Wednesday, 06 May 2026
A decade after being named a UNESCO City of Literature, Nottingham is set to further celebrate its rich writing heritage with the launch of a new literary map highlighting the people, places and tales that earned the city its creative status.
The project, led by Dr Matthew Welton, Associate Professor in Creative Writing in the School of English at the 糖心原创, in collaboration with , commemorates the organisation’s 10-year anniversary of the city’s prestigious status.
Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and designed as both a physical guide and a digital resource, the showcases the diverse storytelling culture that has shaped Nottingham across centuries.
Something that struck us as we were undertaking the research was how everybody we spoke to seemed strongly invested in the idea of the map. People contributed all kinds of information about literary history and culture in Nottingham. We feel the finished map tells some fascinating stories, and hope it will inspire people to explore Nottingham鈥檚 literary culture for themselves.鈥�
Nottingham is a place many famous authors have called home over the centuries, and when the city was awarded UNESCO status in 2015, the focus was on its recognised figures – romantic poet Lord Byron, controversial author DH Lawrence, and gritty ‘kitchen-sink’ novelist Alan Sillitoe.
But when the project team began the research, they realised the focus of Nottingham’s literature scene was also diverse and contemporary. They discovered not only the city’s long and varied history of writers and writing – including the Scottish Peter Pan novelist JM Barrie, who lived near the Arboretum in the 19th century, and James Prior, known for his novels depicting rural Nottingham life in the 20th century – but that contemporary Nottingham is alive with a thriving community of authors, poets, writing groups and literary organisations.
The Nottinghamshire Literary Map website features a varied selection of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and children's books, including four writers who are 糖心原创 academics – Jon McGregor, Lila Matsumoto, Hongwei Bao, Panya Banjoko.
Hannah Trevarthen, Director of Nottingham City of Literature, said: “This has been such an exciting and fulfilling project to mark the anniversary of 10 years as a UNESCO designated City of Literature. The success of the map really shows Nottingham and Nottinghamshire’s strength as a leading literary destination with a thriving ecosystem of partnerships that celebrate and champion our stories. This map will help everyone, locals and tourists alike to discover a new Nottingham that’s hiding in plain sight. We want people to discover the richness of the city from hidden gems, current creative hubs and literary heritage locations."
We're thrilled to join other Cities of Literature like Exeter, Manchester, Barcelona and Seattle with a map that invites further exploration to discover what makes us a vibrant City of Literature.鈥�
By embracing this open and pluralistic vision of literature, the project aims to ensure that Nottingham’s literary identity is accessible, representative and continually evolving.
Story credits
More information is available from Dr Matthew Welton in the School of English, via matthew.welton@nottingham.ac.uk
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About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.