The City of Literature status is designated through UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network which aims to harness the creativity of cities by sharing ideas and best practice for artistic, social and economic development through culture.
The status is permanent and was won after a bidding process led by Writers’ Centre Norwich that involved writers, readers and key partners including Arts Council England, Norwich City Council, University of East Anglia, Norfolk County Council, the British Centre for Literary Translation and others.
The accreditation is permanent and non-competitive. It does not come with any financial reward, but the international network of creative cities will support us to develop the accreditation to deliver very real benefits to the residents of and visitors to Norwich over the coming years.
“Writers’ Centre Norwich and all our partners will work hard to ensure the UNESCO accreditation brings real and lasting benefits to all those who live in, work in and visit our city and region.” Chris Gribble, Chief Executive, Writers’ Centre Norwich
The International Centre for Writing
The flagship project of Norwich’s UNESCO City of Literature programme is the International Centre for Writing, a partnership between WCN, the University of East Anglia and others in a building granted by Norwich City Council. In April 2012 the project, designed to become a world leading centre for creative writing, won £3,000,000 from Arts Council England’s capital programme.
The ICW’s physical realisation will result from the renovation and development of Gladstone House, a C18th Grade II Georgian house, granted to WCN by Norwich City Council on a 25 year lease. Our proposals create teaching, conference, event, office and writers’ spaces in the main house, two Writers in Residence apartments in the upper floors of the annexe, a café, and a 120 seat events space in a new structure in the garden. Arts Council England, University of East Anglia and Norfolk County Council are partners in the project that is due to open to the public in April 2016.
Leading the way for literature in the UK, the International Centre for Writing supports inspiration, enjoyment, understanding and transformation through creative writing, reading, translation and education in a world class literary city.
For a visualisation of the completed building please see:
http://ashsak.com/international-centre-for-writing/
Find out more
about the International Centre for Writing.
Other UNESCO Projects
Norwich UNESCO City of Literature accreditation will also enable WCN and its partners to increase economic investment in the region through an innovative and popular tourism offer based on Norwich’s literary heritage; promote international connections, development and collaboration and engage young people with reading and writing in new and exciting ways.
One of the first UNESCO projects will be the publication of new translations of England’s only mediaeval Hebrew poet, Meir ben Elijah, whose work lay lost in the Vatican Archives for many centuries and whose voice speaks to us directly and remarkably from 13th century Norwich.
Celebrating the Award
Writers’ Centre Norwich will celebrate the UNESCO accreditation in June 2012 this year when it welcomes Nobel Laureate Professor J.M. Coetzee, Michael Ondaatje, Jeanette Winterson and many other outstanding writers from around the world to its Worlds Literature festival.
Who Runs Norwich UNESCO City of Literature?
‘This is an exceptional and thoroughly merited accolade for Norwich, reflecting both the city’s literary history and its vibrant and unique literary scene. UNESCO’s endorsement will allow Norwich to consolidate its international reputation as a city of literature, and forms a cornerstone of the proposals for the new International Centre for Writing.' Alan Davey, Chief Executive, Arts Council England.
The Norwich UNESCO City of Literature accreditation is owned by Norwich City Council and the agreement is signed by Norwich’s Lord Mayor. As the organisation behind the bid, Writers’ Centre Norwich is in charge of how the accreditation is used and the programmes developed under the UNESCO umbrella.
WCN (and the International Centre for Writing) will develop a programme of UNESCO City of Literature events and activities that are badged with and backed by the accreditation.
How do people get involved with Norwich UNESCO City of Literature?
If people have ideas of their own, or would like their organisations to be involved in UNESCO City of Literature activities, they should, in the first instance, send an e-mail to Chris Gribble – Writers’ Centre Norwich’s CEO at
info@norwichcityofliterature.org.uk
About Writers’ Centre Norwich and UNESCO City of Literature
Writers’ Centre Norwich led the bid for UNESCO City of Literature status. We are an agency interested in the artistic and social power of creative writing, and the work we do reflects this:
• We help aspiring and emerging writers through successful workshop and professional development schemes
• International writers find new audiences through us and readers are introduced to new works and ideas
• Major events with writers including Ian McEwan, J.M. Coetzee and Martin Amis inspire, whilst the Worlds roundtable Salon allows a rare space for writers to think and reflect together
• In June 2007 Norwich became the UK’s first City of Refuge, and the programme runs through Writers’ Centre Norwich. The International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN) is an international association which exists to support writers at risk of physical and economic persecution and to offer them a place of safety and support, as well as time to write
(www.icorn.org)
• We are developing the plans for a new International Centre for Writing in Norwich
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"This is absolutely brilliant; a fantastic achievement and an incredible honour for Norwich and Norfolk. Our writers have made enormous contributions to literature, politics and social reform over the course of hundreds of years; contributions that have gone on to change the world. This international award not only recognises their outstanding efforts but also puts Norwich and Norfolk on the global stage, and gives us great hope for the future in that we can inspire, encourage and do everything possible to help our writers of tomorrow."
Barry Stone, Cabinet Member for Cultural Services at Norfolk County Council
“Coming to Norwich to take up my post as Professor of Creative Writing was like coming home [...]It is truly one of the homes of literature in Britain. And not at all just on account of the 40-year history of creative writing at the University of East Anglia where I teach. There are hundreds of writers living in the city, fabulous bookshops and, more importantly, thousands of readers. It’s great that this honour from UNESCO will put Norwich on the world stage.”
Giles Foden, Writer and Professor of Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia and author of
The Last King of Scotland
With thanks to all of our bid partners, including our stakeholders:
