Time: 7.30 pm

Get ready for an evening of comedy and laughter, as the Banksy of poetry takes us through the hows, whys and whats of reading, writing and enjoying poetry every day.

The full title of this talk is 'How to lay an egg with a horse inside - an alternative guide to writing and enjoying poetry'.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Ideas, Books, Action.

A new team, a new vision. Details currently being announced. Follow the links...

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 12.00 pm

Does art have to be beautiful? What if it can be useful instead? In this cutting-edge book, Professor John Byrne shows how the concept of Useful Art is bringing people together, recovering and preserving local skills and knowledge and reclaiming artistic endeavour for real-world good.

John Byrne is Professor of Useful Art at Liverpool School of Art and Creative Industries.

In The Thoughtful Spot.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 4.00 pm

The Johnson era will be remembered for a series of scandals that severely eroded trust in the British government. From questionable PPE tenders and public appointments to the 'partygate' fiasco, every aspect of public life seemed tainted. How did this downward spiral begin, and what can be done to reverse it?

In his eye-opening new book, veteran KC John Bowers presents a fearless examination of the decline in ethical standards before, during and after the Johnson government. Confronting the failings of the current system, Downward Spiral presents concrete proposals for creating an alternative that is more transparent and accountable.

In The Thoughtful Spot.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 10am-5pm

A vibrant day of community, creativity, fun and hope for the planet we love.

Live entertainment, Fun amily activities, Eco stalls, workshops, food and drink.

Part of the TW Literary Festival for 2026

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 2.00 pm

A writing workshop at The Pump Room.

An opportunity to work with award-winning novelist Monique Roffey to read, discuss, think and write about how we need new heroes and new stories for our times. Indeed, how we need to think magically, maybe even think like a mountain.

Bring yourself, something to write on and be ready to dive in.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 5.30 pm

Join Sunday Times No.1 bestselling poet Donna Ashworth and journalist and presenter Davina McCall MBE for an uplifting and deeply personal evening.

Following the phenomenal success of her breakout bestseller Wild Hope, Donna's words have become daily companions for millions, allowing us to find calm in the chaos and enjoy embracing the unexpected moments.

This night will remind us that love and grief are intertwined, and life's true treasure lies in those we hold most dear. 

This intimate evening will include readings from Donna, an audience meditation, and space for questions.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 12.00 pm

An event for multi-generational Whovians - this is a story of change, mystery and the importance of imaginary characters in our lives.

Able to evolve and adapt more radically than any other fiction, Doctor Who has acted as a mirror to more than six decades of social, technological and cultural change while always remaining a central fixture of the British imagination.

Join John Higgs - in conversation with Chris Shaw - to find out more about the omnipresent yet elusive character that is The Doctor.

In The Calverley Pavillion.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 2.30 pm

Please join us to celebrate the hundredth birthday of Winnie the Pooh - one of our most beloved bears.

In this new biography Gyles Brandreth tells the remarkable story of A A Milne - and of the 'bear of very little brain' who went on to become a global phenomenon.

In The Calverley Pavillion.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 4.00 pm

Join the Carnegie Medal-winning author of Lark and Dogs of the Deadlands to hear him talk about his work, how his writing pushes boundaries and tackles numerous issues from ecocide to bullying and get a sneak preview of his new book - Birdlands.

In The Calverley Pavillion.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 3.00 pm

Join author, editor and poet Dr Darren Freebury-Jones to find out more about the early modern authors who helped to shape Shakespeare's beloved plays. Using the latest techniques in textual analysis Shakespeare's Borrowed Feathers offers fresh insights into Shakespeare's artistic development and shows us new ways of looking at the masterpieces that have enchanted audiences for centuries.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 8.00 pm

You are invited to spend an evening with Georgie Jones, a writer and performer known for her humour and heart. 

Georgie's one-woman shows combine spoken word, stand up and storytelling and has been praised for her warmth and wit by press and public alike.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 7.00 pm

Later Life Letter tells the story of Luke Wright's adoption - the life he leads, and the one he might have done. 

Wright navigates his audience through a warm and honest hour of poems and stand-up with the wit, pathos, and silliness that has made him one of the most popular live poets in England.

At the Old Auction House

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 2.00 pm

Richard Tyrrell is a poet, playwright and novelist. His poems have been published widely in literary magazines, and he was a trustee of the UK Poetry Society, serving as its first Irish Chairman.

The Fox of Kensal Green is his first novel.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 2.00 pm

Retelling the origins of Camelot from a feminist perspective.

Most people would say the legends of Camelot begin with the sword in the stone. But novelist and poet Sam Davey sees things differently. For her, the story starts a generation earlier - with Igraine, the mother of King Arthur. In her retelling, Davey shifts the focus from swords and sorcery to the women, the politics, and the untold perspectives that shaped the myth. Her feminist approach breathes new life into these timeless tales, offering a fresh lens on familiar legends.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 2.00 pm

Join Dr Lambros Fatsis, senior lecturer in criminology at the University of London, as he discusses his book Policing the Beats - Black music, racism and criminal injustice.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 7.30 pm

Join the 'Sherlock Holmes of Nature' to find out more about the world around us. In his new Sunday Times bestselling book The Hidden Seasons, Tristan Gooley shows us how to read the clues that the sun, moon, stars, plants, fungi, animals, water and weather give us - but that we continually miss, because we don't know how and where to look.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 10.00 pm

Join Iain Dale, the author, journalist, presenter and satirist, in conversation with Tunbridge Wells MP Mike Martin, discussing Iain's sparkling short biography of Margaret Thatcher, which brings her to life and explores her complex paradoxes, contradictions, and lasting impact on British politics.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 3.00 pm

In Catherine, Essie Fox breathes new life into Wuthering Heights, transforming a gothic masterpiece into a haunting confession of obsession, madness and love that even death cannot end.

Join gothic historical author Essie Fox, in conversation with Stephanie Bramwell-Lawes (author of Thornby Manor) as they discuss perhaps the greatest tragic love story ever told - but this time, Catherine tells it herself.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

Time: 5.30 pm

Join Andy Beckett, British journalist and historian to find out more about the Seventies - probably the most important and fascinating period in modern British political history. They encompass strikes that brought down governments, shock general election results, the rise of Margaret Thatcher and the fall of Edward Heath, the IMF crisis, and the three-day week. But the seventies were also a time of volatility and excitement, from the Gay Liberation Front to the hippie anarchists of the free festival movement.

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Part of the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival collection of events.

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