Leading lights in comedy, music, poetry and art set to bring colour and culture to Wolverhampton Literature Festival
A diverse mixture of literature, poetry, music and dance is set to be played out over the first weekend of February at venues across Wolverhampton as the popular literature festival returns.
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Taking place across the city’s arts and culture venues from Friday, January 31 to Sunday, February 2, the Festival brings together literature, poetry, music, and dance and features a whole host of performers from literature, film, TV, stage and the written word.
As a pre-festival event, actor and author Jassa Ahluwalia will discuss his book ‘Both Not Half’ and will discuss his mixed-race identity with acclaimed writer, Sathnam Sanghera on January 25.
For more than 25 years, Jassa described himself as ‘half Indian, half English’, navigating a world that questioned his name, language fluency, and cultural identity, while his journey to redefine how people talk about mixed identity offers a call to action that is both personal and universal.
Wolverhampton-born Rob Manuel brings his million-follower social media sensation ‘Fesshole’ to the Newhampton Arts Centre for some of the internet’s naughtiest, funniest, cringiest confessions on January 30 plus a chance for audience members to share their own confessions if they dare.
Renowned comedian and writer Al Murray will bring his passion for history to the festival weekend.
Talking about his new book ‘Arnhem: Black Tuesday’, on January 31, Al Murray will explore the legendary battle of Arnhem, shedding new light on one of history’s heroic failures with his trademark knowledge, wit, and enthusiasm.
The line-up on February 1 includes Abi Daré who returns to discuss her sequel to ‘The Girl with the Louding Voice’, continuing her exploration of resilience and empowerment.
TV presenter and broadcaster, Ashley John-Baptiste, will share his moving story of growing up in the British care system, with his journey of resilience and self-discovery aiming to inspire audiences of all backgrounds.
Closing Saturday night, Jordan Stephens, actor, and author and one half of British hip hop duo Rizzle Kicks, will discuss fame, ADHD, and modern masculinity, offering a deeply personal perspective on mental health and identity.
The Festival will also deliver two free drop-in performances at the Mander Centre.
On Saturday, February 1, people can celebrate the West Midlands’ lyricism with Neone the Wonder and enjoy a day of live music performed by four artists from across the region, while on Sunday, February 2, Flexus Dance will present a pop-up performance of their commissioned piece, ‘Flora’.
Councillor Chris Burden, Wolverhampton Council cabinet member for City Development, Jobs and Skills, said: “With literature, poetry, dance, music and more, the Wolverhampton Literature Festival 2025 promises a weekend of creativity, discovery and connection.
"Be part of the Wolverhampton Literature Festival and celebrate the vibrant arts and culture of Wolverhampton as there’s truly something for everyone and we can’t wait to welcome you.”
To find out more about the festival and to buy tickets to the shows, go to wolveslitfest.co.uk
