The programme of events for this years Birmingham Book Festival has been announced

Taking place from 5 – 21 October, the festival welcomes writers of all kinds, from journalists to novelists, and hosts a variety of events including workshops, lectures and the Fringe Festival. A few highlights include:

Novelists Jonathan Coe and David Nicholls, who also writes for television will be at the Conservatoire on 7 October at 7.15pm.

Join Jenny Eclair for ‘Chin Up Britain!’ at the Library Theatre on 14 October at 6.45pm, where the comedian and novelist will bring helpful and hilarious tips for austere living.

Award winning journalist Fatima Bhutto will be speaking about Songs of Sweat Blood and Sword, her memoir of growing up in Pakistan’s ruling dynasty, at the Conservatoire on 14 October at 8pm.

Novelist and journalist Lionel Shriver will be at the Conservatoire on 19 October to talk about her latest book So Much For That, at 7.15pm.

The Fringe Festival, in association with Birmingham Libraries, is part of a free wider programme which runs through Autumn. Together the Fringe Lounge will host some of the events during the Birmingham Book Festival.

Taking place at the Conservatoire on 5 October at 7.45pm, the Festival Lecture will ask ‘ What is a City’s Culture’, along with the discussion on Birmingham’s own ‘culture’.

Ikon are also joining in, with a workshop in Hitchcock’s Hallway installation.

You can download the full programme or visit their website for all of the events. Booking can also be done online or by calling 0121 303 2323

Mark is well known for his Tom Thorne series and his new book From the Dead is no less gripping and fast paced as his previous novels.

Andrew Taylor will be talking about his new book The Anatomy of Ghosts, which is a beautifully written novel of dichotomies set in 18th century Cambridge.

Meanwhile Martyn Waites (who has recently been revealed as being one half of Tania Carver, the ‘author’ of The Surrogate), will be talking about his latest book Speak No Evil based on the award winning Joe Donovan crime series.

Guests will be settling in at 6.30pm, for a 7.00pm start, and the event is free. Book your tickets via the Birmingham Box Office on 0121 303 2323 or in person at Central Library reception.

DJ and Wordsmith Charlie Jordan, fresh from her West Bromwich Albion poetry residency, with team mates Byron Vincent, Matt Windle & Dan Cullen – refereed by Jo Bell. Live Entertainment kicks off 7.30pm.

West Brom Words is some poetry and spoken word goodness at the Library Theatre on 25 March.

Says here tickets are free and only available on the door.

An outdoor dance spectacular that’s part of Birmingham Town Hall‘s 175th birthday celebrations. They’re hoping for up to have had up to 12,000 people take part. It’s being performed on Friday 9 October at 8pm and Saturday 10 October at 3pm and 8pm – and you can learn the steps half an hour before each performance.

It’s part of the People Dancing programme and there’s plenty more info on westmidlandsdance.com and the Bollywood Steps website.

Birmingham Poet Laureate Inaugral Reading

Tonight, at the Library Theatre, our new poet laureate, announced yesterday as Adrian Johnson (ACE West Mids Literature Officer), will be performing for the first time in his official capacity.

Info on the Birmingham Book Festival website.

Goings on in Digbeth

Nicky Getgood, on Digbeth is Good, has linked to a fair amount of interesting stuff happening:

• Eastside Studio are holding an Open Studio on Saturday afternoon from midday to 5pm to ‘celebrate the completion of carving the ‘Rugby Writers’ commission’
• Also on Saturday, VIVID are taking part in The Big Draw with a variety of artists getting visitors to interact with their work

UPDATE – Oops, cheers to Nicky Getgood for pointing out the next one is on Sunday 18 October:

• On Sunday Nikki Pugh is doing a GPS-assisted walk around “the perimeter of the regeneration area taking great care to stop, investigate, prod, document, tell stories about and explore things along the way”

Also, see the comments for more free stuff this weekend.

With all that said, they have news of a free screening of ‘Festival’ at the Library Theatre on 19 Nov at 7pm.  Our own Roger Shannon produced the film and will be introducing it.  Here’s the flyer:

The films to be shown are:

• 12 Chairs (8 May, 8pm)
• Beloved (20 May, 6pm and 8.15pm)
• Death Of A Bureaucrat (5 June, 7.30pm with a talk)
• The Adventures Of Juan Quin Quin (17 June, 6pm and 8.15pm)
• A Successful Man (10 July, 7.30pm with talk)

with more details of each film on the Cuba Solidarity website. Tickets are £3.50 (conc £2.50) and are available in person at the library, by telephone on 0121 303 2323 or at www.birminghamboxoffice.com.

Before tonight’s film there’s a gala reception at 7pm, although I have no idea what that might entail. If you go you’d best assume it’s black tie and arrive in a limo, just in case.

Unfortunately BIFS itself doesn’t seem to have any sort of web-presence but I’m sure that’ll be rectified soon (hint! – just as Pete was, I’m free for tea and a chat about this kind of thing). According to comments on The Stirrer, they’re looking to show the international films that the multiplexes and The Electric can’t/won’t.