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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · 7d

Check out the full programme at ilkleylitfest.org.uk

#ILF25 #Ilkley #Bradford #bookfestival

Ilkley Literature Festival

Home page -

ilkleylitfest.org.uk

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · 7d

Did you know we also programme and run the annual Ilkley Literature Festival? Ilkley Lit Fest is the longest-running book festival in the north (and the first in the north!). ILF runs until Sunday 19 October, with events on topics ranging from politics & poetry to comedy & cavapoos (yes, really). 📚

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · 18d

Huge thanks to our partners at BBC Arts, @bradford2025.co.uk , @artscouncilengland.bsky.social and to the people of Bradford.

📸 the brilliant Rich Bunce, Walking Photographer

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · 18d

CSL, you did not disappoint! Thank you to every poet, artist, audience member, volunteer and partner who made this year's Contains Strong Language festival possible. It was a fantastic turn out and we're still revelling in the afterglow of a luminescent celebration of spoken word and poetry 🎤

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Sep 9

A huge congratulations to Claire Lynn, one of our 2024 New Northern Poets, on being shortlisted for the Forward Prize's Best Single Poem for her poem Live Stream! 👏

forwardartsfoundation.org/in-conversat...

In Conversation with Claire Lynn - Forward Arts Foundation

When did you start writing poetry and what drew you into it? I remember writing poems as a child, and...

forwardartsfoundation.org

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Aug 6

Nothing like a cuppa and picking out which Contains Strong Language events you're going to book...

CSL comes to Bradford 18-21 Sept, with broadcasts, workshops, new playwriting, poetry and spoken word, and exclusive performances: bradford2025.co.uk/programme/bbc-contains-strong-language/

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Reposted by Word Up North

Keiron Higgins. @keironhiggins.bsky.social · Aug 4

as people have been asking me, you now get tickets to see me perform at these dates form the BBC contains strong language event. i'm playing the St. George's Hall, who for my own history saw Motorhead there as my first proper gig in 2006. tickets available HERE www.bbc.co.uk/events/ewbv9...

Contains Strong Language 2025 - CSL Poetry Gala: Part II

The second part of our very special events with our Core CSL Poets on the same bill for the first time. Part II includes: Nabeela Ahmed, Andy Craven-Griffiths, Imtiaz Dharker, Kate Fox, Keiron Higgins...

www.bbc.co.uk

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Aug 4

There are 50 FREE events, including BBC radio broadcasts, workshops, new playwriting, poetry and spoken word, and exclusive performances. Check out the programme here: bradford2025.co.uk/programme/bbc-contains-strong-language/

BBC Contains Strong Language | Bradford 2025

The UK’s biggest poetry and performance festival comes to Bradford.

bradford2025.co.uk

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Aug 4

All events are now bookable for the BBC Contains Strong Language festival coming to Bradford 18-21 September! We're proud partners, alongside BBC Arts and Bradford City of Culture, in bringing CSL to Bradford for the first time.

Book now! bradford2025.co.uk/programme/bbc-contains-strong-language/

Bradford poet Kirsty Taylor stands atop a trolley, wearing a brightly coloured outfit and holding a microphone. The text reads: BBC Contains Strong Language. Poetry, spoken word & performance, 18-21 Sept 2025 Bradford. Along the bottom are the logos for Arts Council England Lottery Funded, Bradford City of Culture 2025 and Word Up North.

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Reposted by Word Up North

Bradford Schools and Colleges of Sanctuary @bradford-scos.bsky.social · Jul 10

We're delighted to have supported this project by @thewordupnorth.bsky.social with three of our Schools of Sanctuary in Bradford District exploring what it means to feel welcomed, especially for people seeking sanctuary seekers arriving in our city.

Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jul 10

Wonderful to see coverage of 'You're Welcome' in the @yorkshirepost.co.uk! Our creative project with primary schools in Bradford and Schools of Sanctuary explores what it means to feel welcomed, especially for refugees and sanctuary seekers.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/arts-and-cul...

Creative writing and visual art project celebrating refugees and asylum seekers

Arts and culture are powerful tools through which to explore sometimes complex issues while also allowing us to find connections as human beings. A project currently running in Bradford is a perfect e...

