NOTTINGHAM has an historic reputation for nurturing literary talent across its universities, theatres, schools and public spaces.
Now, the people behind the 2014 Festival of Words are hoping to bring its reputation to a new local audience and also to international attention.
Throughout next week, dozens of writers from across the globe will land here for seven days of discussion, readings and performances.
The festival takes a unique sidestep from traditional literary festivals – its focus is, as the name suggests, based around the exploration of the spoken word.
As well as talks and readings, there will be workshops on writing and language at venues across the city.
From crime writing at the Galleries of Justice and public speaking in the Market Square, to storytelling at the Nottingham Contemporary, the aim is that even the most book-phobic audience member should find something to enjoy.
The festival was set up with a £15,000 Arts Council grant and aims to eventually become self-sustaining through ticket sales and make enough money to continue for years.
Festival director James Walker explained the ways in which the festival had changed since it launched last year.
He said: "I think the main thing for me is that the first Festival of Words was quite instinctive.
"This one, we've had a real think about what we want and what we want to achieve and now the most important thing is making sure that people are booked in to hotels and they can actually get over here.
"We're now building a foundation, becoming more professional.
"Now we've got to set a structure that becomes self-sustaining."
The festival has also attracted high-profile guests this year, including authors Will Self and Ali Smith.
One of the festival hosts is Booker long-listed author and professor of creative writing at the University of Nottingham Jon McGregor, who has been living and working in the city for the past 15 years.
He said: "I've done all of my writing while I've been in Nottingham. All of my books have been published here.
"A lot of other creative sectors in the city have big events and big celebrations and there is certainly enough of a literary community and literary energy to make an event like this well overdue.
"I think it's really exciting to see this festival grow, develop and gain an identity that makes it unique, as opposed to other literary festivals which are often just a series of readings."
Festival director and chief executive of local writing agency Writing East Midlands, Henderson Mullin, said they had made a deliberate effort to make the event appeal to a wide audience, not just a literary crowd.
"It was deliberate from our point of view. We wanted to create access points for people in literature.
"No matter where you come at it from, whether a reader, practitioner or you just want to be entertained, the festival does that.
"On the flip side, we don't want to dumb down anything. I think that's really important as well. We want to provide great artistic experiences for people which are interesting and challenging."
The festival will also feed into Nottingham's ongoing bid to become a Unesco City of Literature – a title which is held by only seven other cities globally. It is hoped that a successful bid would attract more tourists and students to the city, as well as improving literacy levels of local children.
City of Literature bid co-ordinator Pippa Hennessy said that while the festival would be a boon for Nottingham's chances of the title, it was an exciting event in its own right.
She added: "The festival demonstrates our vibrant literature scene, that it contributes to the local economy and demonstrates our experience and commitment at hosting international events.
"But it's not a case of 'we have a bid, therefore we'll have a festival' – it's happening anyway, no matter what.
"This festival is top-notch – it's up there against any other literary festivals in the UK. It shows we can do it. It shows we're a player."
The Nottingham Festival of Words takes place from Monday to Sunday next week.
