Diversity and representation is at the heart of everything we do.
Our programme of events includes many performers from traditionally under-represented backgrounds and we proactively engage with those who are disadvantaged by societal or access issues.
Our annually updated Diversity and Representation Plan provides a framework for engagement with performers, audiences, volunteers and core team members, and our Steering Committee comprises experienced arts and business people from a wide variety of backgrounds. We actively reach out to and welcome approaches from local communities and organisations.
The Festival won the Accessible and Inclusive Award at the prestigious Yorkshire Post Tourism Awards 2022 and was a finalist in the same category in 2023 & 2024 against a wide field of important organisations. We were also selected as finalists at the Kirklees Diversity, Equality and Innovation Awards 2022.
HuddLitFest was the first festival north of Watford to host the award-winning Polari Literary Salon and we are committed to showcasing the work of LGBTQ+ writers and performers.
The Festival actively reaches out to, welcomes approaches from, and works closely with local communities and organisations representing those of diverse cultural heritage. We fully and unequivocally support the Black Lives Matter movement and support calls by the Black Writers’ Guild to address deep-seated inequalities in the publishing and wider book world. We do not use the reductive term BAME in our marketing or other communications.
We actively promote our events to audiences from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds, offer many free and low-cost events and work with relevant organisations in the town.
Many of our events are free or low cost, with additional free tickets made available to special groups.
The Festival commissions AccessAble to create Access Guides to key venues, which are added to and updated annually for accuracy. We also offer live subtitling from Stagetext at some of our events, to make them accessible to audiences who are deaf, deafened and hard of hearing. Our volunteer training programme helps to ensure that our stewards are able to meet the needs of performers and audience members with access requirements. We are also committed to offering hybrid and online events to allow access to Festival activities to those unable to attend venues in person.
