Exeter is a UNESCO
City of Literature
Exeter was awarded a UNESCO City of Literature designation in 2019 in recognition of “outstanding contributions to culture and creativity” and the wealth of literary heritage in the city, thanks to a multi-partner bid.
Exeter City of Literature believes in the power of words to imagine new possibilities for our world. As a charity, we champion stories and storytellers locally and globally, working with partners in the community and with UNESCO Cities of Literature around the world.
We’ve grown a lot since we first became a UNESCO City of Literature in 2019 — So too has our website!
We want to make our website the perfect place for everyone in Devon to see the county’s exciting and diverse array of bookish & storytelling activity.
Your thoughts (good and bad!) will be incredibly helpful in implementing changes in the coming months.
Alongside the survey, we will also be hosting 1-1 feedback sessions and focus groups where attendees will be compensated for their time with National Book Tokens.
We expect these sessions to take place in the first few months of 2026.
Upcoming Literary Events across Exeter & Devon
Silent Book Club in Exeter is returning in 2026 with even more sessions!
Silent Book Club is a global community of readers and introverts, with more than 2000 chapters in 60+ countries around the world led by local volunteers.
Exeter City of Literature began hosting the Exeter branch of Silent Book Club in April 2024. In 2026 we’re expanding to three sessions a month!
If you would like to attend and would benefit from a book token to purchase a brand new release to read at Silent Book Club please contact us and we'd be happy to help.
Writing Resources & Opportunities
The Penguin Book
Vending Machine
comes home to Exeter!
We loved partnering with Penguin Books and Great Western Railway to bring something special to Exeter…
We’ve Unveiled New Literary Artwork at Exeter St Davids Train Station!
A permanent installation of new artwork was unveiled at Exeter St David’s station to celebrate Exeter’s UNESCO City of Literature status on World Book Day (Thursday 7th March).
The artwork, created by local artists Billy Ruffian (an artist alias of Isabel Keen) and Jack Ratcliff, honours Devon’s rich literary history and is supported by Great Western Railway’s (GWR) Customer and Community Improvement Fund.
The artwork located on the footbridge and lift footbridge at the station will be accessible to commuters travelling through Exeter St David’s.
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The Cities of Literature network is growing!
From Wales to Morocco to the Philippines, discover the 10 new cities from across the world that have joined the global UNESCO Cities of Literature network in 2025.
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2025 Wrapped: Year in Review
From an ever growing audience at our bookish events, to an incredible array of continent-crossing collaborations with our fellow Cities of Literature, 2025 has been a great year for Exeter!
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We Speak Literature Here
Let us answer ‘What is a City of Literature?’ via the annual Cities of Literature conference, this year in the utterly gorgeous Ljubljana in Slovenia.
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Introducing our new Public Programmes Manager
Exeter City of Literature is delighted to welcome Dr. Jen McDerra as our new Public Programmes Manager from September 2025 onwards.
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90 years of Penguin in Exeter
We joined forces with Penguin and GWR in July to celebrate the birthday of the powerhouse publisher’s local origins, and Exeter’s global status as a UNESCO City of Literature.
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Three weeks of writing in Spain with Esmie
Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson is a Sunday Times Bestselling author and University of Exeter graduate. In 2024, she spent three weeks on a writing residency in Barcelona UNESCO City of Literature.
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Our beloved vending machine gets a glow-up!
We are celebrating 90 years of Penguin Books in 2025 with a series of themed bookshelves that honour Exeter’s unique global status as a City of Literature!
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Exeter heads to Edinburgh
October marked the twenty-year anniversary of Edinburgh becoming the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature! The City celebrated by hosting the Cities of Literature Annual Conference in October 2024.
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An Interview With Langrove Publishing
We chat with Erin Allgrove from independent Devon publisher Langrove Publishing about Bosun Bob, Devon’s publishing scene and her favourite reading spot.
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New Maps to celebrate UNESCO designation!
Two free maps have been released to celebrate Exeter and the UK’s UNESCO designations, one from the UK National Commission for UNESCO and the other from Exeter City of Lit.
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Places of Independence
Several UNESCO Cities of Literature recently collaborated by sharing a piece of their city that represents independence and freedom for an outdoor exhibition in Lviv City of Literature.
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Book Nooks In Warm Spaces
In 2023, we launched a new campaign to make reading more accessible across Exeter and Devon - we wanted to put books into the hands of those that needed them most.
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Arts Council Funding News!
After becoming a charity and independent organisation in late 2021, Arts Council England have awarded Exeter UNESCO City of Literature National Portfolio Organisation status.
This list is a fantastic overview of new releases in 2025 from Devon writers in one handy place. Is this list missing a Devon author with a 2025 release we should know about? If it’s available on Bookshop.org - contact us!