Bradford Literature Festival (BLF) is an annual festival and year-round cultural engagement programme encompassing the best of literature, music, theatre, discussions, lectures and family events. BLF is unique in the UK for its diverse and imaginative approach to high-quality arts and cultural programming. BLF is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible programme; keeping ticket prices low (from £5), offering free family events and free tickets to those who might not otherwise be able to attend.
Festival programming encompasses important literary and historical anniversaries, celebrated through the lens of newly commissioned works that offer a fresh perspective, and annually recurring strands including The Brontë’s, Poetry, World Affairs & Politics, Hockney, Global Futures, Film and Comedy. Events across this broad range of themes take the form of in-conversations, panel discussions, workshops and salons.
Bradford Literature Festival is proud to have played a significant role in the revitalisation of the local culture sector (Bradford has been named UK City of Culture 2025) and in creating a profile for Bradford regionally, nationally and internationally.
Bradford Literature Festival Impact
BLF is making an impact
Bradford Literature Festival 2024 delivered an incredible programme to record-breaking audiences. Our representative festival gives a platform to diverse and marginalised voices to create a supportive space for even the most challenging conversations.
Awards & Accolades
Bradford Literature Festival’s Reach
Our Mission
Bradford Literature Festival is an annual arts event and year-round cultural outreach programme. We are leaders in social inclusion, accessibility and representation, delivering exceptional arts and culture for both local communities and international audiences, and showcasing trailblazing voices from the UK and beyond. Our events not only represent our city, but also reflect contemporary Britain.
We create spaces that are welcoming and inclusive for all. Our representative programmes give a platform to diverse and marginalised voices and stories and create a supportive space for even the most challenging conversations. To make sure everyone can access our work, we have pioneered ‘Ethical Ticketing’ – this means our events are free for people who otherwise would not be able to afford to attend arts and cultural events.
We do this because we believe arts, culture and literature have the power to change lives.
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