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jul 10

Wonderful to see coverage of 'You're Welcome' in the @yorkshirepost.co.uk! Our creative project with primary schools in Bradford and Schools of Sanctuary explores what it means to feel welcomed, especially for refugees and sanctuary seekers.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/arts-and-cul...

Creative writing and visual art project celebrating refugees and asylum seekers

Arts and culture are powerful tools through which to explore sometimes complex issues while also allowing us to find connections as human beings. A project currently running in Bradford is a perfect e...

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk

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Reposted by Word Up North

Nora Blascsok @nblascsok.bsky.social · Jul 3

Some more exciting news! 👀

Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jul 3

*Drumroll please*... We are delighted to announce this year's cohort of New Northern Poets!

Keep an eye on our socials to track their journeys as New Northern Poets, and find out more about this year's group here: buff.ly/x40pEXw

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jul 3

You can follow some of our NNPs here on Bluesky!

Nóra Blascsók: @nblascsok.bsky.social
Rachel Curzon: @rcurzon.bsky.social
Vanessa Napolitano: @moette.bsky.social
Laura Strickland: @l-strickland.bsky.social

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jul 3

These six rising poets based in the north will receive 1:1 mentoring from experienced poets at the University of Leeds Poetry Centre and take part in a series of commissions, including podcasting, leading workshops and reading groups, to help develop their poetic practice and expand their network.

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jul 3

*Drumroll please*... We are delighted to announce this year's cohort of New Northern Poets!

Keep an eye on our socials to track their journeys as New Northern Poets, and find out more about this year's group here: buff.ly/x40pEXw

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jun 25

Bards of Bradford is part of a series of community projects run by Word Up North in Bradford this Summer, giving everyone the chance to explore, enjoy and create poetry. They run in the build up to BBC’s Contains Strong Language poetry festival (18-21 Sep), supported by Arts Council England.

Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jun 25

Nabeela, our Travelling Poet, is setting out across Wyke, Laisterdyke and Holmewood. She's touring libraries, community groups and even bus stops, barbers, takeaways and taxi ranks until September. Look out for her distinctive backpack and get involved by sharing your favourite poems.

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jun 25

Introducing Bards of Bradford! We are so excited to be working with the inimitable Nabeela Ahmed and the team at Bradford Libraries to celebrate and share the people's poetry of Bradford.

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jun 17

You're Welcome is part of an exciting array of community engagement projects we're delivering across Bradford, showcasing the poetry of the people. All in partnership with Bradford 2025 and BBC's Contains Strong Language, supported by Arts Council England. Keep an eye out for more exciting updates!

Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jun 17

The sculpture will be on display over Sat 20 and Sun 21 September at the BBC's Contains Strong Language Festival as part of Bradford 2025 - so you can come check it out!

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jun 17

Over the coming weeks students will also get to work with visual artist Emma Denby to create designs of their poems to share, printing them onto coir welcome mats that will be fabricated into a welcome sculpture!

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jun 17

Students from these three primary schools (which have been awarded Schools of Sanctuary status) will be creating poems with Furaha and Rachel in response to the question: "what does it feel like to be welcomed?"

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jun 17

This week students from three primary schools in Bradford are taking part in creative workshops led by two brilliant creative facilitators, poet and novelist Rachel Bower and singer and storyteller Furaha Massanzi.

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jun 17

Did you know that this week is Refugee Week? The perfect time to kick off You're Welcome, a creative project that celebrates refugees and sanctuary seekers through poetry and visual art 👋

#RefugeeWeek #Bradford2025 #cityofsanctuary #schoolsofsanctuary

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Word Up North @thewordupnorth.bsky.social · Jun 16

You can find out more about the amazing work the Green Therapy Team are doing in Bradford here: vimeo.com/1074611197

Aireheads forms part of our BBC Contains Strong Language and @bradford2025.co.uk community engagement programme this summer, supported by @artscouncilengland.bsky.social‬

Green Therapy Projects

This is "Green Therapy Projects" by Bradford District Care Trust on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

vimeo.com

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