Rochester Literature Festival

We do hope you’ll be joining us for a long weekend of literary inspired events, with poetry hunting and workshop, reading, drama, sci-fi investigating, writers’ games and a book launch all on offer. ME4Writers will be hiding the PoetryMon cards across the towns tonight, in readiness for tomorrow – check…

Three award-winning writers feature in our very first Rochester Literature Festival, an eclectic and imaginative ten-day programme of events inspired by the overarching theme, ‘Other Worlds, Other Voices’. The festival begins on 3rd October to coincide with National Poetry Day and runs to 13th October. The festival opens with multi-award…

We have a unique event for you – I’d go so far to say it’s a cultural (and experimental) phenomenon for Medway, actually – on our final Sunday to close the festival. Composer Jacob Bride’s magical and musical interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s eternal tales of Alice in Wonderland and Through…

Philip Kane leads a fantasy and sci fi creative writing workshop at the coFWD coworking space on Saturday, October 12th. Author, poet and storyteller Philip is a lifelong enthusiast for fantasy and science fiction.  His own writings in those genres include stories about thieves, occult detectives and alien infiltration.  In…

Our headline event on the final weekend is a fascinating and unmissable evening with Bill Lewis, original Medway Poet, painter and storyteller. Referencing his own life and work, and sharing his great knowledge of magical realism, metaphor and myth, Bill contemplates Joseph Campbell’s vision of ‘The Hero’s Journey’, and how it…

Our ‘Bring Something to the Table’ event proved so popular in March, we couldn’t possibly leave it out of the main festival! Join us at the coFWD coworking space at 161, Rochester High Street, for a mix of writing games and interactive debate based upon our theme. With the wonderful…

The final adventure with ME4Writers takes place on Thursday, October 10th. Join them on a creative writing journey around the City of Rochester; be inspired by the myths and stories of our iconic locations and let Sam and Barry guide you through a series of writing exercises to unlock your…

Those ever-wonderful ME4Writers launch their much anticipated alternative encyclopaedia about life in cities, attempting to define the essence and nature of Medway. Initially published as an occasional creative writing zine, there were eight limited edition issues, which have been collated, edited, rewritten, and now include commissioned new writing and illustrations…

We’re pleased to invite you along to an informal evening of writing games for fun and inspiration on Monday, October 7th. Storyteller and experienced workshop facilitator Philip Kane will lead the games to inspire you and encourage your writing. Come along and have fun with words! It will take place…

Our headline event for our first weekend will showcase the best in local female playwrights under 17percent’s ‘She Writes’ banner. We open with a rehearsed reading of BBC Prize Winner Sarah Hehir’s award-winning Radio 4 play, ‘Bang Up’, performed by a sterling cast led by our own Emma Dewhurst. Sarah’s…

Strange things have been happening in Rochester: Unexplained lights in the sky, bizarre disappearances, and what is that odd sound? The Bureau for Unexplained Crisis, Knowledge and Extraterrestrial-ism or ‘B.U.C.K.E.T.’ is set to investigate as part of Other Worlds, Other Voices. Join us for an afternoon of interactive story gaming,…

The opening events in the Rochester Literature Festival ‘Other Worlds, Other Voices’ will take place on National Poetry Day, Thursday October 3rd. ME4Writers popular poem treasure hunt, Poetrymon, will begin the festival, with poems by local writers on designer postcards hidden throughout the Medway Towns. Clues to finding them will…