The Hammond House International Literary Festival has proudly announced its highly anticipated return for a landmark tenth anniversary celebration. This prestigious event, dedicated to honouring creativity, community, and the written word, is scheduled to unfold throughout the entire month of February. The festival promises an inspiring and expansive fringe programme, brimming with creative events, literary workshops, and masterclasses accessible both across North East Lincolnshire and via online platforms.
A Decade of Literary Excellence
Now firmly established as a recognised fixture on the international literary calendar, LitFest26 is set to attract visitors, writers, and poets from across the United Kingdom and far beyond. The festival serves as a vibrant global meeting point, uniting literary talents from diverse corners of the world. The grand culmination of the festivities will be the Festival Finale and Awards Day, taking place on Wednesday, February 25th, at the University Centre Grimsby.
A Packed Programme of Events
Attendees can eagerly anticipate a full and varied itinerary designed to engage and inspire. The schedule includes immersive writing workshops, insightful poetry clinics, a bustling book fair, live musical performances, portrait sketching sessions, and a televised awards ceremony. This year's awards carry the compelling theme of "Secrets," which has inspired an exceptionally high standard of entries from talented writers worldwide. Submissions have poured in from countries including Japan, Ireland, Mexico, Romania, and Malaysia, showcasing the festival's truly international reach.
The winning and shortlisted entries will be honoured and preserved in two specially curated, illustrated anthologies published by Hammond House. These volumes, titled Short Stories and Poetry, Songs and Scripts, will be available for purchase on the day of the finale, offering a tangible collection of the celebrated works.
Local and International Literary Figures
The finale event will be graced by the presence of numerous local authors, including Shaun Allan, Tracy Todd, Gemma Owen-Kendall, poet Paul Sutherland, Rosita Bird, and children’s author Danielle Taylor—a newly published writer with Hammond House Publishing. They will be joined by representatives from Waterstones Grimsby and acclaimed author Dr Zoë Marriott. Furthermore, the celebrations will welcome members of local writing groups and staff from the University Centre Grimsby’s esteemed Creative Writing programme, fostering a strong sense of community involvement.
Becki Hamnett, campus principal for University Centre Grimsby, expressed her delight, stating: "It’s a great pleasure to host the Finale of the Hammond House International Literary Festival. This incredible celebration was originally founded by University Centre Grimsby students, and we can’t wait to welcome such literary talent to our campus."
Interactive Workshops and Youth Engagement
Participants will have the opportunity to engage in several immersive writing workshops led by industry experts. These include “Archetypal Spaces in Storytelling” with previous Literary Awards winner Archie Lamprell and “How to Write a Children’s Book” with Danielle Taylor. Additionally, seasoned scriptwriter Paul Bassett Davies will lead a workshop titled “How to Plot a Comedy,” drawing from his extensive career in television and radio scriptwriting.
In a highlight focusing on the next generation, the festival will also feature winners of a school-wide children’s poetry competition centred on the vital theme of climate change. These young poets will participate in creative workshops and have the opportunity to read their impactful works aloud during the events.
A Testament to Community and Imagination
Reflecting on this significant milestone, Ted Stanley, founder and CEO of Hammond House, commented: "As we mark our tenth anniversary, this festival stands as a testament to what can be achieved when imagination, community, and commitment come together. What began as a local celebration of literature in North East Lincolnshire has grown into a truly international meeting place for writers and readers."
He added, "This milestone year would not be possible without the generous support of our partners and sponsors, Arts Council England, The Royal Society for Arts and in particular, the University Centre Grimsby whose belief in the power of storytelling has helped us nurture voices from around the world while remaining rooted in our creative coastal community."
