ILKLEY Literature Festival has launched an appeal to find poets, writers and live literature performers of all kinds for this year’s Festival Fringe, as tickets go on sale for a series of spring events.

The festival has organised a series of special events, beginning on May 14 with a talk on the Magna Carta by historian David Starkey.

Weekend and day passes are available for the Words in the City poetry events to be held in Bradford this summer, in collaboration with the World Curry festival.

Festival organisers are now also busy with the Festival Fringe, which takes place around the main Ilkley Literature Festival in October.

Festival director, Rachel Feldberg, said: “The Fringe is a really eagerly-anticipated part of the Literature Festival, and the more people who volunteer to take part, the better – then we can have the best selection of ages, types of material and where people come from in the region.”

Groups or individuals from, or with strong links to, the Yorkshire Region are invited to submit an application to present a Fringe Event at the Festival in 2015.

Writers, poets and live literature performers of all kinds, including playwrights, singer-songwriters and comedians writing their own material can submit applications for a performance at the 2015 Ilkley Literature Festival Fringe, which runs October 2 to October 18.

The closing date for applications is May 12.

Organisers say their selection aims to encompass a range of art forms and events with a connection to reading, writing and the spoken word and to reflect the diversity of the region.

Events in the last few years have included readings, discussions, performances, poetry, dramatised readings, new comedy, storytelling, events with music, film or dance, short stories, launches of new collections and off-the-wall events, including a musical about the Brontes and an event exploring “swim hiking”, which took place in the River Wharfe.

The majority of Fringe events last an hour and many take place at Ilkley Playhouse between other events (at weekends) or after other events during the week and on Saturdays. Typical times are 9pm and 5pm.

Proposals for Fringe events that take place elsewhere, for example on Ilkley Moor, on the bandstand or in local pubs or another venue in Ilkley are also welcome.

David Starkey’s talk will be at the King’s Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets are £16 or £14.

The Words in the City weekend will be held June 6-7. Tony Harrison and John Hegley headline, with Don Paterson, Jo Shapcott, Imtiaz Dharkar, Rommi Smith and Zaffar Kunial.

Events for the whole family will take place at City Hall and City Park.

Weekend and day passes are available from £12.

Visit ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk for more.