Literature Works

Our partnership with Literature Works is to enable and nurture literature development activity in the region
A close-up image of a man reading from an open book

Based on Plymouth University’s campus, Literature Works is an independent charity whose mission is to enable and nurture literature development activity in the region. The team supports, understands and advocates for the regional literary sector in all its contexts, for everyone and for all ages, and works closely with the School of English and Creative Writing, Writing Café and on the National Memory Day project.

Our partnership with Literature Works benefits our students, staff and wider community in areas such as:

  • attendance at the annual Writers’ Conference, this year in partnership with Writers & Artists Yearbook 
  • student work experience and shadowing opportunities at literature festivals, events and with our partners in publishing and creative writing industries
  • opportunities for students to get involved in fundraising for literature activities and the Literature Works ‘Annual Fund’ which provides writers to work in groups of marginalised communities
  • opportunities to write up reviews and interviews with writers and poets and having them published on our website.

Get involved

Literature Works is the strategic literature development charity for South West England, and a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England. The Literature Works team:

  • fundraises for the Literature Works Annual Fund, a support and grant scheme providing small awards for literature activity across the region
  • secures funding for larger regional projects with consortia and delivery partners
  • provides a central resource for literature in the South West region including the Literature Events Calendar and the South West Writer’s Directory
  • supports the wider literature sector through large scale research and evaluation
  • ensures that sector’s place, growth, relevance and value in a national and international literature development future.
Find out more and to sign up to Literature Works monthly Newsletter at the Literature Works website.

National Memory Day

National Memory Day

Celebrating the power of poetry and creative writing to improve the lives of those affected by memory loss

The potential for creative writing and poetry to empower those affected by memory loss is celebrated by National Memory Day, a project led by Literature Works, in partnership with English and Creative Writing at the University of Plymouth, Alzheimer’s Society and The Poetry Archive.

The project is raising funds to provide a programme of workshops in the Alzheimer’s Society Memory Café initiative around the UK, which explore memories through the recital and recollection of poetry. Money raised will also underpin medical research into dementia therapies and in search of a cure.

For more information about the project and to donate, please visit the National Memory Day website.

Port Eliot Festival

Plymouth University's partnership with Literature Works aims to enhance knowledge transfer between academics within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business and the creative industries, and champion local and regional successes across the creative sectors.

During the 2016 Festival, the University had over 30 students on site, undertaking various roles with a focus on knowledge transfer and increasing employability through our collaboration with Hole & Corner's Maker tent. We were also very excited to have a number of our academics involved in Port Eliot's inaugural 'Science and Arts' series in the Round Room and our continued collaboration with Literature Works in the Tiddy Tent. 

Port Eliot Festival - Round Room 

Plymouth Festival of Words 2017

Building on the success of the city’s Plymouth International Book Festival, the new and improved Plymouth Festival of Words will take place between Wednesday 3-Sunday 7 May 2017 celebrating literature and ‘words’ through a diverse range of art forms including theatre, film and more.

Find out more about the Festival of Words.

Plymouth Festival of Words

Michelle Phillips - BA (Hons) English; MA Publishing graduate

It isn’t always easy to know what you want to do after graduation but you have to be honest about what will make you happy… figure out what makes you stand out and lead with that.

Michelle Philips has worked alongside the UK Space Agency, the RNIB, biographer Carl Rollyson, and Plymouth academics since graduating in 2013.

Learn more about Michelle's career path since graduation
Michelle Phillips at Peninsula Arts

The Writing Cafe 

The Writing Cafe is a unique and creative space where everyone is welcome to explore techniques and strategies to improve their writing. Come on in and have a conversation with a member of the Learning Development team, work with one of our trained student writing mentors, or take part in one of the many events and activities centred on writing. 

Find us

Located on the fourth floor of Babbage Building. The cafe is open from Monday-Friday, 10:00–15:00. 

The Writing Cafe 

One Giant Read 

Supported by Plymouth University, this project offered easy access to reading materials and content themed to the Principia mission involving British astronaut Tim Peake. For every month that Tim circled the Earth, the One Giant Read website published a series of themed writing and reading challenges. The series featured the thoughts of a number of Plymouth University scientists which included Executive Dean of Science and Environment, Professor Kevin Jones and the National Marine Aquarium Chair in the Public Understanding of Oceans and Human Health, Professor Camille Parmesan. 

 One Giant Read gave audiences an out of this world literary experience.


Sci-Fi Writer Gareth Powell speaking on behalf of the project at the Principia mission schools conference in York.