The annual Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival is returning to Royal Tunbridge Wells this year, offering residents a programme of authors, poets, and performers across 10 days. The festival, which is organised by Creative Tunbridge Wells, will run from Friday, 1 May until Sunday, 10 May 2026.
A central part of this year’s festivities will be hosted at The Amelia Scott cultural centre. The venue is holding a series of events from 5 May to 8 May as part of the wider celebrations. The cultural hub, which opened on 28 April 2022 following a 21 million pound transformation, has become a key community landmark and welcomed its one millionth visitor in June 2025.
The 2026 programme is set to feature over 150 artists, authors, and performers across 56 different events held at 10 venues throughout the town. With more than 8,000 seats available, the festival includes appearances from notable guests such as Gyles Brandreth, Rory Bremner, and television presenter Davina McCall, who will appear in conversation with poet Donna Ashworth. Other participants include Jess Mookherjee, Essie Fox, Brian Bilston, Monique Roffey, and Iain Dale in conversation with Mike Martin MP.
Festival Producer Sam Davey has helped oversee the event’s growth since it first launched in 2022. The inaugural four-day festival attracted over 1,600 visitors, a figure that has continued to climb as the programme has expanded. This year’s festival is supported by headline sponsors Berry & Lamberts Solicitors and Maxipay.
The Amelia Scott cultural centre, which houses the local library, museum, and gallery, was named in honour of Amelia Scott, a local suffragist and social reformer who served as one of the town’s first female councillors.
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