FOLLOWING a highly successful event last year, the Monmouth Literary Festival 2015 is welcoming a new and exciting line up of guests.

The festival still retains the unique characteristic of being organised by students from the community, uniting all three secondary schools within Monmouth, and creating an event for the whole community to enjoy.

The theme this year is 'the book and beyond' and guests will include artists who have performed at both Hay and Edinburgh festivals, published poets, playwrights, novelists, sports personalities and a Shakespeare production company.

Pupils from three schools secured around £10,000 in sponsorship to make the festival possible. The voluntary committee formed by six teenagers from Monmouth Comprehensive School, Monmouth School and Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls impressed the town council with their presentation winning £4,000 from the panel last week.

The rest of the funding has been donated by Friends of Monmouth Comprehensive School, the National Union of Teachers, Friends of HMSG and The Nimbus Foundation.

Committee member Alice Reynolds, 17, from HMSG, said: "I wasn't involved in last year's festival but had heard exciting things about it and was really interested in being a part of it.

"I thought it would be a great opportunity to meet authors and takeing part in organising an event that would bring the three schools and the community closer together.

"This year there are evening events being held in community locations which will enable the town to share the festival with the schools.

"Due to the range of events and selection of exciting authors speaking this year, there will be something for everyone and all ages to enjoy.

"We also hope that the festival will put Monmouth on the literary map, bring in new visitors and that the Monmouth Literary Festival will grow both in size and success in the future."

All events will take place during the week commencing Monday 22nd June and it is hoped the whole community will be able to share in the events on offer.

The line up is as follows:

Monday 22nd June

•The 2 Steves at the Blake Theatre from 6pm to 7.30pm

•Nick Van Bloss at the Blake Theatre from 8.30pm to 10pm

Tuesday 23rd June

•An evening with Eddie Butler at the Blake Theatre from 7pm to 9pm

•The Shakespeare Revue by the Shakespeare Theatre Company at the Savoy Theatre: 7.30pm to 9.30pm

Wednesday 24th June

•An evening with Carol Ann Duffy at the Savoy Theatre: 6pm to 8pm

Thursday 25th June

•Tiffany Murray, Chris Wakling and Abbie Ross at the Shire Hall: 1pm to 3pm

•An evening with Owen Sheers at the Blake Theatre: 7pm to 9pm.

Friday 26th June

•Abbie Ross and Julia Gregson at the Blake Theatre: 10.30am to 12pm

Additional highlights include a writing competition open to children of all ages on the subject of words. Children could write about how words can impact on others, how they influence our thoughts, feelings and perspectives and how they can be best used to support community cohesion.

Entries must be received by midday on Friday 22nd May and should be sent to [email protected]">[email protected] or Karen Rollings, Monmouth Comprehensive School, Old Dixton Road, Monmouth NP25 3YT. Winners will have the opportunity to work with published writers during the festival week.

There will also be 'pop up poetry' throughout the town during the festival week. Follow the festival on twitter @monmouthlitfest for up-to-the-minute events that will be popping up through the week.

All tickets for the festival are priced at £5 for adults and £2 for concessions and are available from Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls, Monmouth Comprehensive School, Monmouth School, Monmouth Town Library and Rossiter Book Shop.

The only exceptions being The Shakespeare Revue and Carol Ann Duffy/John Sampson where tickets will be sold exclusively through the Savoy Theatre.