With dedicated support, selected artists will create new participatory walking events that help audiences see the borough through fresh eyes, drawing on creativity, storytelling and local voices. What each will receive:

• Mentoring from Kinetika Artistic Director Ali Pretty
• A funded commission to devise and deliver a participatory walking event
• A platform within the 2026 T100 Festival to showcase their practice
• Support with community engagement, logistics, and material

Applications are open until midday on Thursday 18th December.

Find out more about the opportunity here.

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It offers low-income writers based in the East of England free access to TLC’s services for writers, primarily its manuscript assessment offer, as well as events tickets, travel and access bursaries, and mentorships.

Apply now | National Centre for Writing | NCW

Writers can apply for the Free Reads scheme through NCW until Monday 12 January 2026.

Who is it for?

Free Reads is for low-income writers based in the East of England, writing in English, who may not have the financial stability to afford TLC’s regular manuscript assessment fees (their commercial service is open to all). The scheme prioritises those from under-represented backgrounds (including disabled writers, neurodivergent writers, Black, Asian, and Global Majority writers, and members of the LGBT+ community).

You can submit prose (fiction and non-fiction), short stories, children’s fiction including picture books, poetry, scripts, and screenplays. They are unfortunately unable to accept academic works for manuscript assessment.

Please get in touch via academy@nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk if you would like assistance completing the form.

You cannot apply for a Free Read two years in a row. You must be over 16.

What do the selected writers receive?

It is a free bursary for The Literary Consultancy’s manuscript assessment services. TLC’s manuscript assessment service provides writers of all levels with an honest, detailed and professional market-aware manuscript appraisal from a highly skilled editor. Through written feedback, the assessment will help you understand where your work currently sits in relation to the commercial literary marketplace and offer practical developmental advice for next steps. The principal focus in all instances of the manuscript assessment is editorial.

For full details visit
nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/get-involved/writers/free-reads/apply-now/

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Dave brought immense energy and enthusiasm to everything he did. He had a remarkable ability to connect easily with people from all walks of life, a skill which was perfect for his role as a radio presenter. Whether interviewing stars and politicians or hosting phone-ins with ordinary people from across the county, Dave brought his natural friendliness and a genuine interest in the lives of everyone he met.

Over many years working with Essex Book Festival, Dave was involved in broadcasting, introducing and chairing events, and interviewing guest authors.

He presented his final programme for BBC Essex in September 2023 and then worked on writing the story of his life, despite falling ill and undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. He was pleased to live to see the publication the resulting memoir, Whatever happened to Dave Monk?. Full of good humour and memories of a life well lived, it is a joyful and entertaining account of the life and career of someone who touched the lives of so many people. Essex Book Festival is planning to celebrate the life of Dave Monk and his book, as part of next year’s June festival.

The post Dave Monk. A Life Well Lived appeared first on Essex Book Festival.

Snowy Joy & the Toysavers – Festive Edition
Colchester Arts Centre
Monday 22 December 2025

Tickets £7 / £6
Family Ticket £22 (admits 4 people, at least one of whom must be a child).
Doors open 1.30pm, show starts 2pm.
This show is for a seated audience.

Book tickets at colchesterartscentre.ticketsolve.com.

Donate a ticket: There is a Pay It Forward option for this show. You can choose to purchase tickets for families that may not be in a position to afford a ticket to see this wonderful show. Please email ticketing@colchesterartscentre.com to be in line to receive Pay It Forward tickets.

This show is recommended for those aged 6 years and older. This is a seated show.

Based on the children’s book Snowy Joy by Nigerian-British author Sade Fadipe and adapted for stage by Margaret’s Music Ltd, the production combines drama, music, and dance in a joyful celebration of family, kindness, resilience, and community.

At the heart of the story is Adanah, a lively tween from Lagos, Nigeria, who is overjoyed at her first winter holiday in England. With snow topping her bucket list, audiences are swept into her adventure of wonder, hope, and discovery.

Directed by Margaret Omoniyi, the performance showcases young talent from the former Community360 Children’s Book Club, initiated by Godwin Daudu (AfiUK), with Sade Fadipe as resident author and Dee Lana as Storyteller. Adding festive rhythm and flair is Julia Obasa, founder of Afromoves, whose multi-genre dance collaborations bring colour, energy, and cultural vibrancy to the stage.

This uplifting community production is supported by Rebreate CIC, an organisation set up to support parents with children who have learning and developmental challenges, further reinforcing the show’s themes of inclusivity, resilience, and togetherness.

