Karunatilaka, Shamsie and Johnson among Bradford Literature Festival line-up

Booker Prize winner Shehan Karunatilaka, Women’s Prize winner Kamila Shamsie and Linton Kwesi Johnson are among the line-up for the 2023 Bradford Literature Festival (BLF), held between 23rd June and 2nd July.

Sebastian Faulks will explore his life in writing, alongside Anita Rani and actor Sir Lenny Henry. Former Monty Python star Sir Michael Palin will paint a portrait of Iraq, following his travels to the River Tigris and his new book, Into Iraq (Hutchinson Heinemann). 

Meanwhile, Rani will be celebrating her debut fiction title, and Bolu Babalola will reflect on her journey since the publication of her own debut, Love in Colour (Headline Publishing Group). They will be accompanied by Adam Kay, Lemn Sissay, Amanda Owen, Shaykh al-Yaqoubi and Val McDermid. 

Now in its ninth year, BLF is the largest literature festival in the north of England, featuring 500 events. Topics covered range from a journey through the Ottoman Empire to global feminism and political poetry.

The festival will also welcome a host of international guests, among them artists such as calligrapher Haji Noor Deen from China and scholar Reza Aslan from Los Angeles. According to the organisers: "Film premieres, Comicon, day-long heritage tours, Baby Raves, mass-meditation, career retrospectives and award ceremonies will all take place."

Syima Aslam, the festival’s founder and director, said:  "Our ethical ticketing policy and free events for children and young people recognise the importance of inspiring the next generation of readers, writers and artists. Inclusivity is at the heart of everything we do, and we’re proud to provide a platform for marginalised voices that might otherwise go unheard. 

"Our program offers a diverse range of voices and perspectives, reflecting the complexity of our world and providing a forum for discussion and debate. BLF is a celebration of diversity, empathy, and artistic excellence, and we invite audiences from around the world to join us for what promises to be an unforgettable celebration of creativity and culture." 

Henry added: "I’m so proud to be working with Bradford Literature Festival for the second time this year (following the fantastic World Book Day celebration that they hosted which was the biggest in the UK) and to be part of something that takes a bottom-up approach to creating genuine change."