Wolverhampton is hosting its first ever literary festival with a host of celebrated home-grown literary and musical talent set to appear at city venues. The Wolverhampton Original Literature Festival (WOLF) today announced the first wave of artists set to appear at the weekend-long event from January 27-29, 2017. Acclaimed authors, musicians, workshops, art and children’s events are lined up in the inaugural festival, which is being held at Wolverhampton Art Gallery, The Slade Rooms, Bantock House, Central Library, The Arena Theatre, The University of Wolverhampton and Newhampton Arts Centre.

Meet award-winning author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera, a former Wolverhampton Grammar School student, who is in conversation at Wolverhampton Art Gallery on Friday, January 27.

Sathnam’s first book, The Boy With The Topknot: A Memoir of Love, Secrets and Lies in Wolverhampton, was shortlisted for the 2008 Costa Biography Award, the 2009 PEN/Ackerley Prize, and named 2009 Mind Book of the Year. It is currently being adapted for TV by Kudos and Parti Productions to air on the BBC in the autumn of 2017.

The Slade Rooms is hosting chart-topping Ned’s Atomic Dustbin singer Jonn Penney talking about the common thread between music, books and independence, with best-selling author Martin Roach.

They are followed by Miles Hunt, from The Wonder Stuff, reading exclusive extracts ahead of the release of his follow-up diaries.  Both events are on January 27, at the Broad Street venue.

Young readers can meet Narinder Dhami at Wolverhampton Art Gallery on Saturday, January 28. Find out about her childhood growing up in Wolverhampton, and her journey to becoming a successful children's author. There will be give-aways, competitions and a reading from Narinder's new book, which is suitable for children aged nine and above.

Join regional treasure and notorious lazy cow Doreen Tipton in the hallowed halls of the University of Wolverhampton, as she makes her own unique contribution to our literary festival on January 27.

Budding young authors and poets can take part in weekend workshops and discover the joys of Japanese Haiku poetry, hone their skills at character writing or combine crafts and the written word in a fun ‘Paperverse’ session.

Enjoy an afternoon of tea, cakes and deliciously silly poetry with Win Saha and Bert Flitcroft, at Wolverhampton Art Gallery on January 27, in an Offa’s

Press production.

Published poet and former Birmingham Poet Laureate Roy McFarlane is at Wolverhampton Art Gallery on Sunday, January 29 in a free hour-long solo performance.

City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor John Reynolds, said: “We’ve got a diverse literary tradition in Wolverhampton and across the Black Country and what better way of celebrating it than by hosting our first festival.

“This is a pilot event, which is only being made possible by the generosity of the performers, local businesses and venues who are helping make the weekend happen. Already there is a great variety of entertainment during the weekend with even more authors and events to be announced.”

More events will be revealed over the coming weeks.