Ideal for Ages 2 to 5, Tiny Tales promises a joyful, enriching experience that will leave kids giggling and eager for more stories. All sessions will be themed around animals and nature with a different focus each time. Reserve your spot today and let the adventures begin!

Tuesday 11 March to Tuesday 13 May, 10.30am
Venue: Main Bar, Chelmsford Theatre, Fairfield Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1JG
Duration: 45 mins
Tickets: £5.00
Box Office: chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk/event/tiny-tales

Accompanying adult is free
A £2 fee is applicable per transaction
Wheelchair accessible and essential companion tickets must be booked via our Access Scheme

Please note you only need to purchase a ticket for children, adults are free. Every child ticket includes 1 free hot drink for their grown up!

The post Step into a world of wonder and imagination with Tiny Tales appeared first on Essex Book Festival.

Book Week is back back for the first Half Term of 2025, helping your little ones create their very own fairytale adventure.

Become part of our Chelmsford Fairytale and join in with our programme of FREE Book Week activities…

Be sure to share your story book adventures on social media using #CFYBookWeek and tagging @ChelmsfordForYou.

MON 17
Storybook Creations: Mixed Media Collage Workshop

Learn how to make beautiful mixed media collages using vintage book pages. You will be given a secret collage pack to get creative with colours, textures, and tell your own unique story.

Location: John Lewis, Floor 2

Activity Time: Drop-In Sessions 10am – 12:30pm and 1:30pm – 4pm

TUES 18
Book Adventures at Chelmsford Market

Our indoor retail market (ranked one of the top 10 in the UK) is getting involved with this year’s Book Week, and they’ve got…

FREE Beaded Bookmark Workshop – come along and make your very own bookmark in this activity organised by Chelmsford Market and sponsored by Berties Beads. Drop in between 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm to make your own.

Pop-up book stand from local authors… ready for you to buy your next read… including brand new Children’s book ‘The Cute Nute’ by Carley-Ann Osborn. There will be short story sessions of this book at 10am, 11am, 12am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm – along with colouring sheets from the book, illustrated by Carley-Ann herself.

Location: Chelmsford Indoor Market (North Hall – behind the flower stall)

Activity Time: Drop-In Sessions 8:30am – 4pm (see above for specific times)

WED 19
Book Week Bonanza: Family Arts & Crafts

Join us for a day of creativity and fun at The Meadows Shopping Centre as we celebrate Book Week. Dive into the world of storytelling and literature through four exciting art and craft workshops.

Location: The Meadows Shopping Centre

Activity Time: Drop-In Sessions 10am – 2pm

THURS 20
Zine Workshop

Join illustrator and author Hayley Wells to learn how to make your own zine. A zine is a small booklet that anyone can make with just an A4 piece of paper (and a little creativity). They can be funny or serious and include whatever you’re interested in – the best thing about zines is that there are no rules! This workshop is suitable for ages 5+ and all materials will be provided.

Location: High Chelmer Shopping Centre

Activity Time: Drop-In Sessions 10am-11am & 1pm-2pm

FRI 21
Fairytale Facepainting

It’s time to become the character of your very own fairy tale with our free, book week face painters, who will you be transformed into?

Location: High Chelmer Shopping Centre

Time: 10am – 4pm (queue closes at 3:30pm)

https://www.chelmsfordforyou.co.uk/chelmsfordbookweek

The post Chelmsford Book Week This Half Term appeared first on Essex Book Festival.

We were particularly pleased to welcome Fousseny Traore, a Climate Refugee from Mali, who spoke about the environmental devastation that is already happening in parts of Africa as a result of the Climate Emergency, and the very real threat to those who speak out about it.

Read a copy of Fousseny’s deeply moving speech here.

Participants took part in a range of workshops during the day led by Eco-educator/Dramaturg Dr Andrew Burton (University of Essex), Theatre Director/Founder Wise Ram Theatre Company Sofia Bagge, Radio Producer/Presenter Michelle Durrant (Chelmsford Community Radio) and Theatre Director/Founder Mad, Who? Theatre Marina Cusi. This was followed by a feed-back and ‘what next’ brain-storming session.

It was, as ever, a very positive day. To have so many eloquent and motivated young people in one space was inspirational and a real credit to Essex. To welcome Climate Refugee Foussney Traore to speak about his journey from Mali to Colchester, and the personal sacrifices he has made along the way, was both a privilege and deeply moving (see attached photograph c. Essex Book Festival).

