What To Expect At The 2024 Brontë Festival Of Women’s Writing

3 months ago

Literature lovers, it's off to Haworth we go

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From Jane Austen to George Eliot, Virginia Woolf to Mary Shelley, plenty of women made a name for themselves in British literary history. Perhaps the most famous literary sisters, however, are the Brontës: Charlotte, Emily and Anne (and an honourary mention for the Brontë brother, Branwell). During their lives, the women published under male pen names, sharing the surname Bell. Charlotte was Currer, author of Jane Eyre (1847); Emily was Ellis, author of Wuthering Heights (1847); and Anne was Acton, author of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848). The sisters – and their legacy – are celebrated year-round by The Brontë Society, but especially in September during the annual Brontë Festival Of Women’s Writing. Here’s exactly what the festival entails, plus what’s happening this year.

Brontë Parsonage Museum (DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

What Is The Brontë Festival Of Women’s Writing?

This year – the thirteenth edition – is part of a full year of events celebrating the formative years of the Brontë family – one of literature’s most famous families. The Brontë Parsonage Museum has been exploring how the childhood of Branwell, Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë shaped them as writers under the theme ‘The Brontës Web of Childhood’. The 2024 Brontë Festival of Women’s Writing includes events for young people as well as for those keen to help the next generation of young people.

The Festival is hosted by The Brontë Society, one of the oldest literary societies in the English-speaking world, founded in Bradford in 1893. The Society’s home is the Brontë Parsonage Museum, which was the home of the Brontë family from 1820 to 1861 and was gifted to the Brontë Society in 1928. The Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of artefacts and documents associated with the Brontë family and their work.

‘The Brontë children were writing and reading from a very young age, creating whole worlds for their own entertainment and completely engrossed in their unique, imaginary cities and complex characters,’ says Angela Clare, Programme Officer for the Brontë Parsonage Museum who has spent months curating a diverse and eclectic programme for the festival. ‘In drawing from their own life to write their poems and stories, they produced work that related to and engaged their readers.

‘It has been a joy to bring together such fantastic guests for the festival and we hope everyone who comes along is inspired to keep reading and writing, especially young people, by understanding just how important it is,’ says Angela. ‘The authors attending have spent years considering the needs of young people and creating work that they will enjoy, learn from and encourage their readers to dream. Seeing them all here, where the Brontë family wrote their own inspirational works from such young ages, sharing and engaging with audiences will be incredibly special.’

What’s On The 2024 Programme?

Every year, a selection of renowned writers descend on Haworth for the Brontë Festival of Women’s Writing. With the theme of childhood for 2024, confirmed writers include former Children’s Laureate Dame Jacqueline Wilson, bestselling YA novelist Bea Fitzgerald, Wildsmith author Liz Flanagan, and author and English teacher Carol Atherton.

Meanwhile, grown ups can enjoy talks from literary agent Clare Wallace sharing tips for aspiring writers, Guardian columnist Lucy Mangan discussing the role of women like the Brontë sisters in inspiring writers and illustrators over the last century, a poetry writing workshop from Monika Radojevic, and plenty more.

There will also be an accompanying programme of workshops for all ages, tapping into subjects around childhood, nostalgia and, of course, the Brontës.

See the full festival programme here.

When Is It?

The 2024 Brontë Festival Of Women’s Writing will run from 20–22 September.

Where Is The Brontë Festival Of Women’s Writing?

The Brontë Festival of Women’s Writing is hosted at the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth (Keighley, West Yorkshire BD22 8DR), as well as locations in the local area, including:

West Lane Baptist Church
Old School Room
Parson’s Field

How To Get Tickets

The Brontë Festival of Women’s Writing includes an array of talks, panels, workshops and performances, with an array of ‘Words on the Street’ events being available to visit for free.

Tickets for talks, panels and workshops are priced at £7pp for everyone over the age of 12, and under 12s need to be accompanied by a paying adult. Explore all events and book your slot here.

Also available is a Weekend Festival Pass, allowing entry to all nine talks and panels across three days, plus an invite to the Festival Launch Party on Friday; workshops, however, need to be booked separately. The Pass costs £45pp and can be booked here.

If you can’t make it up to Haworth, rest assured that all events will also be live streamed, making the Brontë Festival of Women’s Writing accessible to audiences across the globe. The Digital Festival Pass costs £30 and includes all nine talks and panels, but sadly not the workshops or street theatre. You’ll be sent links to watch live or in your own time, with the recordings lasting for one month.