Celebration of our city's storytellers brings literature to life at museum

A new exhibition celebrating authors, poets, playwrights and scriptwriters from Leeds and what inspires them is captivating museum visitors.

- by Charles Gray

Literature in Leeds: Prose, Poetry and Plays is currently on at Kirkstall's Abbey House Museum and sees objects, memorabilia and personal stories from modern-day writers displayed to tell their creative journeys.

Among the writers who have contributed are screenwriter and playwright Lisa Holdsworth, crime fiction author Chris Nickson, poet Claire Wigzell and short story writer SJ Bradley. There's also a section dedicated to celebrating the work of all-time city greats including Alan Bennett.

Patrick Bourne, assistant community curator with Leeds Museums and Galleries, said: “Leeds is home to so many talented writers who have made major and lasting contributions to all manner of fields from literature to theatre, TV and film.

“But there’s perhaps something in the nature of many writers which means they often do their work behind-the-scenes and let others take the spotlight.