Ros Green, Festival Director

The Manifesto for Essex, which was set up in 2020 as part of Essex2020, goes from strength to strength. This year will be working with young people from Harlow to Harwich to help raise awareness of the positive actions everyone can take to mitigate the Climate Emergency. We look forward to celebrating their work as part of this year’s Essex Book Festival.

Thank you to Young Reporter, Ellious Woodroof, for this great write-up about the Youth Climate Summit:

Manifesto For Essex: Art and the Climate Emergency

By Ellious Woodroof,
Colchester Sixth Form College

This article was written by one of our Young Reporters, a scheme that gives 14 to 18-year-old school students a chance to write for a real newspaper. Find out more at the Young Reporter website.

This January I attended ‘Manifesto for Essex’ at Headgate Theatre for my third year.

This event aims to help young people tackle the climate emergency through all forms of art – the focus of this year was theatre.

The opening speech from Foussney Traore (a climate refugee from Mali) was incredibly powerful – he spoke in French with translation to English.

He described how women and girls spend days searching for food and water; how Mali and the Sahel have become Climate Change warzones; how his peoples’ subsistence life is collapsing; and how the work of multinationals is destroying the environment, his home.

There were references to the beauty of nature that his uncle taught him to appreciate, countered by the fragility of how the lakes he used to bathe in had become football pitches.

To combat this, he started an online movement ‘Action Sahel’ and is taking his activism international, warning that although extreme impacts of climate change do not reach the UK currently, it is only a matter of time.

I found someone recounting personal experiences brought home the reality, showing how stories shape our view and therefore our actions.

This was followed by a panel discussion on tackling the Climate Emergency through performance, chaired by Marina Cusi.

The panel included a representative from SPARK Chelmsford (a group giving young people a role in shaping Chelmsford’s cultural identity); Richard from Headgate Theatre’s youth troop; Hattie Philips (studying for a degree in Sustainable Futures, and with experience in many areas of activism such as being a youth ambassador for WWF); and Sofia Bagge from Wise Ram Theatre (a group using theatre to explore the climate crisis in ways which are funny and heartfelt).

There were discussions of how theatre can be a space for play and fun while trying to untangle the mess of the climate emergency.

Theatre is also accessible, only needing a space and an audience to bring people together, communicate ideas and create connections.

Hattie highlighted that simple communication is a creative practice and engaging people on issues is an artform itself.

The discussion also explored how interdisciplinary ideas are becoming more important in education, which is particularly significant for the climate crisis which is a huge web of linked issues.

I then did an Eco-Script writing workshop with Andrew Burton where we generated ideas through questions about emotions – what makes us angry, sad, gives us hope – and then linked these to anecdotes of our own, which was a great exercise in being creatively free with writing.

My final workshop was Eco-Podcasting with Michelle Durant from Chelmsford Community radio, and we interviewed Peter Donaldson (chair of Essex Book festival) about climate and books.

This was a great experience of how immediate and responsive audio journalism can be.

The other workshops included Eco-Performance with Sofia Bagge and Eco-Poetry with Marina Cusi.

I found the event extremely valuable for the discussions it sparked, the community it created and the hope it gives me that action is possible.

The post Manifesto for Essex Climate Action Youth Summit appeared first on Essex Book Festival.

With a special emphasis on coastal heritage, the project centres on inclusivity, working with diverse local communities.

The project aims to gather 150 stories and images reflecting the area’s 3 stretches of coastline.

Community stories

Project partners Essex Book Festival (Harwich and Orford Ness) and Out There Arts (Great Yarmouth) have worked alongside local groups, in collaboration with writers and digital artists, to uncover individual stories and shared narratives through walking tours, heritage site visits and creative expression.

In Harwich, the Essex Book Festival team worked alongside filmmaker Marley Karazimba, wordsmith TriggerBliss, and Kate O’Neill, sound archivist at Essex Record Office. Participants were the Electric Palace Cinema Young Film Programmers, the Connect Without Limits Autism Group, African Families in the UK, and Refugee, Asylum Seekers and Migrant Action (RAMA)

With the support of the National Trust, the creative team of Essex Book Festival, photographer/filmmaker Lucia Barbagallo and writer Emma Kittle-Pey enjoyed access to the internationally important coastal nature reserve Orford Ness. This remarkable experience inspired story-gathering sessions with communities in Orford

In Great Yarmouth, 5 local community groups took part in workshops led by filmmaker Mark Hannant and author Belona Greenwood: Men’s Walk and Talk, a men’s mental health organisation; Heritage for Wellbeing, a mental health organisation created by the Restoration Trust; Stomping Ground, a Great Yarmouth Youth Club for young people aged 11 to 18; Great Yarmouth Refugee Orientation Service; and Herring House Homeless Support Charity

Creative display at the Beach of Dreams Festival

The stories, memories and images from workshop participants will inspire written work, drawings and photographs created by artists, which will be revealed to the public in digital content and designed silk pennants.

