We got to experience so many incredible things as a UNESCO City of Literature this year - so here’s a fabulous recap! From an ever growing audience at our bookish events, to an incredible array of continent-crossing collaborations with our fellow Cities of Literature, 2025 has been a great year for Exeter—and 2026 will be no different!

“I had no idea what Exeter was like when I was offered a visit as part of the UNESCO City of Literature collaboration between Jakarta and, of course, Exeter—well, I had a picture, actually, of a quiet small town in a remote part of England, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.”

Looking for some bookish gift inspiration this festive season? ⛄️ Here are 10 recommendations from independent bookshops and literary organisations from across Devon!

As the 12-week public consultation on the future of the library service in Devon begins, ExCoL calls on residents and decision-makers to recognise the long-term value of Devon’s 50-library network.

All eyes are on Dublin City of Literature as SLAMOVISION, the international slam poetry competition for UNESCO cities of literature across the world, takes place this week on Thursday 6 November from 7pm to 9pm GMT at Windmill Town Hall, Windmill Lane, in the heart of the city. 

Ten new cities have joined the Cities of Literature network: Aberystwyth (Wales); Abuja (Nigeria); Celje (Slovenia); Conakry (Guinea); Dumaguete City (Philippines); Gdańsk (Poland); Kahramanmaraş (Türkiye); Lund (Sweden); San Luis Potosi (Mexico); and Tangier (Morocco).

Writers from 14 Cities across the UNESCO Cities of Literature network applied to the stipend. The Exeter UNESCO City of Literature partnered stipend which went to Sama Hussein from Baghdad City of Literature.

Let us answer ‘What is a City of Literature?’ via the annual Cities of Literature conference, this year in the utterly gorgeous Ljubljana in Slovenia. 

Greenway, Agatha Christie’s holiday home now cared for by the National Trust, has joined forces with Exeter UNESCO City of Literature as a member of our Partnership Network.

Exeter City of Literature, Penguin, and GWR have joined forces to celebrate the birthday of the powerhouse publisher’s local origins, and Exeter’s global status as a UNESCO City of Literature.

We are delighted that one of our Trustees, Tom Staniford, is leading an exciting fundraising effort – a charity cycle ride to benefit us and 3 other charities. Read on to learn about this bike ride with a twist.

Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson is the Sunday Times Bestselling author of the Future Worlds Prize winning debut novel, The Principle of Moments. She was awarded a writing residency in Barcelona, Spain, which she completed in 2024 as part of a yearly exchange between Exeter and Barcelona UNESCO Cities of Literature.

We are celebrating 90 years of Penguin Books in 2025 with a series of themed bookshelves that honour Exeter’s unique global status as a City of Literature!

There are a range of activities taking place across the global Cities of Literature network to celebrate International Mother Language Day in 2025.