The 50th anniversary celebrations of the Creative Writing programme at the University of East Anglia (UEA) continue with the UEA Live Spring Event.
Starting on Wednesday 24th February 2021, the Spring literary festival will run on seven Wednesday evenings up until May. The line-up includes 2020 Booker Prize-shortlisted writer and UEA’s International Chair of Creative Writing Tsitsi Dangarembga, Booker Prize winner Anne Enright and widely adored literary icon Ali Smith, who will be broadcasting a short film.
UEA Creative Writing graduate Christie Watson will speak about her success as a novelist and memoirist, and her new book – The Courage to Care: A Call for Compassion – a vital and timely book about inspirational nurses, and the bravery of patients and families.
UEA Live will see writers and readers come together to debate and deliberate the big issues we’re currently facing, from the global pandemic to international political activism, and ask big questions like ‘What will writing look like in 50 years?’ and ‘What role will authors play in the future?’.
The first ever UEA Live took place in Autumn 2020, and the move online saw attendance levels soar, reaching a wider, international audience. Picking up the baton from the UEA Literary Festival, the newly revamped ‘festival of ideas’ has two new Co-Directors from UEA – Alison Winch, Lecturer in Media Studies, and Kate Moorhead, Lecturer in Creative Writing.
They take over from Prof Chris Bigsby, who stepped down as Festival Director earlier this year, after 27 years in the role, and Dr Philip Langeskov, Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at UEA.
Kate Moorhead said: “As we look towards the future of Creative Writing at UEA, our new iteration of the festival, UEA Live, will seek to broaden this definition – across disciplines, continents and experiences. We’re grateful for the work of Chris Bigsby and Philip Langeskov and we hope to build on their success in bringing edgy, world-class writers to Norfolk.”
Alison Winch said: “Imagination is crucial in these turbulent times because it offers hope and alternative futures. Continuing our celebration of 50 years of Creative Writing at UEA, our spring programme showcases pioneering writers who use creativity to forge the world differently.”
You can hear Kate Moorhead talking about her new role, and UEA Live in Season 1, Episode 5 of our Norfolk & Good podcast – available from wherever you normally get your podcasts.
All the events will be held online, meaning that you can watch from the comfort of home, wherever you are, and tickets are available to purchase now.
Individual Tickets
£5 per event / FREE access for all UEA students
Season Passes
Access to all 7 events – £30 / £25 (concessions)