The pennants, which are part of the Beach of Dreams national commission, ‘The Beach of Dreams Silks’, will be displayed during free, family-friendly events and walks from 28 to 30 May across Harwich, Orfordness and Great Yarmouth and will remain in the communities as enduring symbols of their stories and identity.

Orford Ness and Harwich, both steeped in history, have different stories to tell – it has been a privilege finding out more about these two extraordinary coastal destinations.

Ros Green
Essex Book Festival Director

We are really pleased to have funded this project in the East of England, where coastal heritage plays an important part in the lives of local communities in three towns with very different histories. Through working with artists, people will have a chance to explore the heritage on their doorsteps, unearth hidden histories and celebrate what makes their towns so special. The project will also enable people to reflect on the future of their places as this coastline changes.

Tamsin Silvey, Cultural Programme Curator
Historic England

The post New Project Celebrates The Coastal Heritage Of Great Yarmouth, Harwich and Orford Ness appeared first on Essex Book Festival.

About the Event:

Based on Snowy Joy (2019) written by Sade Fadipe (an Essex-based children’s author) and adapted for stage by Margaret’s Music Ltd, this vibrant production is a captivating fusion of drama, music, and dance, exploring themes of family, kindness, resilience, refuge, dignity, and community.

Adanah, a lively tween from Lagos, Nigeria, is overjoyed about her first-ever winter holiday to England. With snow topping her bucket list, she’s ready for the adventure of a lifetime. But her plans take an unexpected twist when she stumbles upon Khindamah – The Land of Broken Toys. Here, Adanah reflects on all she has left behind, until she comes face to face with the displaced children of Khindamah, paving the way for the heartwarming tale of the Toysavers.

Directed by Margaret Omoniyi and performed by Community360 Children’s Book Club, Sade Fadipe (its resident author), and motivational speaker and author Dee Lana, the production also features vibrant and inclusive dance performances by Afromoves, Colchester, choreographed by Julia Obasa and her dance group.

Perfect for audiences across generations—from the 60s to the present—and recommended for ages 6 and above, this unforgettable experience will leave hearts warmed and spirits lifted.

Snowy Joy and the Toysavers
Doors 1:30pm, Show at 2pm
Standard: £7, Concessions: £6, Family ticket (for 4 people – at least one child): £22
This show is recommended for those aged 6 years and older

Donate a ticket: There is a Pay It Forward option for this show. You can choose to purchase tickets for families that may not be in a position to afford a ticket to see this wonderful show.
Please email ticketing@colchesterartscentre.com to be in line to receive Pay It Forward tickets.
This show is recommended for those aged 6 years and older

This is a seated show.

Book tickets: Colchester Arts Centre website

Credits

Artists:
Director & Co-Producer, Margaret Omoniyi (Margaret’s Music Ltd)
Author & Co-Producer, Sade Fadipe
Choreographer, Julia Obasa (Afromoves, Colchester)
Illustrators, Tayo Fatunla & Shedrach Ayalomeh
Text, Illustration and Publishing Copyrights: Sade Fadipe

Community Engagement:
Mr Godwin Daudu, (Engagement Officer and Co-ordinator, Community 360 Children’s Book Club).
Mrs Arit Akpan, (Director, Re-Breath CIC, Colchester).

Supported by: Colchester Arts Centre.

The post Snowy Joy and the Toysavers – get ready for an unforgettable experience appeared first on Essex Book Festival.

Free to attend although booking is essential, the Youth Summit provides a platform for young people aged 13-25 years who are passionate about culture and the environment to have their voices heard, build new networks, and explore creative solutions to the Climate Emergency.

This year we will have a strong focus on theatre and performance. If you are a young person or know someone who might be interested in attending the Summit, would like to come along and volunteer on the day, or simply want to find out more about the day, visit the Climate Action Youth Summit event page at essexbookfestival.org.uk.

