In early May we’ll be celebrating seven years of Quay Words in its current form with a jam-packed week of events and workshops, and an exhibition of the brilliant creative work generated during that time, at @exetercustomhouse.bsky.social.

📚 WORDS ALIVE IN LIBRARIES 🌿 Looking for a moment of calm, reflection, and creative inspiration? Explore life writing, nature, and wellbeing with The Flat Place author @noreenmasud.bsky.social 📅 26 March 📍 University of Exeter (Streatham) @swrls.bsky.social @literatureworks.bsky.social

We're really looking forward to this free workshop for young writers (13-18 year old) with Royal Court playwright-in-residence Tife Kusoro. quaywords.org.uk/take-part/yo... Coming up this Saturday at @exetercustomhouse.bsky.social - book your free place now.

Words Alive in Libraries is underway in the south west 📖 If events and author talks around the themes of nature, life writing and wellbeing are of interest to you, head to literatureworks.org.uk/projects/wor... to find out more and to book

Just a few days left to apply to be part of #WordSpace - our talent development programme for emerging writers in the South West - in 2026-27. If you're serious about your writing and you live in the region, this is the next step.

📢 Start your playwriting journey! FREE workshop for 13-18 year olds in Exeter on 7th February: In collaboration with the Royal Court Young Playwrights Award, we’re offering a free playwriting workshop with their playwright-in-residence Tife Kusoro. quaywords.org.uk/young-writer...

During December and January we've been highlighting each of the fantastic, groundbreaking organisations who will partner with Literature Works for the online talent development programme #WordSpace in 2026-27.

From 10am today, watch Plymouth City Council's Holocaust Memorial Day livestream here: www.youtube.com/live/cLpN8rf... This will feature Plymouth Laureate of Words 2025-27, R.C. Thomas, reading a new, very short story, connecting with this year's theme of 'Bridging Generations'.

POSTPONED We are very sorry to announce that due to illness, tonight's online talk must be postponed. A new date will be announced shortly.

⏰ Has January flown by for you too? There's only about a week left to apply to be part of #WordSpace - our talent development programme for emerging writers in the South West - in 2026-27. Grab an application pack here🔗

We’re proud of all that we achieve at Literature Works, and we've just updated our website with the latest overview of Our Impact in 2024-25, with quotes from audiences, participants and practitioners. 🔗 literatureworks.org.uk/our-impact/

It's time for another post about one of the fantastic #WordSpace 2026-27 partners. This week we're highlighting Raise The Bar (@rtbspokenword.com) - a leading live poetry night, running blockbuster spoken word events in Bristol since 2014, and going from strength to strength.

Free / pay what you can workshop on THE SECRETS OF HAIKU coming up at the end of February at Plymouth Central Library: www.ticketsource.co.uk/literature-w... with Plymouth Laureate of Words R.C. Thomas

We are looking for two new Trustees to join the talented and diverse charity board that sets the strategy and oversees our work championing words, stories and new voices around south west England. Details here: literatureworks.org.uk/looking-for-...

📅🌟 The new Plymouth Young City Laureate Issy Powell celebrates 2026 in the first commission of her Laureateship. Read 'Happy New Year' here: literatureworks.org.uk/happy-new-ye...

Whilst our #WordSpace talent development programme is open for submissions (you have until midday on 31st January), we're highlighting each of our fantastic partners.

Looking forward to the next 'Page of Plymouth' online talk from our partners on the project, @roseplayhouse.bsky.social. Booking now open:

🔔 Only two days left to apply to be the poet-in-residence for SOUND: Plymouth Poetry Festival. www.plymouthpoetryfestival.com/festival-res...

We’re pleased to announce a major new project for 2026, Words Alive in Libraries, a fourth partnership with the wonderful @swrls.bsky.social (the South Western Regional Library Service), building on the success of our previous writer tours of libraries around the south west.

We’re proud to support Plymouth’s bid to become UK City of Culture 2029. #geddonplymouth2029

We recently asked our team to reflect on another busy year of activities across the South West, and choose a highlight (or two) from 2025. Read all about our choices on the Literature Works website: literatureworks.org.uk/a-look-back-...

In case you missed the news earlier this month: we’re looking for a March 2026 writer in residence for our Quay Words live literature programme at @exetercustomhouse.bsky.social Details here: quaywords.org.uk/work-with-us... Apply by Sunday 4th January.

We are sad to learn of the passing of Joanna Trollope on 11th December, at the age of 82. She has been a valued patron of Literature Works since 2016, and we were honoured to be amongst the select charities close to her heart that she worked with. 📸 Photograph by Barker Evans

Whilst Literature Works' #WordSpace talent development programme is open for submissions (until the end of January), we're highlighting each of our fantastic partners. This week it's ArtfulScribe - a not-for-profit writer development agency based in Southampton.

Libraries matter and Devon County Council is consulting on proposed changes to library services across Devon. Find out more about what's proposed and have your say by completing the consultation here : devonlibraries.commonplace.is

Kicking off our posts about each of the partner organisations for our online talent programme #WordSpace in 2026-27, this week we're highlighting Artswords.

We've had a glow up... ✨

📢 We’re looking for a poet to take part in another in our series of Gloucester care home residencies in February and March 2026. Apply by 4th January - more details and an application pack here: literatureworks.org.uk/poetry-cares...

