Bradford's cultural heritage to be celebrated at city's first Literature Festival

The first Bradford Literature Festival, from May 15-24, features a range of events - including digital storyboarding, a Bronte-themed afternoon tea, Indian poetry and Jewish storytelling.

Today the T&A is launching a book review competition for young readers. We want you to write about your favourite book, or a recent one that you've read. There are three age groups and the entrant judged to be the best in each one will scoop £100 worth of Waterstones vouchers, with an overall winner also getting an iPad Mini, provided by Qube. You can find full details of the competition below.

The ten-day festival is aimed at boosting literacy levels among children and adults, promoting cultural diversity, health and wellbeing, and encouraging people into the city centre. Festival organisers Syima Aslam and Irna Qureshi plan to make it an annual event.

ENTER THE T&A CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW COMPETITION

The festival follows a successful weekend taster event last September when guests included comic Shazia Mirza and London Olympics poet Lemn Sissay, and events ranged from a discussion on links between faith and fashion to an Enid Blyton-themed mystery.

This year's festival includes a schools programme of free events, encouraging a love of books and reading. Fun, interactive events include giant Scrabble pieces scattered in Bradford's Mirror Pool, a look at Stephan Pastis's Timmy Failure books, about an American schoolboy detective, and storyboarding workshops.

"We're taking literacy out of the classroom," said Syima. "It's not enough to expect literacy to be limited to school - it's part of life. Without literacy, every other part of the Curriculum is closed to you. We hope a legacy of this festival will be that parents and children develop and continue a lifelong love of reading."

Funded by Arts Council England and Bradford Council, the festival's key partners are the University of Bradford and Bradford College, and it is sponsored by the NHS, Woodhouse Grove School and Incommunities.

Festival venues include the City Library, the National Media Museum, Bradford College, City Hall, Waterstones and the Midland Hotel. "We want to engage Bradford and get people talking about Bradford for all the right reasons," said Syima. "The city centre is somewhere for families to bring their children, we want people to come and make use of what's here. It's cultural regeneration, tying in with the city's economic regeneration."

Festival guests include Ilkley crime writer Sophie Hannah, whose latest book, The Monogram Murders, offers her take on Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot, and children's writer Lauren Child, best known for the Charlie and Lola picture books which inspired a TV series. To mark10 years of her books, youngsters are invited to create their own 3D Charlie and Lola.

Ben Aaronovitch, author of the best-selling Rivers of London books, will talk about life as a novelist and scriptwriter, having worked on Doctor Who, while Irish cyclist and adventure travel book writer Dervla Murphy lifts the lid on her eventful cycling trips through countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, Romania, Cuba and Ethiopia.

COMMENT: CHILDREN NEED TO DISCOVER JOYS OF READING

Brian Patten, one of the celebrated Mersey Poets, reflects on the verse that has shaped his career, and there's more contemporary writing from poet and author John Siddique. The Beehive Poets, based at Bradford's New Beehive pub, will interview each other, asking what inspires their work.

"Poets from different cultural backgrounds will come together for readings, creating a 'tapas of poetry'," said Syima.

The district's literary heritage is explored in Bronte-themed events - including a discussion of race and gender in their writing and a Bronte quiz - and a panel examining the lasting impact of JB Priestley's writing.

Also delving into the past is photographer Mark Davis, leading an after-dark tour of Undercliffe Cemetery. Mark's book Necropolis: City of the Dead explores the historic graveyard - one of the greatest achievements in Victorian funerary design and accomplishment - and the lives of those buried there.

The cemetery, which opened in 1854, was the fashionable place to be buried in Victorian Bradford and is a place where history is literally written in stone.

The festival also explores the power of words in music and comedy. There's Indian dance and poetry in events such as A Life Beyond Film, looking at the poetry of Bollywood star Meena Kumari, and an exclusive preview of The Fabric of India reveals a major exhibition on the history of handmade textiles from India, opening at London's V&A museum in October.

Stand-up comic and actress Francesca Martinez reflects on her experience of cerebral palsy in What The **** Is Normal?, a stage version of her book.

There are more laughs at a masterclass offering the chance to learn stand-up techniques in a day.

"The festival celebrates the written and spoken word in all formats," said Syima. "Songs and film offer a different kind of storytelling."

Cultural diversity is a major strand, with events including a Jewish heritage tour, Roma storytelling, sacred poetry and music at Bradford Cathedral and talks on the deportation of Poles to Siberia during the Second World War and South Asia's involvement with the First World War.

Race issues are addressed with panel discussions and talks on subjects such as terrorism, ten years on from the July 7 London bombings. Other areas include 'Religious Intolerance in Contemporary Britain' and 'Can Muslim Women be Feminists Too?' and Bradford University's Professor of Peace Studies Paul Rodgers' looks at the War on Isis. Film screenings include Enemy of the Reich, about a Muslim female wartime spy.

Gender issues are addressed in 'Defining Modern Masculinity' and 'Women Religion and Leadership'.

"We'll provide safe, neutral spaces for dialogue and debate, so people can talk about such issues such as racial tolerance and women in the tabloid press," said Syima.

Health and wellbeing are a festival focus too, highlighting diet, diabetes and depression. Events include 'The Busy Mum's Cookbook', a 'Yoga With Your Dog' session, and a look at Matthew Johnstone's Little Book of Resilience. A discussion of Professor Tim Spector's The Diet Myth examines the global obesity crisis and misconceptions about fat.

The festival also links in with the Born in Bradford project, a long-term study of children born in the city between 2007 and 2010.

Other events include a fantasy writing masterclass, a showcase for debut authors, a young adults panel and an event called Everything You Wanted to Know About Going to University.

Bradford Literature Festival runs from May 15-24. Tickets go on sale on Thursday, March 26. For more information visit bradfordliteraturefestival.co.uk, facebook.com/bradfordlitfest or Twitter @bradfordlitfest

To coincide with the Bradford Literature Festival, the Telegraph & Argus is running a competition inviting children to write their own book review.

The competition is open to youngsters aged seven to 16. 

We want to encourage youngsters not only to get reading, but to think about what books mean to them. You could enter a review about your favourite book, one you have recently read or one you remember for a particular reason. 

Our competition has three different age categories: seven to 10, 11 to 14 and 15 to 16. 

The winner of each category will receive a £100 gift voucher from Waterstones, and the child with the book review that is judged the best overall from the group winners will receive an iPad mini, provided by Qube learning.

What are you waiting for? Get reading - and writing!

ENTER THE T&A CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW COMPETITION