Exeter City of Literature is now a registered charity!

One year after appointing its inaugural Director, Exeter UNESCO City of Literature has transformed from a project housed within the University of Exeter to a registered charity and independent organisation!

Exeter City of Literature's vision is for everyone to grow a love of stories and storytelling. Working with local communities in Devon, and global communities through the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, we aim to cultivate and create high-quality programming with books and storytelling at the heart.

With financial support from Arts Council England, Exeter City Council, and Exeter College, the City of Literature is poised to become an integral part of the city's cultural and creative landscape.

In 2021, the City of Literature produced The Book Market. Hosted by historic Powderham Castle, this was the first of its kind in the region, bringing together 13 independent bookshops from across South Devon and visited by over 500 book-lovers. 

We brought bibliotherapy to young students and their parents, with esteemed bibliotherapist Susan Elderkin working with 15 families from Whipton Barton Junior School in a pilot bibliotherapy programme – something we’re excited to expand on in 2022.

We commissioned Age UK’s Men in Sheds to build an official Little Free Library for the new Exeter Stagecoach Bus Station, a beautifully crafted and totally adorable addition to a local transport hub.

2021 also saw the launch of the Exeter City of Literature Partnership Network, bringing together local groups, businesses, and creative institutions for collaboration on event planning, public programming, and resource sharing around literary activity. 

2022 so far has been shaping up wonderfully – we received our second Arts Council grant to help us deliver dynamic programming and projects throughout Devon.

In February, we joined forces with Exeter’s Trans & Non-binary Cafe, Exeter Decolonising Network, Bookbag, Exeter College, and other LGBTQ+ organisations in the city to bring bestselling author Shon Faye to Exeter. This included a public discussion and a writing workshop with local LGBTQ+ young people – the first writing workshop Shon has delivered!

In early April, Barcelona City of Literature will be partnering with the Devon & Exeter Institution, the University of Exeter, and Bookbag – Exeter’s only independent bookshop – for events with Catalan poets, writers, and musicians. 

Thanks to a great partnership with Exeter College, we will also be launching a Bibliotherapy Skills Adult Learning Course in the spring, which will run for nine weeks every term.

In the second half of 2022, we look forward to working with other UNESCO Cities of Literature to bring opportunities to local writers and community groups, as well as a whole host of other exciting projects we cannot wait to share with you! 

About Exeter City of Literature

Exeter was granted the UNESCO Creative Cities designation in 2019 and will hold the UNESCO City of Literature title in perpetuity. Exeter is one of 42 Cities of Literature and one of 295 Creative Cities around the world. Being a part of this global City of Literature network means we can create even more literary opportunities for residents and visitors throughout Exeter and Devon in the years to come.

Anna Cohn Orchard, now Executive Director of Exeter City of Literature, said, "I grew up in Exeter but it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I learned Exeter has 1,000 years of unbroken history around reading and the book trade. There are many stories to unlock in Exeter and many voices to be heard. My hope is that the City of Literature can, among other things, help adults enjoy reading even more, bring international authors and writers here from our sister Cities of Literature, and that local writers will uncover and reinterpret Exeter’s stories.”

Dee Rowett, Exeter City of Literature Board Chair and Exeter College Director of Learning & Teaching, said, “At its core, the City of Literature strives to bring people together to create communities of readers, storytellers, creatives, and book lovers. We want to create energy and excitement in the city and surrounding region based on the UNESCO City of Literature status. We want stories and storytelling to be part of the fabric and identity of Exeter leading to new possibilities for the region. Ultimately, we want the City of Literature to matter and to mean something to the people who live and work here.”