SOUND: Plymouth Poetry Festival takes place between 10th – 19th April 2026 and is seeking a poet-in-residence to work with families from underrepresented Plymouth communities across three days during the festival. Download the brief to find out more: literatureworks.org.uk/plymouth-poe...

Could you be the next writer-in-residence for our Quay Words live literature programme in Exeter? We're looking for a writer for the month of March, to produce a commission that audiences can interact with in-situ in @exetercustomhouse.bsky.social in early May.

📢 You can now apply to be part of our online talent development programme, Word Space, for 2026-27. literatureworks.org.uk/applications... Submissions are open throughout December and January, closing at midday on Saturday 31st January 2026.

🎶 Fresh from his brilliant Quay Words residency and a sold-out song cycle event at @exetercustomhouse.bsky.social, Chris Hoban will be running an Introduction to Songwriting workshop on Wednesday 26th November. Limited places, find out more and book yours soon: quaywords.org.uk/events/intro...

There are just a couple of weeks left to apply for TLC Free Reads through Literature Works. This scheme offers low-income writers the opportunity to apply to access The Literacy Consultancy's excellent services cost-free.

Michael Malay joins us for a #QuayWords event this Wednesday evening at @ExeterCustomHouse.bsky.social, discussing his award winning nature memoir Late Light - we can't wait. Get your ticket for just £6 (£4 concessions) and join us: quaywords.org.uk/events/micha...

This November and December, our project funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, ‘Page of Plymouth', offers some unique, free, hands-on workshops, delving into the archives at @theboxplymouth.bsky.social for a glimpse of 16th Century life.

Late Light is a multi award-winning nature memoir, a love letter to the English countryside and some of the creatures which populate it, set against the backdrop of the author Michael Malay’s own journey of discovery as a new arrival to the UK.

If you missed the first 'Laureate of Words' show presented by R.C. Thomas (our new Plymouth Laureate of Words) on the community radio station FCR, you can now listen back on Mixcloud: www.mixcloud.com/ferndale-ctg...

Tonight's song cycle event at @exetercustomhouse.bsky.social with the writer-in-residence for our Voices Aloud season, Chris Hoban, is now fully booked... 🎶 But we've just announced an Introduction to Songwriting workshop with Chris, taking place on Wednesday 26th November 6-8pm.

The NAWE Online Conference 2025 is nearly here! Join us on 7/8 November for THE event for everyone who teaches, facilitates or researches creative writing! 80 inspiring talks & workshops to boost your practice & nurture your own writing. Book bit.ly/3qesnem #NAWEConf25 #InspiringWriting

On Thursday 6th November from 6pm at @karstgallery.bsky.social, join us to celebrate the work of outgoing Plymouth Laureate of Words Rosemarie Corlett from 2023-25, and give a warm welcome to our new PLOW for 2025-27, R.C. Thomas.

Next Monday, the Page of Plymouth online talks in partnership with The Rose Playhouse continue: INTRODUCING PHILIP HENSLOWE’S ROSE - with PROFESSOR GRACE IOPPOLO 📅 Monday 27th October 2025 🕡 6.30pm 💻 online 🎫 £5 /£8 Book via The Rose: www.roseplayhouse.org.uk/whats-on

📢 Devon music & history fans! 📢 Chris, the musician that I have been collaborating with, has been poached by Mark Stoyle! More seriously though, get your tickets now for Chris' performance of songs inspired by the River Exe & quayside, & a discussion of the themes and history with Mark. #Exeter 🗃️

This December at Exeter Custom House, we welcome Eva Meijer, author of Sea Now, as part of her UK tour with publisher Peirene Press. 📅 Weds 3rd December 🕡 6.30pm 📍 @exetercustomhouse.bsky.social 🎫 Book now on the Quay Words website: quaywords.org.uk/events/eva-m... #literatureintranslation

Just two weeks until the Quay Words event with Chris Hoban and Professor Mark Stoyle. 📅 Thursday 30th October 🕡 6.30-7.30pm 📍 Exeter Custom House - ECQT , Exeter Quayside Book now (pay what you can): quaywords.org.uk/events/chris...

This Saturday saw the prizegiving event for our Generation Flash Fiction competition at @exetercustomhouse.bsky.social. Thanks to all the winning and highly commended young writers for reading their work with such confidence, and to everyone who attended for supporting them – it was a great turnout.

This evening, join us online for a talk that will serve as an introduction to the 'Page of Plymouth' project, exploring the lost domestic tragedy of the same name. We're looking forward to Beth and Tim's readings, delving into the true crimes that inspired the lost play by Jonson and Dekker.

This coming Monday 👇🏻 Book your tickets for this first online talk and learn all about the lost play 'Page of Plymouth' and the exciting city-wide project ahead of us.

We’re pleased to announce the winners of our Generation Flash Fiction competition: literatureworks.org.uk/2025-flash-f... Congratulations to all the talented young writers who won prizes or were highly commended, and thank you to everyone who submitted their stories from all around the world.

We are thrilled to announce the first ever Exeter Young City Laureate for 2025-26 – Graci Wakely! We had lots of fantastic applications from Exeter’s young people, but Graci’s application stood out for our selection panel. literatureworks.org.uk/announcing-t... #ExeterYoungCityLaureate

Congratulations to @sophiedumont.bsky.social on the launch of her debut collection 'Sculling', featured in @theguardian.com's latest poetry review roundup.