Love the Words

Maurice de Sausmarez was the artist and arts education visionary who presided over a golden fine art era in Leeds in the 1950's. Kerry Harker curated the current exhibition.

Joanna Jowett’s interdisciplinary practice includes performance, print, photography, writing and publishing. Richard Wilcocks is a poet and an expert on film adaptations of Bronte novels.

Pearls of The White Lizard, a story from Isabel Edain. Isabel's favourite weather is mist and her favourite colour is green. She lives in Leeds with 948 books and an ivy plant.

Two prominent West Yorkshire poets read from and talk about their new work: Julia Deakin, with 3 collections and a pamphlet to her name, and Tallulah Howarth whose first pamphlet An Alternative Xanadu is just out.

From Jamaica, of Jamaican and Venezuelan parentage, Shara McCallum is the author of seven books, published in the US & UK. Her latest collection Behold is published by Peepal Tree, April 2026. Here she reads from the book and talks about art and identity.

Typewriter Poet Molly Ovenden and fellow writers Tony Macaluso, Charlotte Carrick and Tallulah Howarth talk about crossing the threshold from solitary creating to public sharing.

Emily Zobel Marshall is a Leeds-based literary activist, poet and Professor of Postcolonial Literature. She researches Caribbean carnival and trickster folklore and has published several academic books and two poetry collections with Peepal Tree Press, Bath of Herbs (2023) and Other Wil d (2025). Emily talks about mountains, grieving, and her current projects.

Love, betrayal, and the 1966 World Cup, in this atmospheric audio drama from Jacqueline Everett set in communist Hungary. One of the many highlights of Writing On Air 2026.

Leeds Arts Centre give us a blast of their innovative new production of Orwell's 1984, and editor Millie Lacey talks about the invaluable resource that is The State of The Arts online platform for arts and info in W. Yorkshire.

Children from All Saints Primary School in East End Park, Leeds, give us poetry, ideas and songs on the theme of Underground in this Love The Words Year 4 Special!

Four poets read from the latest Issue of Pennine Platform (winner of 'Best Cultural Promotion Publication' in the Northern Enterprise Awards 2025) read poems and talk about them with editor-in-chief Julia Deakin.

Timely satirical audio drama by Freya Jackson. It's all kicking off in the streets. But has it been minuted? This play was first broadcast as part of Writing On Air 2026.

'In the derelict shell of what was once his family home, a dying man surveys the wreckage of his former life and drinks himself senseless'. But this is also a book that brims with hope and love. Stu Hennigan on his brand new novel.

What’s domestic abuse really like for victim-survivors? And what are the harmful narratives that need to be changed? Experts in the field discuss.

What’s domestic abuse really like for victim-survivors? And what are the harmful narratives that need to be changed? Voices from Leeds Domestic Violence Service reflect.

The People’s History of Leeds captures the story of the city through the voices of its citizens. Volume 1, published last week, includes stories from joyful Goths, Leeds United fans and many more.

Two young poets from West Yorkshire, Jacob Davies and Finny, are both gaining exciting reputations both locally and nationally. Poems and discussion from these passionate new voices.

Episode from a new poetry series on ELCR, Poetry Unseen, in which three poetry-heads present poems they like, and which the others don't know, for an in-the-moment, in-depth response, with Peter Spafford, James Fernie and Jaimes Lewis Moran.

Lateral G is an off-grid, travelling poet who lives on the road and writes about life, ageing and the strange things that happen in her weird world.

Storyteller Vickie Orton makes a happy return to Chapel FM to tell some seasonal stories and talk about her craft, honed after many years.

Young writers from Bishop Young Academy in East Leeds, with committed teacher Miss Abbott, share moving & powerful poetry on the theme of Threshold and talk about hope and friendship.

Love The Words hears from a group of visiting youth workers from Dortmund, Leeds' twin city in Germany. How are young people faring in Dortmund? And where can you get the best pizza in town? And which city has the tallest Christmas tree?

Powerful radio drama by Martin Riley with music by Jack Glover from last year's Writing On Air festival. A child with polio discovers his voice and presence in the world.

The Only High I Need is a new novel by Ria Tocsin out very soon. It's Darcy’s first story. Darcy's a recovering alcoholic and drug addict but, behind the addiction and bravado, she's a just a woman trying to survive. A funny, sad, shocking but cathartic read for anyone, providing useful resources for any readers who find themselves resonating with the story.

Erin and Josh grew up together in Yorkshire and now are on opposite sides of the globe. Can their love survive? Melanie Taylor talks about her new novel, Love Digitally, and tells us why the genre of Romance fiction matters. Plus an interview with Isabella Gellis, composer of The Devil's Den, a new opera with Morris Dancing at the heart of it.