This Land: Launch Day
Join us for a day of talks, performances, debates, walks and workshops to mark the 25th Edition of Essex Book Festival and the 60th Anniversary of University of Essex.
- 28 May -27 June 2027
13 events found.
LAUNCH EVENT
Events
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University of Essex Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, United Kingdom
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Radical Essex Procession
St Leonard-at-the-Hythe Church Hythe Hill, Colchester, Essex, United KingdomEssex Book Festival is teaming up with internationally acclaimed arts organisation, Kinetika, for its Radical Procession from St Leonard-at-the-Hythe Church, a key player in the Siege of Colchester (1648), to University of Essex, famed for its foundational radical innovation in the 1960s.
Free -
Game Changer Workshop
Art Exchange, University of Essex Wivenhoe Park, ColchesterTransform classic video games into arcade quests for environmental action and climate change awareness
£3 -
Radical Translation Workshop
Lakeside Studio Lakeside Theatre, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, United KingdomCan a poem be translated into a picture? Or a recipe? A novel? In the world of experimental translation, the answer is “yes”. Canadian Gregory Betts and poet Philip Terry will discuss their own work with experimental translation in their recent publications. Participants will explore different experimental translation methods in this hands-on workshop.
£15 -
This Land: The Launch Pad Workshops
Art Exchange, University of Essex Wivenhoe Park, ColchesterLearn how to make traditional ink out of ink gall gathered from 25 destinations across Essex. Explore the art of calligraphy. Try your hand at a range of traditional printing and basic book-making techniques.
Free -
Charters and Radicals
Special Collections Reading Room University of Essex Library, Wivenhoe Park , Colchester, Essex, United KingdomFrom charters that trace the region's heritage to student protests and social movements, this exhibition explores continuity and change in Essex’s identity.
Free -
Don’t Starve the Arts – Feed Them
Lakeside Theatre, University of Essex Wivenhoe Park, ColchesterDon't Starve the Arts – Feed Them will be debated by authors, artists, poets, performers, actors, and students. All welcome to join in. Talking is the only course!
Free -
The Tasting Menu: Poetry Open Mic returns!
Art Exchange, University of Essex Wivenhoe Park, Colchesterlease join us for two hours of poetry from across our community. Come and hear headline poets from the University of Essex, student voices, and share and explore all things Essex poetry in this diverse and inclusive event.
Free -
Woman Life Freedom
Lakeside Theatre, University of Essex Wivenhoe Park, ColchesterSaqi Books presents Woman Life Freedom: Voices and Art from the Women's Protests in Iran. Extolling the power of art, writing and body politics this collection is a universal rallying call and a celebration of the women the regime has tried and failed to silence.
£10 -
This Land: Writing the Place Workshop
Art Exchange, University of Essex Wivenhoe Park, ColchesterExplore the magic of alchemy by turning places and ideas into new stories. You never know, your story or poem might make it into our 25th Edition festival anthology, This Land.
£15 -
Beach of Dreams 25 Launch and Creative Writing Workshop
Lakeside Studio Lakeside Theatre, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, United KingdomCome along and meet the Kinetika team, our flag-makers/bearers, and find out how you and/or an organisation you belong to, can get involved in the epic new nationwide Beach of Dreams 25 project. Then, take part in a special Beach of Dreams creative writing workshop led by Dr James Canton, and the Wild Writing team based in the Centre for Creative Writing at the University of Essex.
Free -
Launch Event: Enlightenment
Essex Business School Lecture Hall, University of Essex Wivenhoe Park, ColchesterMulti award-winning and best-selling author, Festival Patron and University of Essex Chancellor, Sarah Perry, will be launching this year’s festival. Talking to our Essex Book Festival Chair, Peter Donaldson, about her highly anticipated new novel, Enlightenment.
£10 -
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Launch Event
Colchester United JobServe Community Stadium United Way, Colchester, Essex, United KingdomAhead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, we are thrilled to be launching this year’s Essex Book Festival at Colchester Community Stadium with two masters of football writing - Jonathan Wilson and Simon Kuper. Join us for a highly entertaining and illuminating discussion about the most watched sporting event on the planet.
£12