What's On

‘I was born with a strange longing for people and times I have never known. Reading and writing about them, creating a whole new world, within the outlines of what we know, is the perfect way of getting closer to them.’ Kathleen Vereecken has had a lifelong fascination with the Ghent Altarpiece, painted by Hubert […]

Boiler House Press is a new publisher of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and everything in-between. They are based at the University of East Anglia, home of the world-renowned Creative Writing MA, and a burgeoning world centre for creative-critical writing studies. Boiler House are passionate about writing that breaks a mould; that surprises; that plays with-and-between the creative and […]

with John Dennehy, Mariam Khan, Nazli Tabatabai-Khatambakhsh & Yann W. Tanoé Do you feel like your voice is lost in the crowd? Does the onslaught of social media overwhelm you? Challenge yourself and your ideas in this lively, interactive event designed to make you stand up and listen, share your beliefs and positively engage with change. […]

Are you prepared to hand over the Festival? Join a group of young change-makers as they explore social activism and create a space to question ideas and controversies. Handover is a brand-new festival in a day programmed and promoted by young people, featuring dynamic events which explore our social-political climate and the power words have […]

John Dennehy, an award-winning writer and journalist for Vice and the Guardian, invites you to join him for a critical conversation about immigration, borders, and activism. In a climate defined by edges and division, can words be the way to break the wall? John’s debut book, Illegal: A True Story of Love, Revolution and Crossing […]

Who am I? How do I feel? Where is my place in society? Join three young, talented and outspoken authors as they explore identity, mental health and how to negotiate the landscape of our divided world. Holly Bourne is the bestselling author of Am I Normal Yet? and How Do You Like Me Now?, described […]

One of Scotland’s leading spoken word poets brings the world premiere of her newest show This Script to Norwich. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, Jenny Lindsay uses spoken word poetry performance to explore key questions in sexual politics, gender, feminism and the culture wars. As an acclaimed performer, Jenny has appeared across the […]

Discover what makes the historic Dragon Hall in Norwich the ideal choice for your picture perfect wedding day! Join us any time between 11am – 4pm for a tour of the 15th-century oak-beamed Great Hall, contemporary glass Foyle Gallery and beautiful bordered garden. Get a glimpse of how your day could look and feel, with […]

We are thrilled to welcome back the Baileys and Goldsmiths prize-winning, Man Booker shortlisted author for the next instalment in her remarkable, once-in-a-generation masterpiece, the Seasonal Quartet. Ali Smith is one of our generation’s warmest, wittiest and finest writers. ‘[Smith] sums up for me the sense of division and dislocation in our country and across […]

World Premiere We are primed to believe that extroverted speakers can be trusted, and that sensitivity is a weakness… but are we selling ourselves short? In her highly-anticipated solo stage show, writer and performer Hannah Jane Walker will use stories, games and poetry to investigate toughness, authority and how weakness might just be our strongest […]

Guardian journalist Aida Edemariam and award-winning writer Sinéad Gleeson present two intimate portrayals of ‘ordinary’ women who find boldness and bravery within the constraints of their bodies, time and place. Examining art, memory, gender, grief, and our ways of seeing, their writing is both deeply personal and universal in its resonance. In The Wife’s Tale, […]

Fully booked! To join the waiting list for this event please email info@nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk Come and explore the historic Dragon Hall, now home to the National Centre for Writing, and take a guided tour of one of Norwich’s most iconic buildings with historical novelist Sarah Bower. Starting life as a medieval trading hall, it has a […]

Kerry Hudson is proudly working class but she was never proudly poor. The poverty she grew up in was all-encompassing, grinding and often dehumanising. Always on the move with her single mother, Kerry attended nine primary schools and five secondaries, living in B&Bs and council flats. Twenty years later, Kerry’s life is unrecognisable. She’s a prizewinning […]

Eavesdrop on an intimate conversation between two of the most influential and critically-acclaimed writers of our day: Man Booker Prize judge and nominee Sarah Hall and New York Times/Paris Review contributor and Nabokov expert Lila Azam Zanganeh. Together, they will indulge in a no-holds-barred discussion of sex, death and everything in between. ‘The woman is […]

with Kate Clanchy Kate Clanchy, a prize-winning poet, wants to change the world and thinks school is an excellent place to do it. In this interactive event based on her candid, funny and moving new book, she invites you to meet some of the kids she has taught in her 30-year career, and to celebrate […]

with Adelaide Ivánova and Rachel Long How does the language of poetry deal with sex, trauma and the pressures of gender expectation? Join us for an hour of empowering conversation and beautiful poetry from Brazilian poet, activist and artist Adelaide Ivánova and her translator Rachel Long. Ivánova’s award-winning collection, The Hammer, explores the slippery, politically […]

Our greatest works of literature are often inspired by moments of seismic change. Journeying from Turkey to Iceland, award-winning travel writer Nicholas Jubber takes us on a fascinating adventure through our continent’s most enduring epic poems – from the Odyssey to Beowulf – to learn how they were shaped by their times, and how they […]

with Tom Bolton & James Meek Since the referendum in 2016, the nation has been split into two; one-half dreaming of leaving, the other of remaining. Tom Bolton (Low Country, Vanished City) and James Meek (Private Island, 2015 Orwell Prize winner) have searched the UK landscape for political folk legends and forgotten stories which may […]

