We are looking for a Digital Media Assistant to join our festival team, which is based at University of Essex, to help us to spread the word about this year’s Essex Book Festival (28 May – 28 June 2026).

The successful candidate will create exciting and engaging social media content to promote the festival and give audiences a deeper insight into what it is about. They will have strong communication skills and be passionate about Books, Festivals and Essex.

Role details

✏️ Freelance contract
✏️ Between April and June 2026
✏️ Part-time, approx 15 hours per week (flexibly spread) over 10 weeks
✏️ £12.71 per hour
✏️ A mix of working from home, at our office based at University of Essex, and onsite at various event venues across Essex.

Responsibilities

⭐ Create and post content on all social media channels (including Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Bluesky, Threads, Linkedin, and TikTok).
⭐ Ensure social media content is engaging and tells the story of Essex Book Festival and its themes.
⭐ Work with the festival team, featured authors, artists and partners to create engaging visual and written content for social media channels, e-newsletters and blogs
⭐ Research and add events to local online event listings
⭐ Attend events and produce live social media content
⭐ Respond to general enquiries on social media or pass on to relevant team member
⭐ Keep track of social media engagement and use analytics to report on performance, successes and areas for development

Key characteristics and skills

💫 Great communication skills
💫 Excellent eye for detail and design
💫 Understanding of what makes social content engaging and exciting
💫 Experience of using social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook and TikTok
💫 Strong interest in books and storytelling and a connection with Essex

How to apply

Please send a Covering Letter outlining why you would like the role, and what you can bring to it, plus CV to Ros, ros@essexbookfestival.org.uk .

Deadline: midday Monday 16 February.

Interviews will take place on Wednesday 18 March at University of Essex.

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Essex Book Festival aims to enrich the lives of people across Essex by organising an exciting range of opportunities for engagement with books, reading, writing and storytelling. We are looking to add to our board of trustees to help us to fulfil this aim and to develop our ambitions for the future.

We want our trustees to reflect the diverse communities that we serve. We welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds with a passion for literature and the arts and a belief in the transformative power of stories.

We are looking for people willing to bring energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the role, and who will broaden the diversity of thinking on our board.

Take a look at our Trustee Recruitment Pack to find out about what we do and how we do it.

How to Apply

If you would like to be part of our future story, then we’d love to hear from you. Email the Chair of the Board at chair@essexbookfestival.org.uk with a brief summary of your relevant experience and reasons for applying.

Deadline: Friday 6th February

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They are looking for a poet with experience of community-engaged practice and a curiosity for how poetry can emerge through walking, conversation and shared reflection. The selected poet will listen closely to what surfaces through festival walks and events, working with participants’ words, ideas and experiences to create new original poems rooted in place and collective authorship.

What the poet will receive:

– A funded commission to develop new poetic work
– Support from the T100 and Kinetika team
– Opportunities to lead and contribute to festival events
– A platform to share new work as part of the 2026 T100 Festival
 
Extended deadline: Applications are now open until midday on Thursday 15 January 2026.
 
Find out more about the opportunity and how to apply at https://t100festival.co.uk/

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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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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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30% discount code available below.

Friday 10 October 2025
7pm (doors at 6.30pm)
The Minors, 74 High Street, Colchester, CO1 1UE

Tickets: £15 general / £10 friends of the Minories
Book now: theminories.org/event/a-musical-iliad

Award-winning storyteller Clare Goodall and historical musician Lizzie Gutteridge combine forces to bring you an epic tale of love, tragedy and loss in an energetic and punchy adaptation, where the characters come to life even if that life then ends brutally in bloodshed.

This is the epic that everyone has heard of but few have read. Our adaptation brings it to life, showing why it’s been so well known for 3,000 years, and how it deals with issues that are still relevant today…

“A unique, powerful and compelling piece of time travel.”
“It was breathtaking and awesome!”

Use this special discount code for 30% off: ILIAD30

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These include our festival ‘opener’ on Wednesday 28th May (half-term week) on Harwich beach: Know Your Beach Workshop. Join Seaside Explorers’ leader, educator and environmentalist Libby Scarfe as she shares her passion for outdoor adventures and all things marine. The workshop, which primarily is designed for 5 to 11 year olds, will combine storytelling, a chance to explore the natural coast environment, and a creative community beach clean. All welcome.

Another family activity not to be missed is Wildlife Detectives at the Wild Space on Sunday 8th June. As part of our Criminally Good Day, the team at Wild Space are opening this hidden green oasis in Washington Close in Maldon for families to gently explore the wildlife and nature that can live happily in an urban environment. There will be a range of activities to take part in and a trail to follow that will test everyone’s detective skills, and no matter whatever your age, you will come away feeling more connected and knowledgeable! Again, all welcome.

