FAQs

What is a UNESCO City of Literature? UNESCO’s City of Literature programme is part of a wider Creative Cities Network which was launched in 2004 and is currently made up of 295 UNESCO Creative Cities globally. Members are drawn from more than 90 countries and cover seven creative fields: Crafts & Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Music, and Media Arts. The Network was born out of UNESCO’s Global Alliance for Cultural Diversity initiative, which was created in 2002.
Why is Nottingham a City of Literature? We applied to join the network in 2015, after a group of writers decided that the city’s rich history, thriving contemporary scene and distinct vernacular should be better known. Coupled with a desire to challenge Nottingham’s historic issues around literacy, UNESCO admitted us to the network in December 2015.
How long do you hold the title for? It’s a permanent designation, though contingent on us being a world-class city when it comes to words.
How can I get involved? We are for everyone in Notts, so get in touch. If you’d like to volunteer for us, there are often roles available: contact us via the Contact us page. If you are a young writer looking to network, or even try out their work at an open mic, then our Youth Advisory Board run Speak Easy, an open and inclusive evening of spoken word hosted at Nottingham Playhouse.
Do you promote local literary events? We are happy to put out info about your event via social media (time-permitting): send us details via the Contact page. We no longer run an events listing on this site, and instead would recommend our friends at Leftlion if you are looking to publicise your event.
Who funds you? We are centrally funded by several partners, including our core funders: Arts Council England, Nottingham City Council, Nottingham Trent University and The University of Nottingham.
How do I find out more? Sign up to our newsletter where you’ll find news, upcoming events and much more, and follow us on Social Media:

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