Leeds Storytelling Festival returns with a new programme celebrating the National Year of Reading

Delivered by Leeds Libraries in partnership with Wrongsemble and LIVEwire Poetry, the festival aims to inspire creativity, support reading for pleasure, and bring communities together through imaginative experiences.

National Year of Reading 2026 is a major, UK‑wide campaign led by the National Literacy Trust and The Reading Agency, with support from the Department for Education. Aimed at rekindling the nation’s love of books, it seeks to make reading a joyful and meaningful part of everyday life for people of all ages, while helping to reverse the decline in reading for pleasure.

This year's Leeds Storytelling Festival programme offers a wide mix of activities across the city, including interactive storytelling sessions, creative workshops, author talks, pop‑up performances, and live theatre.

The festival will launch on Saturday 14 February with Likkle Lit Fest by Out of Many People, with a day at the historic Leeds Central Library dedicated to Black literature and writing for children and young people. The programme highlights Black narratives, histories and characters written and illustrated by Black creatives, with stories for everyone to enjoy.

The day will also include a guest appearance from Leeds-born musician and author Corinne Bailey Rae, who will be sharing her debut children’s picture book at 1pm in the Music Library.

Other programme highlights include CBeebies Read and Rave on Monday 16 February in the Tiled Hall Café at Leeds Central Library, and A Little Birdy Told Me with Leeds Arts University – a beautiful installation of miniature ‘bird boxes’ hidden among library shelves across the city for children to discover.

Families can also look forward to performances from Fladam and Hoglets theatre companies, Book Trust Storytimes, and a special event with Leeds Book Award‑winning author and illustrator RAMZEE as part of World Book Day celebrations.

Leeds Libraries’ School Library Service is running a spring term author programme, providing schools with affordable, high-quality visits from nine creative professionals, all based in the north. This includes three Leeds‑based authors: Kate Pankhurst (4 March), Salomey Doku (2 March) and Mark Bradley (6 March), supporting children’s creativity and literacy in classrooms ahead of the event.

Councillor Asghar Khan, executive member for communities, customer service and community safety, said:

“Leeds Storytelling Festival is a fantastic way for families across our city to come together, celebrate creativity and discover the joy that reading can bring. By working with partners like Wrongsemble and LIVEwire Poetry, the festival offers children and young people opportunities to experience stories in ways that spark imagination and build confidence. It’s wonderful to see such a vibrant programme returning for 2026, helping to inspire a love of reading that lasts a lifetime.”

Elvi Piper, artistic director of Wrongsemble, said:

“Wrongsemble is thrilled to return as a partner for Leeds Storytelling Festival as it enters its second year. Last year’s edition reached thousands of families across the city, and we’re excited to build on that success with playful, imaginative experiences that inspire children and young people. This year we will be presenting an adaptation of Rapunzel from Bethan Woollvin, and free access to our digital theatre experience Aladdin and the Stolen Stories, thanks to support from Arts Council England.”

Matt Abbott, founding owner of LIVEwire Poetry, said:

"LIVEwire Poetry has always been about inspiring a wide range of voices and making expression through words feel accessible and engaging for as many people as possible. This festival is the perfect vehicle for reaching all ages and backgrounds!"

The festival is a collaboration between three of Leeds’ most creative and community‑focused organisations, celebrating imagination, diversity and accessibility across the city.

For programme details and booking information visit the Leeds Storytelling Festival collection on Leeds Inspired and follow @leedsstoryfestival on Instagram for updates and behind‑the‑scenes previews.

ENDS