If bats are your thing, you will want to head to the National Trust’s Rainham Hall on Saturday 21st June for Batty About Bats – a rare chance to find out more about our local bat-tastic friends. From bat detectives, bat story-writing, and bat masks, this is the ideal opportunity to discover more about the species living in our local area, and more importantly, how we can help ensure their survival.

Finally, we are thrilled to be hosting a cornucopia of free drop-in family events in the beautiful Minories Garden in Colchester on Sunday 22nd June. Get creative and messy in our bespoke Earth Kitchen, try your hands at spice-painting with artist Lora Aziz, weave your own willow Twinkle, Twinkle star with storyteller Glenys Newton, learn more about spices from around the world with cook/writer Radhika Haworth, take your seat for our Twinkle, Twinkle Storytelling Armchair featuring BBC Essex’s Rob Jelly amongst others … and more. It is going to be a lot of fun.

Tickets for all events are available now at essexbookfestival.org.uk/events.

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Saturday 28 February 2026, 9.45am – 1.30pm
Chelmsford Theatre Studio
Tickets: Free, places limited so booking essential

Book your free place here.

Get involved, share ideas, and make a difference in your local community and beyond.

We are delighted to be holding our fifth annual Manifesto For Essex Eco-Gathering. This is your chance to hear about local eco-projects and how to get involved, participate in creative eco-workshops to learn new skills, and connect with like-minded individuals who share your passion for climate action, culture, and community.

Workshops include eco-podcasting, eco-poetry writing and eco-journalling.

The Eco-Gathering is aimed primarily at 13-25 year olds living in Essex.

This event is funded by Arts Council England and is free to attend. Places are limited so reserve your place today to avoid disappointment.

The Eco-Gathering is part of Manifesto For Essex, a multi-form creative platform run by Essex Book Festival for young people living in Essex and beyond to express their ideas about climate action.

If you have any queries about the Eco-Gathering or other Manifesto For Essex activities, just get in touch – hello@essexbookfestival.org.uk.

Follow us @manifesto4essex

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Deadline extended to Tuesday 4th June!

To celebrate the 25th Edition of Essex Book Festival, we are inviting young people (ages 7-11) living in Essex to join in our Super Short Story Competition.

The theme is This Land. You might be inspired by the world around you, the place where you live, somewhere you have visited or want to visit, an Essex story you know, our beautiful nature and wildlife, or something completely different inspired by Essex. The most important thing is to use your creativity and imagination to write a Short Story that you think is SUPER!

As we are celebrating Essex, the story must include the word Essex.

Winning stories will be announced at our Super Short Story Awards Ceremony by BBC Essex Presenter Rob Jelly on Sunday 23rd June. The Ceremony will take place at Cressing Temple Barns as part of our Midsummer Madness Family Fun Day.

How to Enter

To enter, just email your story to hello@essexbookfestival.org.uk, along with your name, age, and parent/guardian’s email address.

The deadline for entries is Friday 24th May 2024 Tuesday 4th June 2024 .

Rules

Entry is open to young people aged 7 to 11.
The story must be 100 words or less (title is not included in the number).
The story must be a child’s own original idea.
The story must include the word Essex.
It can take the form of a story or a poem.

Prizes

1 x Winner will win a £25 book token
2 x Runners Up will each win a £15 book token
Winner & Runners Up stories will be published on Essex Book Festival Website

For more information please email: hello@essexbookfestival.org.uk

Good Luck!

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Project organisers are inviting you to take inspiration from any moment on walk or the surrounding area to create content under the 2024 theme of ‘Memories’. Submissions could be in the form of, but are not limited to, poems, riddles, local advice, anecdotes, short stories, photography, short films or spoken word.

This competition is open to all ages and abilities, we encourage you to share your memories in your own way. This could be clips from home videos along the route, a spoken account of your first memory of the area or a haiku written about a moment on your journey.

Participating not only offers you the opportunity to be featured on our digital platform but also a shot at the grand prize of £300! Runner up prizes of £200 and £100 will be rewarded to 2nd and 3rd place. Learn more and submit your work by February 29th February 2024 (deadline was originally January 31st) by visiting www.walkwithwords.co.uk.

For exciting updates, excerpts and inspiration be sure to follow @walkwithwordscolchester on Instagram

This project has been commissioned and curated by Colchester City Council and Dallas–Pierce–Quintero.

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