Record ticket sales for city's literature festival

Miriam Margolyes was one of the most high-profile speakers at the festival

The 2024 Bradford Literature Festival enjoyed record ticket sales after decade of events in the city, organisers have said.

The tenth festival drew to close on Sunday 7 July following 10 days of events and numerous sold out shows.

Miriam Margolyes, Sara Pascoe and Mary Beard were among high-profile guests to speak at the festival.

Founder, CEO and artistic director Syima Aslam described it as "an incredible milestone".

Comedian Sara Pascoe spoke with Kasim Ali about her debut novel Weirdo

She said: "I am incredibly proud of the festival's growth into one of the top literature festivals in the UK and a truly international destination for both artists and audiences.

"The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, affirming our mission to create a space for complex and critical conversations, whilst welcoming all into the world of words.

"The record ticket sales reflect this, as does the amazing response from a wide array of audiences, reflecting the rich tapestry of voices and perspectives we've brought together, celebrating our commitment to diverse and inclusive programming.

"I am really proud that the festival has evolved into a significant global cultural event and look forward to the next 10 years of innovation."

'Multicultural and harmonious'

Speaking to the BBC during the festival, eventgoer Arif Javid, 57, said: "It is much bigger now than it was at the beginning.

"You get people from all walks of life, all backgrounds, congregating together to form an audience.

"You get a feel of how multicultural it is and how harmonious it is."

Anelofar Khan, 57, a teacher said the festival has been "enriching and "incredibly captivating".

Visiting from Wakefield, David Walker, 32, told the BBC: "It's bringing quite a lot of different people in.

"It's brought people like Miriam Margolyes in and it has sold out instantly, so it's quite good to have big names like that."

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