Climate Action Youth Summit
Saturday 25th January, 10am – 3.30pm
Headgate Theatre, 14 Chapel Street North, Colchester CO2 7AT
Tickets: Free, places limited so booking essential

Registration Link: Climate Action Youth Summit

The post Manifesto for Essex Climate Action Youth Summit appeared first on Essex Book Festival.

Our focus for 2025 is Community. The richness and diversity of Essex. Our extraordinary history and heritage, and the people who have shaped it and continue to shape our wonderful county. Our wonderful coastline and the many islands forming the Essex ‘Archipelago’, which we will exploring with walks, talks, workshops, picnics, swims, and letters to another island across the Globe under the banner of ‘Radical Islands’. We are even heading into ‘Old Essex’ to host an event in Hackney with Hackney Wicked Women thanks to support from the Federation of Essex Women’s Institutes.

Our New Year’s message is clear and simple: block out June!

From Mersea Island to Maldon, Harwich to Harlow, Castle Hedingham to Layer Marney, Colchester to Chelmsford, Braintree to Basildon, Billericay to Grays, and Witham to Southend, Essex Book Festival is coming to a town (or city) near you!

See you soon,
Ros Green
Festival Director

The post Happy New Year appeared first on Essex Book Festival.

Kinetika and Essex Book Festival have been funded by Historic England to gather stories and images of Harwich as part of the national UK wide coastal arts festival Beach of Dreams.

We will design and make 50 silks representing 50 stories from Harwich. These silks will join the national commission – an evolving installation of over 600 silk pennants that will tour the coastlines of the UK in May 2025. beachofdreams.org

They will be installed in Harwich on 28 May where the stories will be shared on a promenade walk led by artist TriggerBliss.

If you would like to contribute a story and design a silk do join Ali’s workshop on 19th Jan. (Free, drop-in, no booking required)

The post Beach of Dreams Silk Design Workshops with Ali Pretty appeared first on Essex Book Festival.

Sub Titles Over will be at Town and Gown (Cambridge) on the 18th of December, 7:30pm.

Set against the backdrop of the Catalan referendum for independence on the 1st of October 2017, the performance unfolds through the eyes of two young anti-fascist activists defending a polling station. As they await the arrival of Spanish police – who have been dispatched to shut down the referendum deemed ‘illegal’ by the Spanish government – tensions rise, and the narrative explores the real-time impact of state censorship and narrative control through subtitles.

The play is performed in Catalan, with English captions.

Through its exploration of how subtitles and translation shape the international understanding of events, Sub Titles Over challenges audiences to think critically about the information we consume from foreign media.

Book tickets at skiddle.com/whats-on/Cambridge/Town-And-Gown-Pub-And-Theatre/Sub-Titles-
Over

The post Don’t miss your chance to see award-winning ‘Sub Titles Over’ end of tour show appeared first on Essex Book Festival.

The true history of tattoo as both art and profession in the West

Thursday 28th November, 7pm
Firstsite, Colchester
Book tickets at eafestival.com

There is a pervasive stereotype of tattoo culture as relating to an underworld of scoundrels, sailors, and ne’erdo-wells, yet it has existed in the West as a professionalized art practice for centuries. Drawing on extensive new research and unprecedented access to largely unpublished private archives of photographs, art, and ephemera, Matt Lodder offers a new perspective on the history of commercial tattooing in Europe and the United States, beginning even before it emerged as a recognizable profession in the mid-nineteenth century. In the process, he shows that the art of tattoo has long been both practiced and commissioned by individuals across economic, gender, and class divides; he also examines the stylistic trends that have shaped tattoo’s development as an art form over its history.

Matt Lodder will introduce the many artists and professionals who shaped tattoo history, including early figures like Martin Hildebrandt, the first-known professional tattoo artist in the West; prominent woman artists like Grace Bell and Jessie Knight; mid-twentieth-century icons like Sailor Jerry and Les Skuse and the Bristol Tattoo Club; and contemporary industry stars including Ed Hardy, Davy Jones, and the Leu family.

Richly illustrated with rarely published images, this important book is the first to examine the history of tattoo in the west as both a serious profession and an art form.

“Importantly, I want to focus in this book almost exclusively on the artists themselves, and their influences, innovations, interconnections… the specific work of the artists has been too often neglected in the understanding of tattooing beyond the industry itself”

Matt Lodder, Introduction

Matt Lodder is a senior lecturer in art history and theory and director of American Studies at the University of Essex.

The post Tattoos: The Untold History of a Modern Art by Matt Lodder appeared first on Essex Book Festival.