IMPACT

Story-Led, Devon-Wide:
A Culture of Connection

Exeter City of Literature Strategy 2025–2030

In October 2025, we unveiled a new Devon-wide strategy to connect the region’s culture.

The strategy outlines the economic impact that investing in culture and wellbeing practices can provide, with an overarching vision for everyone to love stories and storytelling. We’re going to make this a reality with accessible and diverse public programming, ongoing support for local creatives, and cross-sector partnerships that place the value of stories at the heart of civic life.

Within the plan, we present five strategic outcomes for 2030:

  1. Improved Wellbeing through Words

  2. Nurture Locally Rooted Creativity

  3. A Better Connected City and County of Stories

  4. Greater Recognition for Exeter as a Literary City

  5. Enhancement of Equitable Cultural Infrastructure

These outcomes inform a wider aim for 2030 in which Exeter will be seen as one of the UK’s most inclusive, imaginative, and globally connected literary cities.

Read our Strategy for the next 5 years here

Anna Cohn Orchard, Executive Director,
Exeter City of Literature

“Today, Exeter stands on the precipice of a new chapter. We are a city proud of its heritage but equally committed to its future.

We need to build not only on the legacy of the Exeter Book and the birthplace of Penguin, but on the aspirations of young people searching for creative careers, residents seeking meaningful cultural experiences, and communities that want to see themselves reflected in the stories of this place.”

“Exeter has global recognition as a UNESCO Creative City of Literature. It is fitting that in this 80th anniversary year of UNESCO's founding that Exeter City of Literature is launching its new strategy.

The innovative strategy sets out how to develop Exeter's literary talent and infrastructure now and into the future, in the interests of local people, communities, organisations and businesses.

It is part of a movement to connect the local to the global, and to use the opportunities created via UNESCO's name and its networks to help transform places and people's lives for the better.”

James Bridge
Secretary-General,
UK National Commission for UNESCO

Impact Report 2019 - 2023

Every four years, each City of Literature sends a report to UNESCO highlighting the wealth of literary activity and industry in the area. Our first report spans Exeter City of Literature’s activity from 2019 to 2023.

In the first four years of having the UNESCO City of Literature designation, Exeter City of Literature has raised over £870,000 from public and private grants. The wealth of literary and storytelling groups and organisations in the city have also benefited from the UNESCO designation.

Read the UNESCO Report here

Highlights between 2019-2023 include:

  • The Exeter City of Literature charity has created three permanent job roles and hired over 45 local freelancers, facilitators, and writers.

  • 15 writers, artists, and researchers from international UNESCO Cities of Literature were brought to Exeter to work with the University of Exeter, Bookbag bookshop, Devon and Exeter Institution, Libraries Unlimited, MakeTank, among others.

  • Six students from the University of Plymouth were sent to Angouleme City of Literature for the International Comics Festival. Plymouth student James Taylor won the UNESCO Literary Project prize. 

  • A Visit Exeter campaign to promote the city as a literary destination reached nearly 1 million people across the UK.

  • The charity conceived of and launched the Penguin Book Vending Machine in 2023, and over £8,000 of books were bought from it that year.

  • 40 trainee bibliotherapists have completed the Exeter City of Literature Introduction to Bibliotherapy Skills course at Exeter College.

“For over 1,000 years, Exeter and Devon have attracted passionate readers and storytellers to its beautiful surroundings, and never has that been truer than today.

Today, the literary sector in Exeter is generating more jobs and creative opportunities for residents and visitors than ever before. Exeter City of Literature believes in the power of words to imagine new possibilities for this world.

By harnessing the transformative power of literature, we will make a lasting impact on our city and beyond.”

Anna Cohn Orchard
Executive Director,
Exeter City of Literature

“Our UNESCO City of Literature status shapes Exeter’s vision to innovate and lead on well-being, cultural literacy, creative making, and heritage innovation to build a city where everyone thrives.

It was a fantastic achievement for Exeter to be recognised as a UNESCO City of Literature in 2019.

The status has been hugely beneficial in allowing Exeter to be seen nationally and internationally as a city of reading and storytelling—a place where literature and culture thrive.”

Councillor Phil Bialyk
Leader,
Exeter City Council

Between 2019 - 2023, Exeter City of Literature has raised over £870,000 from public and private grants.

Between 2019 - 2023, Exeter City of Literature has raised over £870,000 from public and private grants.

TESTIMONIALS

“As the national development agency for creativity and culture, one of the Arts Council key roles is to our cultural sector to be world-leading: generating new ideas and developing talent from every community.

We’re fully supportive of Exeter City of Literature’s commitment to bringing the power of words and stories to new audiences, and we’re excited by their plans to celebrate and promote writers from Exeter and Devon.”

Phil Gibby
Area Director, South West
Arts Council England

Zainab Juma
Head of Brand, Penguin

“When Exeter City of Literature approached us about the Penguin Books Vending Machine, we knew immediately that it was the perfect way to celebrate our origins.

We’re especially pleased that the vending machine will benefit Bookbag, a local independent bookstore, and Exeter City of Literature who do brilliant work celebrating Exeter’s literary history and making books and reading more accessible in the local community.”

“I’m delighted to be a part of this year’s Book Market with Exeter City of Literature. The Book Market is such an important date in the literary calendar in the South West, bringing local readers, independent book shops and authors together in the striking setting of Exeter Cathedral.

Promoting a love of reading and books in this vibrant and accessible way is key to bringing literature alive for readers across the area.”

Sarah Pearse
Bestselling Author

"We are excited to be partnering with
Exeter City of Literature and its writers, artists and translators.

I believe this is the start of long-lasting relationships and future collaborations, especially around climate change, a pressing topic both countries are concerned about.”

Laura Prinsloo
Jakarta UNESCO
City of Literature

“I really learned how a conversation around books and reading can have such a profound effect on someone, and make such a positive difference to them.

I've found the whole experience very humbling and eye opening, and it has really changed me. I can’t wait to use these skills more in my work.”

Jenny
Bibliotherapy Trainee

“We’re delighted to support Exeter UNESCO City of Literature in its quest to discover Exeter’s favourite book. Reading for pleasure is hugely valued by the Arts Council for all the joy, excitement and empathy that great stories deliver as well as the boost that reading can give to mental wellbeing.

It’s wonderful to see this vibrant programme connecting people with books across the year and celebrating reading throughout the city and beyond.”

James Urquhart
Interim Director of Literature,
Arts Council England

“Exeter’s UNESCO designation has been immensely enriching for our activity. It has allowed us to bring our voice to an international audience, but also learn directly from Creative Cities around the world, enabling research pathways that were simply not possible before.”

Richard Mansell
Senior Lecturer in Translation,
University of Exeter

“In May 2023, I spent three productive weeks in Barcelona as part of an international writing residency sponsored by Exeter City of Literature.

I was able to work on crucial structural edits for my novel and engage meaningfully with the creative life and history of the city. Meeting fellow residents and exchanging ideas across cultures broadened my horizons, and we are still in contact today.”

Lucy Holland
Bestselling Author

“Exeter has a rich heritage as a centre for literature spanning over a millennium. From the Exeter Book (itself inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World programme) to the ‘birthplace’ of Penguin Books, the city has long embraced and supported both writers and readers.

The UNESCO City of Literature designation is an apt and important recognition for Exeter, and supports the vital and inspiring work of those who work to continue to work passionately to celebrate, and progress, the city’s rich written-word heritage.”

John Carmichael
UK National Commission for UNESCO