Bradford Literature Festival opens for 12th edition, featuring Lemn Sissay, Prue Leith, Husam Zomlot and John Harris

Bradford Literature Festival (BLF), one of Europe’s most inclusive and innovative cultural celebrations, returns for its 12th year this weekend, running from 3 – 12 July 2026 with an expansive and eclectic programme designed to spark dialogue, delight audiences and welcome visitors into the heart of a newly transformed city centre.

Founder and Artistic Director Syima Aslam said:
“Culture is not a luxury. It is a necessity. We are living through a period of profound change. Across the world, people are grappling with questions of identity, belonging, power, meaning and the future. In moments such as these, stories help us make sense of ourselves and the world around us. They allow us to encounter different perspectives, challenge assumptions and engage with complexity.

This year’s programme brings together writers, thinkers, artists and changemakers from across the UK and around the world to explore some of the defining questions of our age. Through literature, history, faith, politics, science and the arts, it invites audiences to think more deeply, listen more carefully, and imagine new possibilities for ourselves, our communities and our shared future.”

Must-see events from the 2026 programme include:

· Prue Leith, the Great British Bake Off presenter, Great British Menu judge, restaurateur, cookery school founder and national treasure joins us for a chat about her Sunday Times bestselling memoir Being Old and Learning to Love It

· Lemn Sissay, acclaimed poet, memoirist and broadcaster, will reflect on stories gathered through the Tell Me Something About Family project, exploring family as inheritance, identity, fracture and belonging.

· Husam Zomlot, Palestinian Ambassador to the UK, returns to Bradford Literature Festival for a major conversation on Palestine, diplomacy and the shifting political landscape of the Middle East.

· Heartstopper actor Bradley Riches joins John Harris for a thoughtful and deeply personal conversation exploring life across the neurodiverse spectrum and growing up autistic

· Join pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz and Matt Majendie for a thrilling look inside the fast-paces world of Formula 1.

· Author Milli Hill, neuroscientist Dr David Cox and public health nutritionist Nureen Glaves come together to discuss the engineered addictiveness of ultra-processed food, and gendered expectations of the food industry

· Join explorer Lucy Shepherd for an exhilarating conversation about Into the Wild, the story of her journey to become an explorer and her world-first expedition across the Amazon’s Kanuku Mountains.

· Hannah Spencer, the trailblazing Green Party MP for Gorton and Denton, joins us to reflect on her journey from working-class tradeswoman to Westminster.

· Join Dr Xavier Aldana Reyes and Duncan Gates to discover the dark and fascinating world of J.B. Priestley’s Benighted in this compelling panel exploring the novel’s place within the tradition of British Gothic literature