First stars line up for ideas festival
THE first four names on the line-up for this year’s Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival have been revealed.
Internationally acclaimed poet Simon Armitage CBE, television presenter and triathlete Louise Minchin, actress, author and presenter Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE and women’s rights activist Dr Helen Pankhurst will be appearing at the eight-day festival in October.
Armitage is returning to Rochdale after performing a sold-out show at the first Literature & Ideas Festival in 2013.
The BAFTA award winner will be reading extracts from his most recent work, The Unaccompanied. He’ll also be reading from The Flit and talking about his writing for radio, film, television and the stage.
Minchin will be talking about her life and new book Dare to Tri – the story of her journey from the BBC Breakfast sofa to representing Great Britain at the World Triathlon Championships.
Baroness Floella Benjamin, known to millions for appearing in the BBC series Play School and Play Away, will be talking about her successful book Coming to England, which charts her challenging experiences in Britain.
And in the centenary of the year women with property gain the vote for the first time Dr Helen Pankhurst, great granddaughter of Suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst, will look at how women’s lives have changed over the last century.
This year’s festival will run from October 15-22.
Events will cover drama, comedy, poetry, spoken word, visual arts and children’s shows.
A programme of events for young people aged 14 to 25 is also being put together.
Coun Janet Emsley, Cabinet member for neighbourhoods, community and culture, said: “We are pleased to announce some of the first amazing writers, thinkers and well known personalities who will be coming to join us in Rochdale this October.
“The team have been working hard to put together another inspiring programme and together with our sponsor we will be delivering another fabulous festival.”
Tickets go on sale from 10am on August 13 at rochdaleliteraturefestival.co.uk.
The festival is organised by Rochdale council, supported by the Maskew Bequest and sponsored by creative digital media company - JGM Agency.