Norwich: 900 years a literary city

Posted: Monday Nov 20, 2017

Ōtepoti – He Puna Auaha, Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature is excited to welcome you to the Creative Cities Southern Hui Tuesday 28 November – Saturday 2 December

As the countdown to the Hui begins we will send you programme updates and teasers to whet your creative appetite!

Norwich is a small but literary powerful city, located in East Anglia, approximately 100 miles (161 km) North-East of London.

The first city in England to be granted UNESCO City of Literature status in 2012, swiftly joined by Nottingham in 2015 and Manchester this year, Norwich celebrates 900 years of literary heritage and a vibrant, ever-thriving creative climate.

‘When we applied for the accreditation we were driven by the conviction that Norwich had a fantastic literary heritage, a vibrant contemporary reading ecology and the conditions in place for an exciting future.’
- Chris Gribble, Writers’ Centre Norwich

Writers’ Centre Norwich led the successful bid for the city to gain the UNESCO City of Literature status, and now they embark on an exciting journey to become the National Centre for Writing (NCW) in 2018.

Due to open in summer next year, NCW will celebrate the best in world literature, and provide a multipurpose cultural venue, high-tech education space and on-site residence for writers and translators.

‘The National Centre for Writing will be a place to embody our UNESCO designation; a physical centre where people could come and learn more about our city, its heritage and its literary wealth. It felt important to find a way to say, “here we are, this is who we are and what we want to make happen with the power that a UNESCO designation can bring”.’
- Chris Gribble, Writers’ Centre Norwich

The Creative Cities Southern Hui is excited to welcome Melanie Kidd from Norwich UNESCO City of Literature. Melanie will present her talk, Creative Reading. Creative Words. Creative Change at Creative Connections on Thursday 30th November.

‘I am thrilled to not only be working and living in Dunedin, but also to be part of the Creative Cities Southern Hui. I am 12,000 air miles away from my ‘native’ Norwich, but I can see the same creative drive, vibrancy and strength in collaboration here in Dunedin!’
- Melanie Kidd, Norwich UNESCO City of Literature

The Creative Cities Southern Hui is a multiple day collaborative event, generously sponsored by the NZ National Commission for UNESCO and in partnership with the University of Otago’s Centre for the Book, offering talks and workshops around the themes of creativity, connection and collaboration.

You are receiving this email as part of your registration for the Creative Cities Southern Hui.

The Creative Cities Southern Hui invites you to connect, collaborate and create.

Join us online
City of Literature Dunedin, New Zealand
@acityofstories.