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The Exeter City of Literature charity has released a new short film to celebrate Exeter’s status as a UNESCO-designated City of Literature. The film features members of its Partnership Network and the literary activity they produce throughout the city, from author events with Quay Words, plays with Beyond Face, festivals with Bookbag, and much more. Exeter was designated a UNESCO City of Literature in 2019 and will hold this title in perpetuity. It recognizes Exeter’s strong literary history, dating back over 1,000 years, and the city’s focus on literature and well-being within its cultural offer.

Exeter City of Literature commissioned local company Preston Street Films to shoot and edit the footage. Performance poet Shaday Barrowes-Bayewunmi recorded the voice-over, and freelance writer Duncan Moreland wrote the script. The film will be shown before all of the Powell & Pressburger and Dance First screenings at Exeter Phoenix in November and December.

Exeter has an unbroken history of reading and writing dating back over 1,000 years when the Exeter Book was created (itself recognized by UNESCO as one of the “world’s principal cultural artefacts”). Since then, the region has inspired writers from Charles Dickens to Agatha Christie; it’s been home to Hilary Mantel and Ted Hughes; and as a UNESCO City of Literature, it has brought world-renowned authors, Ukrainian poets, and international opportunities to the residents, students, and visitors of Exeter.

Anna Cohn Orchard, Executive Director of Exeter City of Literature says;

“Culture shapes and defines a place and we’re proud that the literary sector, in all of its creative forms, is defining Exeter’s future as much as it did its past. There is so much literary and storytelling activity going on in Exeter–this film celebrates that and shows why Exeter is a UNESCO City of Literature. Every organization featured in the film–and the attendees, visitors, and writers connected to them–makes Exeter the vibrant City of Literature it is.”

View the film.

Celebrating Exeter City of Literature on World Book Day

On World Book Day 2022, Exeter College is celebrating its partnership with the Exeter City of Literature and its announcement that it is now a registered charity and independent organisation. This partnership has bought many benefits to the College including learners accessing a wide range of events linked to City of Literature which enhances their studies with the College and their connection back to the cultural and literary capital of Exeter and the wider community. 

Exeter College is firmly embedded in the activity and partnership work which emanates from the City of Literature organisation. One recent example of this in action is the recent Shon Faye event which the College had the pleasure of hosting and saw them working with a range of partners to bring our students and local community together to support LGBTQIA+. Students also had the opportunity to attend a writing workshop with Shon Faye. 

Learners are also benefiting from the strengthening partnerships emerging from the City of Literature which will enhance learners’ personal and potentially professional skills development. Upcoming projects include a Bibliotherapy Skills Adult Learning Course in the spring, which will run for nine weeks every term. 

Dee Rowett, Exeter City of Literature Board Chair and Exeter College Director of Learning & Teaching, said, “I am delighted that we can celebrate World Book Day in collaboration with Exeter City of Literature’s announcement today as a registered charity. We’ve seen so many opportunities emerging for our learners and the wider community as a direct result of Exeter City of Literature and there are some exciting plans to further strengthen the collaboration between Exeter College, Exeter City of Literature and other partner organisations.

“I believe that Exeter City of Literature can make a real difference to the experience of our students here at the college, opening up links to explore stories and storytelling in a way that connects them to the local community, other partner organisations, and to ultimately provide them with some fantastic learning opportunities. We’ve already seen the benefits of this from visiting authors, to writing competitions and broader creative outreach links; I can’t wait to see how our learners engage with Exeter City of Literature over the next few years.” 

To celebrate this partnership and World Book Day, student Linus Day, has designed a bookmark (pictured above) to give out to students in the college Learning Resource Centres. Linus is an A Level student studying Graphics, History and Sociology. 

Speaking about World Book Day, A Level student, Jemima Horne said; “It is important that we recognise books on a day like today because books really increase a person’s empathy and so they are an important thing to have as a part of your life to become a more empathetic person. My favourite book at the moment is Heaven by Mieko Kawakami.” 

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