Ilkley Literature Festival is the longest-running literary festival in the north of England. Established in 1973, ILF has built a reputation for our commitment to cultural diversity, curating high-quality wide-ranging events, supporting emerging and mid-career writers and for our innovative work with children and young people.
ILF aims to bring the best of contemporary literature from the UK and beyond to Yorkshire, engaging people of all ages and backgrounds in the enjoyment of writing, reading, books and ideas.
ILF has a strong reputation for creating innovative connections between writers and readers, of attracting the very best of UK and international writing talent, a significant track record of commissioning new work and a commitment to providing opportunities for writers from under-represented communities.
Our ambition for the next five years is to evolve ILF into a fully-formed year-round literature development organisation providing diverse and inclusive cultural experiences and creative activities that open minds, inspire curiosity, increase empathy and improve communication.
While our writing development programmes for adults and children and young people run year-round, we are best known for the presentation every October of a two-week long literature festival, comprising over 150 events held across 15 venues in and around Ilkley. In 2019, the festival featured 170 writers and attracted a total audience of 21,600 to ticketed and free events.
We are an Arts Council England NPO and receive regular funding from Bradford Metropolitan District Council.
