop-off for authors on their annual promotional tours around the nations' bookshops, this Festival gives you a chance to discuss and explore ideas relevant to their literature and to life today.

Visitors flock to the Festival to be inspired, to enter the debates, to sit back and listen, and to take part themselves in the many workshops and interactive experiences on offer. Highlights from the 2009 Festival included An Evening with Tony Benn, poetry from Wendy Cope, bad science with Ben Goldacre and Edna O'Brien's appraisal of Bryon. It was our biggest and best-selling Festival yet, with many sold out events, great audience feedback, and a fantastic programme of events within schools throughout the region.

James Runcie succeeds Sarah Le Fanu as our new Artistic Director in 2010.  He is an acclaimed novelist, documentary film-maker, TV producer, theatre director and journalist. His latest novel, East Fortune, was published by Bloomsbury in April to great reviews. Commenting on his appointment, James said:

"I'm thrilled to have this opportunity and I want to build on the quality and intelligence of Sarah's festival. I'm really excited about working in Bath and want to use the City as a template - exploring the architecture and physical spaces and the way they can relate to literature and ideas. I want to make this festival as unique as the City itself is - something that could only happen here in Bath.

Sarah has set this festival apart by making it one which is full of ideas and discussions, not at the mercy of book signings and author tours, and I want to develop that further. Literature should be fascinating, challenging, provocative. I think every single event should be capable of changing the way you think - even your life. So, quite a challenge but one I'm raring to take up."

The 2010 Bath Literature Festival takes place on 27 February - 8 March. You can receive regular updates by email by signing up to our e-newsletter list here . Booking opens in early January 2010, with priority booking for PenFriends opening in December 2009. For more information on the Festival and the PenFriends scheme visit our website, www.bathlitfest.org.uk