Bilingual Storytelling and Big Names Return to Swansea for 2025 Youth Literature Festival

Top Authors to Headline Swansea’s Children and Young People’s Literature Festival This October

Swansea University has officially announced the return of its flagship Children’s Literature Festival, scheduled for 4 and 5 October 2025 at the National Waterfront Museum. As part of the university’s expanding portfolio of arts and culture events, this two-day celebration of storytelling and creativity will once again welcome families, schools and young readers to engage with some of the most exciting literary voices from Wales and across the UK. Building on the success of its inaugural edition, the young people’s literature festival will feature a dynamic programme of author talks, bilingual storytelling sessions and hands-on creative activities. The event is a key highlight in the calendar of Swansea University events, reflecting the institution’s commitment to public engagement and cultural enrichment.

To ensure a diverse and high-quality experience, the Swansea literature festival line-up has been curated by the university’s Cultural Institute in collaboration with its partners. This year’s selection showcases literary excellence, inclusive representation and a strong focus on literature for young people, with particular emphasis on contemporary children’s and young adult fiction. Headlining the author line-up for Swansea festival is bestselling novelist and founder of the Women’s Prizes, Kate Mosse. She will be joined by Manon Steffan Ros, winner of the 2023 Carnegie Medal; Alex Wharton, the current Children’s Laureate of Wales; and Hanan Issa, National Poet of Wales. Also featured are Caryl Lewis, Lesley Parr, Claire Fayers and Liz Hyder, alongside a vibrant mix of award-winning authors including Meleri Wyn James, Rebecca F. John, Huw Lewis-Jones, Lee Newbery, Angie Roberts, Emma Smith Barton, Sion Tomos Owen, Darren Chetty, and Helen and Thomas Docherty.

The festival is expected to attract a broad audience, with strong participation anticipated from local schools, community groups and families. Organisers have confirmed that success will be measured through attendance figures, participant feedback and the educational impact of the programming. These insights will inform future planning and reinforce the festival’s contribution to regional literacy and young readers' events in the UK. Importantly, the festival is embedded within Swansea University’s academic life. Student interns from the DylanED educational programme will play a key role in delivery, while departments such as Education, Welsh Studies and Creative Writing are exploring opportunities for credit-bearing modules, research projects and volunteering. This integration ensures that the festival supports both public engagement and student development, positioning it as a model for university cultural events in the UK.

Community outreach remains central to the festival’s ethos. Activities are being coordinated with schools, libraries and youth organisations across the Swansea region, with a particular emphasis on reaching underserved communities. These efforts aim to promote literacy, creativity and cultural participation among children and young people from all backgrounds. All programming will be delivered bilingually in English and Welsh, reinforcing the festival’s commitment to linguistic inclusion. This approach not only supports the Welsh Government’s goals for bilingual education but also ensures that young readers can access content in their preferred language, a defining feature of inclusive storytelling festivals in the UK.

The National Waterfront Museum, selected as the venue, offers a central and accessible location with facilities designed to welcome families and diverse audiences. Organisers have confirmed that the site includes disability access, quiet zones and sensory-friendly spaces to support neurodiverse attendees. In addition to author sessions, the festival will feature free daily creative drop-in stations from 11 am to 3 pm. These informal spaces will offer activities such as colouring, story writing, bookmark making, drawing and face painting. Facilitated by artists, students and volunteers, the stations are designed to spark creativity and encourage playful learning, a hallmark of engaging children’s book festivals.

The festival is being delivered through a multi-partner collaboration involving Swansea University’s Cultural Institute and DylanED programme, the Rhys Davies Trust, Storyopolis, Cover to Cover, and Literature Wales’ Inspiring Communities Fund. Each partner brings distinct expertise and resources, contributing to the festival’s vision and delivery. Funding and logistical support have been secured through a combination of institutional backing and external grants. Dr Elaine Canning, Director of the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize and DylanED programme, expressed her enthusiasm for hosting the second edition of the festival. She highlighted the strength of the line-up and the value of bringing together families, authors and educators for a weekend of storytelling and creative exchange. She also extended thanks to all partners and student interns for their shared commitment and energy.

Looking ahead, the festival forms part of Swansea University’s longer-term cultural strategy. Plans are already underway to establish the event as an annual fixture, with scope for regional expansion and hybrid programming in future years. In doing so, the Swansea University Children’s Literature Festival continues to play a vital role in Wales’ cultural and educational landscape, championing creativity, bilingualism and inclusive engagement for the next generation of readers.

Editor’s Note:

Swansea University’s choice to host the Children’s and Young People’s Literature Festival for the second year in a row is more than just a cultural event. It is also a deliberate investment in the intellectual and civic life of the region. This festival is an effort to promote creativity, bilingualism, and inclusive engagement as part of the university’s wider mission. The strength of this initiative lies in its dual impact. On one side, it gives young readers and families direct access to many of the most respected literary voices in Wales and the UK. On the other side, it places the university in the role of a convener of public dialogue. It allows the university to act as a facilitator of informal learning and as a supporter of linguistic and cultural diversity.

The way the festival has been tied into academic life also shows a forward-looking approach. Student internships, collaboration between departments, and the possibility of credit-bearing opportunities make the festival part of real educational practice. It sends a clear message. Universities should not only teach literature in classrooms but also take part in the living culture of literature itself. The festival also stands out because of its focus on bilingual programming and inclusive access. Sensory-friendly spaces and outreach to underserved communities show that the organisers understand what true equity looks like. This is not a symbolic effort. It is a carefully designed plan to make the festival open and welcoming to all.

Skoobuzz underlines that the festival enhances Swansea University’s civic role by strengthening its links with local schools and cultural organisations. It showcases the university’s leadership in the arts, supports youth development and the creative industries in Wales, and sets an example of universities as cultural anchors.