It all begins with an idea. As part of the Festival of Chichester 2026, we are delighted to present The Women Writers’ Fest.
A celebration of brilliant women writers from Sussex and beyond. Join us for a full day of inspiring talks, with a chance to meet the authors and purchase signed copies of their books courtesy of Waterstones.
Doors open 9.30am.
The programme:
10.00am — Welcome by our Patron, Jess Brown-Fuller MP
10.00–11.00am — From Carcassonne to Chichester | No.1 international bestselling author and Cicestrian Kate Mosse CBE talks about the inspiration behind her multi-million selling fiction and non-fiction, including Labyrinth and The Taxidermist's Daughter
11.30am–12.30pm — Who's Who in the West Sussex Record Office Collections | Discovering the amazing women writers in their archives
2.00–3.00pm — Fashion, Fury and Feathers | Tessa Boase, author of Mrs Pankhurst's Purple Feathers, shares insights into how fashion endangered birds and led to the founding of the RSPB
3.30–4.30pm — Making Crime Pay | Sussex-based bestselling crime writers Elly Griffiths and Lesley Thomson share their working practices and how to make crime pay
5.00–6.00pm — The Missing Thread | Novelist and non-fiction author Daisy Dunn in conversation with Kate Mosse, discussing her fascinating new history of the Ancient World
6.30pm — Close
Tickets £35.00 including refreshments.