New Whitby literary festival partners with Yorkshire’s Ethical Agency Cause UK

The inaugural Whitby Lit Fest is on from November 6 to 9 in venues across town.

The event is an initiative by the Whitby community, with a steering committee of businesses The Whitby Bookshop, Hetty & Betty, North Yorkshire Council Libraries, Visit North Yorkshire, and English Heritage, which looks after Whitby Abbey.

Lois Kirtlan, Committee Chair of the Whitby Lit Fest, said: “Whitby Lit Fest will honour the past and inspire future generations of authors, celebrating the many literary connections to the coastal town.

"The event will be held in November to extend the tourism season beyond the summer and encourage visitors during a traditionally quieter time of the year.”

Lois added: “The inaugural festival will be a strong mix of celebrating writers with links to Whitby, alongside flagship guest authors and literary events with local schools and community groups.

"The creative economy is hugely valuable, not just in terms of boosting visitors during the traditionally quieter month of November to local cafes, restaurants, and hotels, but it can also inspire local people too, with access to quality cultural talks and literary events, which might inspire their own creativity.”

Books can have a transformative effect, and are often a rich source for the TV and film industry.

Clair Challenor Chadwick, Director of Cause UK, said: “Whitby is a brilliant example of how just one book can result in a remarkable legacy.

"Bram Stoker’s Dracula has to be one of the most influential stories of all time, and it is a valuable anchor for Whitby’s tourist economy, so having a literary festival in the town is a brilliant way to build on that.”

Cause UK has provided PR for a number of literary festivals, and currently represents festivals in Ilkley and Bristol.

It’s also supporting the national charity, The Reading Agency, launch its annual flagship Quick Reads scheme for World Book Night, which helps lapsed and non-readers back into the habit.

Ann Chadwick, Director of Cause UK, said: “We’re really excited to be helping to bring the festival programme together, and promote what hopefully will become a fixture on the UK’s literary calendar.”

Details of the inaugural programme will be announced this summer.