The Essex Book Festival will bring a full day of literary events to the Lakeside Theatre in Colchester on 13 June 2026. Known as The Writers Room, the programme runs from 11am to 8pm and features a mix of author talks, workshops, and a special film premiere.
The event is hosted at the University of Essex Colchester Campus and is funded by The Bean Trust. The day will focus on the craft of writing, with sessions such as a discussion on publishing between author Eva Verde and Sabah Khan, publicity director at Simon & Schuster Books. Other sessions include a panel on the future of nature memoir, chaired by James Canton, and a discussion on migration and creative identity presented by English PEN.
A central feature of the day is an exhibition from the J.A. Baker Archive, which is held at the Albert Sloman Library. Located in the Special Collections Reading Room of the library, the exhibition will be open from 11am to 5pm, displaying letters, manuscripts, and diaries from the Essex writer best known for his 1967 work, The Peregrine. Visitors can also attend a writing workshop led by lecturer Andrew Burton that uses these archive materials as a guide.
The festival day will conclude with the world premiere of the film How to Become a Peregrine. Produced by the Cabinet of Living Cinema, the film is inspired by Baker’s classic book and will be accompanied by a live soundscape from composer Kieron Chissick.
Tickets for the day are available now. A day pass costs £25, or £15 for concessions, and provides entry to five events. Individual event tickets are £8, or £5 for concessions. A separate writing workshop is available for £20, or £15 for concessions.
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