SOUTHAMPTON’S first ever festival of words continues today with a range of events taking place across the city.

For the next ten days poetry, theatre and music will be taking over Southampton at venues across the city celebrating the power of the spoken and written word with SO: To Speak.

What's on at SO: To Speak - the full programme

Events and speakers today include renowned local author Ali Sparkes speaking at a Southampton city centre library reading extracts from one of her books.

Other authors, including MJ Arledge, and Claire Fuller are appearing at venues throughout the week. There is still plenty of time to get your tickets and make sure you don’t miss out on any of the events.

The festival, which is backed by the Daily Echo, promises spoken word performances and music at the Dancing Man, ghost stories and ‘Tales of Southampton’, poetry at the Solent Sky Museum, and ‘Words in the City’ an afternoon of free and ticketed events tomorrow Sunday October 25, with poets, songwriters, storytellers and performers appearing at venues throughout the city centre.

The festival will culminate with performances of Shakespeare in West Quay’s multi-storey car park, and the first Southampton Persian Festival.

To add to this dynamic programme, local arts organisation, element arts, will be producing ‘Transported’, a series of art installations and performances in containers in Guildhall Square, working in collaboration with Williams Shipping. The installation will be run throughout the festival.

Charlie Hislop, of Southampton Festivals and one of the founders of SO: To Speak, said: “It is fantastic to finally welcome SO: To Speak into Southampton. It is strongly rooted in our stories, our history, and our creative talent. We have a great programme on offer over the next ten days, from CSI Southampton to Spitfires to illustration workshops, that there is something for everyone. Being half term means there is also great opportunity for families to get involved and make the most of the festival. We hope that the events inspire those who attend and also show what a vibrant and creative city Southampton really is.”

Co-organiser Jani Frank, from the Arthouse which is putting on an event tonight, added: “Over the last few months so many people have come together to make this festival a reality – it’s brilliant to now show the city what we have been working on and I hope everyone enjoys the programme we have put together.

“There is so much creative talent on the south coast and this festival aims to showcase Southampton’s dynamic and growing cultural identity.”

For further information about all these events visit dailyecho.co.uk.

For tickets for all the events listed below visit www.ticketsouth.co.uk/event.asp?show=SOT unless otherwise stated

What's on at SO: To Speak - the full programme