Leeds Litfest returns with Costa Book Award winner Monique Roffey among the headliners

“We knew it was important to build on that support and the success of last year’s festival and we didn’t want to lose momentum,” says Fiona Gell of the Leeds Big Bookend, one of the ten partnership arts and literature-based organisations that deliver Leeds Litfest.

“We had lots of discussions about whether we could do a hybrid festival with some events online and some in person but as the weeks and months went by we realised we would have to go digital.”

As other literature festivals have found, there have been some advantages to going online in terms of both audience reach and programming.

“We have been able to get people who might not have been able to come to Leeds in person because their schedule wouldn’t allow it; this way they can appear from the comfort of their own home,” says Gell.

One of the headliners is novelist Monique Roffey, fresh from her Costa Book Award win for The Mermaid of Black Conch, published by Leeds independent publisher Peepal Tree Press.

The small imprint has long punched above its weight – in 2019 they published poet Ray Robinson’s collection A Portable Paradise which went on to win the prestigious TS Eliot prize.

Peepal Tree are just brilliant and we are really excited to be giving Monique her full moment in the spotlight. It is a fantastic book and it fully deserves its award,” says Gell.

Over the past few challenging months books and literature have played an important part in providing solace and escape as well as giving people an outlet for their own self-expression. Being able to access literary events online has brought people together from all over the world.

“I think literature lends itself very well to the digital environment and it has ramped up accessibility on a global stage,” says Gell. “Most events online are free at the moment so it is also very equitable in that respect. I think we have all learned so much over the past year and the possibilities going forward will be more inclusive and diverse. That is definitely one of the positives to have come out of all this.”

Although the festival is smaller this year – 26 events compared to around 100 in 2020 – the programme caters for a wide range of interests featuring author talks, workshops, panels, performance, poetry and spoken word.

“All but two of the events are free and we are asking for donations from people who are attending to help fund next year’s Litfest,’” says Gell. “We are delighted to be back and hope to give people a bit of light in dark times and enable them to feel part of a bigger community in a festival.

"It’s that connection with other people through words, thought and a mutual love of literature; the importance of all of that has been highlighted this last 12 months.”

Leeds LitFest March 2-7. Tickets leedslitfest.co.uk