With only six weeks to go until the start of this year's Essex Book Festival, our organisers aare pleased to share some of the great events on offer across our county. Launching with Essex-Icon artist Grayson Perry, the Festival swiftly moves on to a wide range of author events, including Louis de Bernieres, Helen Dunmore and Vince Cable. We also have a variety of creative writing workshops and master-classes for all levels. Plus two very special new events for 2016: our inaugural Ceilidh at Firstsite Gallery in Colchester, and our Classic Golden Age Film Night The Park Inn Palace Hotel in Southend-on-Sea. Read more: all events Tickets are selling fast – make sure you don’t miss out!

Write It New – Four Creative Writing Laboratories 30 Jan, 6 Feb, 13 Feb & 20 Feb Essex Book Festival and University of Essex team up for a series of new adventurous creative writing workshops that are open to everyone. Read more

Join us for The Golden Age of Crime Weekend in Southend-on-Sea Sat 5 & Sun 6 March 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of ‘Golden Age ‘ crime-writer Margery Allingham. Join us for a weekend of international author events, classic films and workshops to celebrate Margery’s life and work. Read more

Brave New Reads. Looking for something brilliant to read? Tues 8 March Writers’ Centre Norwich brings its shared reading programme Brave New Reads to Southend Libraries. Chosen by readers, for readers, the project launches with writer-in-exile Hamid Ismailov. Read more

Building a Boat – Essex Book Festival’s inaugural Ceilidh Sat 19 March Put on your dancing shoes and join us for a magical evening compeered by Colchester poet Adrian May and award-winning storyteller Glenys Newton. Music by Martin Newell and The Hosepipe Band. Read more

Writing on the Inside: a creative writing project with prisoners Sun 6 March Essex Book Festival is delighted to be working with partners and prisoners at Chelmsford Prison on a number of workshops culminating in special event at The Forum in Southend. Read more

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