Crossing The Tees, Teesside’s biggest literary festival, returns this year from Saturday 10th to Sunday 18th June.
Book lovers and writers alike can look forward to a festival full of author talks, workshops and more, both online and in person, with this year’s programme curated by an experienced library team from across Stockton, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Darlington, and Redcar & Cleveland Library Services.
The festival launches on Saturday 10th June at Guisborough Library with a morning workshop with romance author Jessica Redland who will be teaching festival-goers How to Create a Memorable Setting for your writing. Historian Dr Helen Fry will be discussing the man who saved MI6, Spymaster Thomas Joseph Kendrick, at Stockton Central Library, while festival favourites, The Northern Crime Syndicate, will be at Acklam Library trying to come up with a bestseller in an hour at Whose Crime Is It Anyway?
Other festival highlights include three micro-commissions by local Tees Valley artists. Snipped Tales with Julie Kirk gives you the chance to create your own collection of collaged micro-fiction, while Suzie Devey will lead two Unfolding Stories Workshops where you will use vintage comics and storybooks to create new stories. And Lucy Harding has curated the festival’s first art installation, inspired by Wuthering Heights, which you can see at Thornaby Central Library from Thursday 8th June until Friday 8th July. You can also meet with Lucy on Friday 16th June to discuss her influences and her love for the Brontës.
Rue Collinge and the Tees Women Poets will be bringing a night of live poetry and prose to TWOOMPH! – The Open Mic with Extra Oomph! at Middlesbrough Reference Library, featuring headline acts Hannah Davies and Bram David Jarman.
Plus, you’re invited to join in for the Book Launch of a special book celebrating libraries of the Tees Valley. Festival Writer-in-Residence Debbie Rolls and Photographer-in-Residence Jo Booth have captured the thoughts and memories of library users across the Tees Valley to create a unique tribute to libraries.
The event also celebrates the 10th birthday of Crossing The Tees Book Festival, so drinks and a celebration cake will be served as you look back on the fabulous events that have been part of the festival’s history.
The festival wraps up with the return of bestselling author Jodi Taylor – and you can even tune in for free via Zoom for a chat with Jodi from the comfort of your own home.
For further information, head to crossingthetees.org.