Audiences can expect a magical afternoon in one of Colchester’s most cherished venues, celebrated for its intimate atmosphere and historic charm. A perfect Christmas outing for families, community groups, and anyone looking to experience the magic of storytelling, music, and dance this festive season.

“Each year, I am humbled by the energy and commitment that make Snowy Joy & The Toysavers possible. Every performance is a testament to inclusivity and the belief that the arts should be accessible to all (a perception shared with, and upheld by our incredible director: Margaret’s Music Ltd ) no matter their background, ability, or circumstance. That’s what makes this show so special.”

Sade Fadipe

Listen to Sade Fadipe discuss the stage adaptation of her book Snowy Joy with Akylah Rodriguez on BBC Essex Radio (broadcast 4 Dec 2025, available to listen again until 3 Jan 2026).

Listen here.

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The Essex Explorer magazine is a seasonal magazine with fascinating features, spotlight articles, inspirational lifestyle ideas, competitions and all of the latest news from across our Essex Country Parks and places.

Take a look at the Autumn/Winter Essex Explore Magazine here.

The post Autumn/Winter Essex Explorer Magazine out now appeared first on Essex Book Festival.

Through interactive exhibits, toys and illustrations Oi Chelmsford! Kes Gray: Chelmsford Born and Read will celebrate the author’s best loved book characters and share how his childhood experiences across Chelmsford have influenced their adventures.

Oi Chelmsford! is an ode to Kes Gray’s quirky imagination. Children will be able to immerse themselves in the author’s books, with large, bold and colourful illustrations on display – including drawings by famed children’s illustrators, Nick Sharratt, Garry Parsons and Jim Field.

Increasing access for SEN families

Oi Chelmsford! has been curated by the museum in collaboration with Kes Gray and publishers Penguin Random House and Hachette Children’s Group. The museum has also worked closely on the exhibition with young Special Educational Needs (SEN) families through the charity Action for Family Carers. Local SEN families have been consulted during the design phase of the exhibition, to ensure interactive elements are widely accessible to all families and provide positive sensory experiences for SEN children. The outcome of this work will help build upon the museum’s existing offer for SEN families.

Exhibition opens 29 November

Oi Chelmsford! opens on Saturday 29 November and will run until June 2026.

An accompanying programme of events will provide opportunities for families to further explore the imaginative world of Kes Gray.

Watch this space for news of our special Oi Chelmsford! event taking place during Essex Book Festival 2026!

Read more about the Oi Chelmsford! exhibition in this Chelmsford City Life article.

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At a time when things can feel overwhelming, Professor Jules Pretty reminds us that stories still matter. They shape how we see the world, how we act within it, and how we sustain hope when the data looks bleak.

‘Story for Climate and Nature Recovery’ contains short (5-10 min) films. Some will be stories about people and places, others will be on how story works, or does not. How it can be deployed and used to create transformations. How words, sentences and story can be spells. How they can create magic.

You can find these stories here: youtube.com/@JulesPretty58

Jules Pretty is an adviser to Essex Book Festival’s board. He is a researcher and writer on environment and society and is author of several books on climate, nature and the stories we tell.

The post Story for Climate and Nature Recovery appeared first on Essex Book Festival.

This is an opportunity to meet the authors, ask them questions, hear their discussions and talk about their researches.

16 November 2025 | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

10.30am Lucy Hughes Hallett
The Scapegoat: The brief and brilliant life of The Duke of Buckingham

12 noon Rebecca Willis
Life and Death and getting dressed

Lunch
Bring a picnic or visit our Tearoom where there will be homemade soup and rolls, Cornish pasties, tray bake as well as drinks, coffee and tea

2pm Edward Whitley
Jane Austen and George Eliot: The Lady and the Radical

3.30pm Ian Collins
Blythe Spirit: The remarkable Life of Ronald Blythe

Tickets are available for individual events or there is a delicious discount to encourage you to go along for the whole day!

Find out more and book tickets at layermarneytower.co.uk/events/winter-books/

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Sub Titles Over is a play by Mad, Who?

Performed by Marina Cusí, Artistic Director of Mad, Who? and Essex Book Festival friend and supporter.

This award-winning, OFFIES 2025 finalist, one-woman-show exploring censorship and manipulation through translation and subtitles is set against the backdrop of the referendum for Catalan independence on the 1st of October 2017. Through its exploration of how subtitles and translation shape our understanding of foreign affairs, Sub Titles Over challenges audiences to think critically about the information we consume from international media.

Saturday 1 November, 3-4pm
Play, followed by Q&A

St John the Baptist Church, Hoxton
Pitfield Street, London, N1 6NP

Book tickets here

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To register your interest in attending the next Local Writers Showcase complete the online submission form here.

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