Glasgow's Aye Write book festival will not return in full until March 2027, when it will run for five days rather than its traditional 11, as organisers carry out what they describe as a re-imagining of the event. In the meantime, Glasgow Life will stage four standalone events this autumn under the banner Aye Write Presents, featuring former First Minister Humza Yousaf, journalist Laura Kuenssberg, thriller writer Chris Carter and novelist Val McDermid.
The announcement follows a difficult period for the festival, which was cancelled entirely in 2024 after organisers failed to secure enough funding from Creative Scotland. That decision was reversed in May 2025, when Creative Scotland confirmed a grant of £262,500 to Glasgow Life, and the festival returned as an 11-day event that November marking its 20th anniversary, according to Creative Scotland. That 2025 edition ran to 130 events, per Visit Glasgow, though the source article cites 180 authors appearing across the programme.
Glasgow Life has now reframed the funding period, saying the Creative Scotland award covers 2025-26, 2026-27 and 2027-28 rather than calendar years as originally described. The shift means the festival's traditional springtime slot will not return until March 2027, according to a report in the Herald, which also confirms the cut from 11 days to five.
What will the autumn events feature?
The four Aye Write Presents events will run between September and November 2026, ahead of the festival's full return. Humza Yousaf will discuss his book Under Fire: My Family's Escape from Gaza and The Cost of Leadership, which details his efforts to help his in-laws escape Gaza, at Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall.
Laura Kuenssberg will discuss her book Pay Attention at the University of Glasgow's Debates Chamber, while Chris Carter will appear separately as part of the series. Val McDermid will close the season alongside Jo Sharp, the Geographer Royal for Scotland, discussing their short novel This Door of the Seas. Festival programmer Bob McDevitt said the series would offer:
a great mix of politics, personal memoir and thrilling fiction
According to the Herald, the autumn line-up has been confirmed as these four named events, and Glasgow Life has described the full 2027 festival as a "fresh, experience-led programme" that will use new venues and immersive experiences.
Why is the festival changing shape?
Bailie Annette Christie, chair of Glasgow Life and convenor for Culture, Sport and International Relations at Glasgow City Council, said the festival was entering a new phase. She said:
Returning to its traditional springtime slot in 2027, the festival will offer a fresh, experience-led programme while continuing to champion great writing and opportunities for people across Glasgow and beyond to engage with books and storytelling.
Organisers said the festival, first held in 2005, was evolving to create a better experience for regular attendees while attracting new audiences. Plans for 2027 include dozens of panel discussions with local and national authors, retrospective events looking back at earlier festival editions, and new
