Library love at Northern Bookshelf Live
Late last year, New Writing North – the writing development organisation behind the Northern Writers’ Awards – announced a new initiative, Northern Bookshelf Live. Aimed at supporting libraries in the North to programme high-quality events by pairing them with established and emerging Northern writers, the programme’s pilot year featured ten authors, with work ranging from fiction to memoir to poetry.
Being chosen as one of these ten writers with my debut novel Dear Neighbour was especially poignant for me; libraries played a pivotal role in my journey from reader to writer, and I passionately believe in their necessity and importance as a community hub and resource. So much so that one of the main characters in my book works in their local library; grieving its lack of funding, tending to its collections and service users, and delving into its archives for answers when all hope seems lost.
As an author, collaborating with libraries on events is a privilege and a joy, but with libraries often working within nearly-non-existent budgets, finding ways to make these financially viable for both library and author can be tough. So I was thrilled to be named as one of the first ten Northern Bookshelf Live writers, which opened up possibilities to collaborate with Northern libraries beyond my immediate radar, building relationships with both librarians and readers across the North.
An absolute highlight of the experience so far was a collaboration with Central Library in Blackpool in April, commemorating both World Book Night and the paperback release of Dear Neighbour in a joyfully queer celebration that saw me performing alongside local drag queen Ava King Cynosure and Blackpool-based LGBTQ+ choir Electric Pink Voices.
As the library’s Engagement Assistant Patsy Berrisford explains: “Blackpool Libraries are committed to inclusion and representing our residents through thoughtful programming that seeks to embed a culture of community. Blackpool Council’s initiative ‘Be Who You Want To Be’ highlighted a desire and need for LGBTQ+ representation within cultural events in the Claremont area of Blackpool, where our Central Library is situated.”
The library team took up this challenge with excitement, imagination and care, inviting me to collaborate with choir director Phill Fairhurst to develop a set list weaving together readings from Dear Neighbour with songs performed by the choir. Phill describes Electric Pink Voices as “a creative space, free from prejudice where anybody from the LGBTQ+ community and allies are welcomed and their voices are heard, so Dear Neighbour perfectly fit with those themes of exploring identity, relationships and community.”
The resulting event was totally lush: I read from Dear Neighbour from a throne-like yellow armchair, the choir’s collective angelic voices coming in between extracts to serenade the audience with atmospheric renditions of anthems by the likes of Whitney Houston and the Pet Shop Boys. Ava King Cynosure’s hosting had audience members onside and involved from the outset, with activities like drag bingo and an impromptu vogueing workshop.
There was an electric vibe in the library that night, equal parts fun and poignant. “We were absolutely blown away with the response this event received from the LGBTQ+ community,” Berrisford said. “The library was filled with joy, a community gathering to enjoy each other’s company and be part of something bigger. We’re grateful to New Writing North for showcasing Jane Claire Bradley and helping to make the event happen.”
Audience testimonials also acknowledged the unique impact of the event: “What a way to get the community together doing something a bit different,” said one. “At points it felt like a cheese dream… it was wonderful,” said another. My favourite went like this: “I don’t come to the library much but if this is what I’m missing, I’ll be here more often!”
The impact of collaborative events like this was underscored by Phill’s reflections on the event’s aftermath: “from this partnership, some choir members have dipped into the LGBTQ+ library book clubs and the choir’s public performances have shown it’s a safe inclusive space for the community.” Building these relationships between members of the LGBTQ+ community in Blackpool and beyond has been significant for me too: since the April event, I’m excited to have become writer-in-residence for Queer Amusements, a new queer arts festival taking place in Blackpool this summer. These ongoing relationships and potential future collaborations are opportunities I’m looking forward to exploring further, and I’m grateful to Northern Bookshelf Live for their role in this process, along with being the catalyst for the co-creation of a truly special queer celebration that I couldn’t be prouder to have been a part of.
Jane Claire Bradley is an award-winning queer, working-class writer, performer, therapist and educator. She is the author of a novel, Dear Neighbour (2023), and two chapbooks, Truth or Dare (2021) and Lost + Found (2024). She has been published in a long list of anthologies, essay collections and literary journals, and is the most recent winner of the Northern Writers’ Award for Fiction from New Writing North.