The Liverpool Literary Festival returns this autumn – and University of Liverpool students can attend for free.
Taking place from Friday 17 to Sunday 19 October 2025, the Festival brings together bestselling authors, sharp minds, and passionate readers for a weekend of inspiring conversation, readings, and a shared love of literature.
To book your place, simply follow this ticket link, choose the ‘UoL Student Ticket’ option, and remember to bring your student ID on the day.
This year marks a special milestone – the Festival’s 10th anniversary – with a line-up featuring bestselling authors, award-winning writers, and cultural voices you won’t want to miss.
Headliner
Mark Kermode – film critic, writer, and musician – will appear in conversation with collaborator Jenny Nelson to discuss their forthcoming book, Surround Sound: The Stories of Movie Music.
Festival Highlights
- Emma Jane Unsworth – BAFTA-nominated screenwriter, bestselling novelist, and UoL alumna – will officially open the Festival weekend.
- Juno Dawson – award-winning Young Adult author – presents Human Rites, the long-awaited final book in her #1 bestselling fantasy series Her Majesty’s Royal Coven.
- Dr Nussaibah Younis – shortlisted for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction – will discuss her powerful novel Fundamentally.
- Chris Shepherd – Liverpool-based artist, writer, and filmmaker – will share insights into his debut graphic novel Anfield Road, a coming-of-age story set in 1980s Liverpool.
Over the past decade, the Festival has welcomed literary greats including Colm Tóibín (Brooklyn), Ali Smith, Sally Rooney, Lemn Sissay, Philip Pullman, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, and alumna Professor Dame Carol Ann Duffy. This anniversary year promises to be just as inspiring.
Location: University of Liverpool’s Victoria Gallery & Museum (Ashton Street, L69 3DR)
Dates: Friday 17 – Sunday 19 October 2025
Whether you’re into fiction, film, fantasy, or just love discovering new voices, the Liverpool Literary Festival is the perfect chance to connect with stories – and it’s all free for UoL students.