Class Festival receives Arts Council England grant

Lucy Nathan
News - Festivals Thursday, 8th July 2021

The festival, set up by Natasha Carthew, runs in October in Bristol


The Festival for Working Class Writers has received a £43,090 grant from Arts Council England. The festival, running from 22-24 October, aims to provide exposure to working class writers, inspire young people from similar backgrounds, and showcase 'authentic stories reflective of and relatable to the experiences of working-class communities'. It will take place both digitally and in a variety of Bristol venues.

Artistic director Natasha Carthew said: "It's taken me three years to make The Festival for Working Class Writers a reality, but a lifetime to highlight the barriers we working class writers face every day; that's why I've created a festival for future generations of writers, an accessible festival that will celebrate the work of working class writers for years to come. Commissioning and showcasing writers of all styles and disciplines is at the heart of this festival, providing a platform for both established and debut writers to get involved with both live and online events. The Working Class Writers Festival will not only provide a platform for working class writers, but will set precedence among festivals that will make attendance more affordable and accessible to all."

The festival, which will be accessible and affordable to attend, will see appearances from Stella Duffy, Val McDermid, Paul Mendez, Mohsin Zaidi, Tracy King, Anita Sethi, Graham Caveney, Mahsuda Snaith, Kerry Hudson, Sam Friedman, Lorraine Brown, Mark Hodkinson, Juno Roche, Justin Myers, Patrice Lawrence, Tony Walsh, Cash Carraway, Courttia Newland, Dave O'Brian, Tanya Shadwick, Mona Arshi, Simon Kvosi, Mary O'Hara, Joelle Taylor, Amer Anwar, Jessica Andrews, James McDermott, Sharon Duggal and Cole Moreton. It aims to showcase both established writers and those making their debut. 

The full programme will be announced this summer, and will include an event with Hat Trick TV Productions; panel discussions on tackling socio-economic inequality in the UK with Policy Press, folktales and feminism with Virago Press, and demystifying publishing with Hachette UK; workshops and masterclasses with writers; and a chance for aspiring writers to speed-pitch to editors from Hachette UK and UK literary agents. It is also sponsored by Hachette UK, Penguin Random House and the University of Bristol.