Hollie McNish: Out to Lunch is proud to Hollie performing poems from her new collection, Plum, as well as performing some favourites from previous books.

Plum is a new collection of poems which charts Hollie’s journey from childhood to attempted adulthood. Expect strong language as she talks about fruit and flesh, school discos, guilt, sex, politics, death, transformers and a lot of friendship.

With Benjamin Zephaniah stating ‘I can’t take my ears off her’, Kate Tempest describing her poetry as ‘welcoming, galvanising and beautiful’ and fans ranging from Pink, Tim Minchen, Marian Keyes to most of the UK’s midwives, Hollie McNish is a poet whose readings are not to be missed.

Tony Walsh: Millions have watched footage of poet, Tony Walsh, aka ‘Longfella’, reading his poem, This is the Place to those gathered in Albert Square in the aftermath of the terror attack in Manchester.

Liam Gallagher said it was ‘the best thing I’ve ever heard come out of any Mancunian’s mouth, ever’, whilst Jeanette Winterson said, Walsh “found words where there are no words”.

Tony’s passionate performances of his unashamedly defiant and political work have resonated with millions across the world, and the festival is excited to be hosting a poet truly of our time.

Jonathan Meades has written and performed in more than 50 television shows on predominantly topographical subjects such as shacks, garden cities, megastructures, buildings associated with vertigo, beer, pigs, and the architecture of Hitler and Stalin.

His credits include Jonathan Meades: Off Kilter (2009), Jonathan Meades on France (2012), The Joys of Essex (2013). His films, Bunkers, Brutalism, Bloodymindedness: Concrete Poetry, were broadcast on BBC4 in 2014.

His books include: An Encyclopaedia of Myself, which won the Best Memoir Award in the Spear’s Book Awards 2014, three works of fiction: Filthy English, Pompey and The Fowler Family Business and several anthologies including The Museum Without Walls.

‘Meades has been compared, favourably, to Rabelais and, flatteringly, to Swift. The truth is that he outstrips both in the gaudiness of his imagination.’ – HENRY HITCHINGS, TLS

‘A human Enigma machine…Jonathan Meades is the Jonathan Meades of our generation.’ – AA GILL,  THE SUNDAY TIMES

Sixteen years on from his last novel, Bernard MacLaverty reminds us why he is regarded as one of the greatest living Irish writers.

A retired couple, Gerry and Stella Gilmore, fly to Amsterdam for a long weekend. A holiday to refresh the senses, to do some sightseeing and generally to take stock of what remains of their lives. Their relationship seems safe, easy, familiar – but over the course of the four days we discover the deep uncertainties which exist between them.

Bernard MacLaverty is a master storyteller, and Midwinter Break is the essential MacLaverty novel: accurate, compassionate observation, effortlessly elegant writing and a tender, intimate, heart-rending story – but it is also a profound examination of human love and how we live together. Forty years on from his first book, Bernard MacLaverty has written his masterpiece.

‘This is a novel of great ambition by an artist at the very height of his powers.’ COLM TOIBIN

Punk pioneer and provocative performer Cosey Fanni Tutti was a thorn in an anxious establishment’s side during the 70s and 80s.

Her 1976 performance art exhibition, Prostitution, hit the tabloids and caused an almighty stir, with one Tory MP denouncing Cosey and her COUM Transmissions collaborators as ‘wreckers of civilisation’.

Art Sex Music is the autobiography of a musician who, as a founding member of the avant-garde group Throbbing Gristle and electronic pioneers Chris & Cosey, has consistently challenged the boundaries of music over the past four decades and whose work continues to be held at the vanguard of contemporary art, some of which resides as part of the Tate permanent collection.

Art Sex Music is the wise, shocking and elegant autobiography of a uniquely provocative artist. Come and hear how she look back on a fascinating life.

Tenx9 is a storytelling sensation. Nine people have up to Ten minutes each to tell a true story from their lives.

Begun in Belfast in 2011, it’s now spread to 10 cities round the world. Join the Tenx9 regulars for this night on 17th January in the Black Box for true stories of “Never Again” — things we regret are finished; things we’re glad are finished; things we’ll never do again; things we’ll never get to do again.

Let’s start 2018 as we mean to go on – with gin.

We’ve asked Graeme Millar, Head Distiller at the Echlinville Distillery, to kick off our 2018 Lecture series with an exploration of gin. Graeme will take us through the history, the process and the craft of gin but most importantly how to taste and enjoy it.

His work with with the hugely successful Jawbox Gin is the latest instalment in a long and international career in spirits and gin. As head distiller he oversees production and ensures consistency of quality and flavour.

So join us for an afternoon with a master gin distiller and start you’re year feeling ginvincible

Today is all about celebrating the poet and Scottish hero Robert Burns. And what better way to do so than by reading and sharing some of his most famous works over a plate of steaming haggis.

Scotland’s favourite son Robert ‘Rabbie’ Burns was known as the Ploughman Poet, the Bard of Ayrshire or simply The Bard. Burns was born on January 25, 1759 and Burns celebrations have been held in his honour on this date for over 200 years.

We’ll be having a special Burns Lunch complete with a bagpiper, toasts, haggis, neeps and tatties, a bit of poetry and some famous Burns songs led by singer songwriter Hugh Jordan.

The Selkirk Grace
Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat
Sae let the Lord be thankit.