Priyamvada Gopal is a senior academic and critical public figure who regularly draws attention to racism and sexism in Britain. Join her for the launch of Insurgent Empire; a timely discussion of empire and an alternative history of our country’s proud tradition of dissent. Priyamvada will be joined on stage by Chitra Ramaswamy, a freelance journalist and […]

Fully booked! To join the waiting list for this event please email info@nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk Come and explore the historic Dragon Hall, now home to the National Centre for Writing, and take a guided tour of one of Norwich’s most iconic buildings with historical novelist Sarah Bower. Starting life as a medieval trading hall, it has a […]

The Harriet Martineau Lecture celebrates the legacy of a remarkable, world-changing woman by inviting globally-renowned radical writers to respond to her life and work. This year we welcome Sarah Perry, the Norwich-based author of The Essex Serpent and Melmoth. Supported by The Martineau Society. Check out the BBC Radio 4 Harriet Martineau Podcast. ‘Perry’s masterly piece […]

with The Book Hive Fully booked! To join the waiting list for this event please email info@nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk When was the last time you sat in the sun and enjoyed a good book? Join us for the first outdoor Page Against the Machine in partnership with The Book Hive and Stranger’s Hall Museum. BYOB (Bring your own […]

with Jan Carson and Inua Ellams Two spectacular new voices in literature transport us into wildly magical settings. The Fire Starters (shortlisted for the European Prize for Literature) by Jan Carson is a tale of fierce familial love and sacrifice that fizzes with wonder. The Half-God of Rainfall by Inua Ellams is an epic story […]

with Andrew Cowan, S.A. Harris, Andrew McDonnell and Simon Okotie We take enormous pleasure in celebrating 20 years of Salt Publishing, one of the UK foremost independent publishers based in Cromer, Norfolk. Join us for the launch of four highly-anticipated titles; Your Fault by Andrew Cowan, Haverscroft by S.A. Harris, The Somnambulist Cookbook by Andrew […]

with Rose George Why is blood such a taboo subject? In Nine Pints, Guardian journalist and acclaimed writer Rose George begins by donating to the NHS Blood and Transport Service. From there, she spans science and politics, storytelling and global epidemics to tell an astonishing account of this life-giving substance. ‘An absorbing, vital book by […]

Fully booked! To join the waiting list for this event please email info@nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk Come and explore the historic Dragon Hall, now home to the National Centre for Writing, and take a guided tour of one of Norwich’s most iconic buildings with historical novelist Sarah Bower. Starting life as a medieval trading hall, it has a […]

In The Spectacle of Illusion, professional magician-turned-psychologist Matthew Tompkins traces the evolution of the arts of magic and illusion. Featuring witches, magicians, illusionists, hypnotists, mediums and faith heals, Tompkins provides a taste of their tricks and how illusions have been used to sway belief and fool people. Part of the Wellcome Collection’s ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ […]

Dr Richard Shepherd is the UK’s foremost forensic pathologist, working on some of the most high-profile cases of the past 30 years such as Harold Shipman and Stephen Lawrence. Unnatural Causes is the true crime book of the year; a thoughtful, revealing, chilling and bizarre record of an extraordinary life and profession. ‘An absolutely brilliant […]

with Ian Jack and Sigrid Rausing From Nobel laureates to debut novelists, international translations to investigative journalism, Granta magazine has been publishing intelligent, ground-breaking writing for 40 years. Over the years it has featured Haruki Murakami, George Saunders, Julian Barnes, Maggie O’Farrell, Sally Rooney, Han Kang and many others. Here, Granta editor Sigrid Rausing and […]

Come and explore the historic Dragon Hall, now home to the National Centre for Writing, and take a guided tour of this fascinating building. Learn more about the architectural and social history of this 15th Century building from an experienced volunteer guide. Dragon Hall has had a fascinating and colourful history – starting life as […]

Javier Cercas, Christina Hesselholdt, Pajtim Statovci & Lina Wolff In response to the changes faced by Europe, literature can offer new and challenging views on our identity, history and diversity. We are delighted to welcome four of the most exciting writers from across the channel to Dragon Hall to share their stories and experiences as part […]

Join Norwich’s writing community for a free evening of conversation, ideas and support each month. Open to anyone who makes, reads and works with words, the Dragon Hall Salon is an opportunity to grab a drink from the bar, meet people, cook up plans and compare notes, to talk books, and to hear what’s happening […]

The National Centre for Writing opened its doors in the heart of Norwich UNESCO City of Literature in June 2018. Today, Programme Director Peggy Hughes will share the backstory of NCW, how they work with writers and readers, and how you can get involved. There’ll also be an opportunity for you to share your ideas about what a home […]

Do you work in a school in Norfolk? If so, the National Centre for Writing is keen to meet you! We’re inviting Norfolk teachers, librarians and school staff to Dragon Hall and our new Education Space for conversation, cake and to hear about your school and the inspiring work you do in your classrooms. There […]

Albanian-Swiss author Elvira Dones will discuss the journey of her novel Sworn Virgin into English with her translator Clarissa Botford and publisher Stefan Tobler. The panel, chaired by Rosie Goldsmith, will also explore issues of multilingualism and multiculturalism in the literary sphere. Sworn Virgin is about Hana, a woman seeking independence in Albania by following […]