A STRING of big-name writers - including poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy, journalist and novelist Will Self, author and broadcaster Simon Armitage and Round Ireland With A Fridge author Tony Hawks – will headline at the sixth York Literature Festival which begins on Tuesday and runs until next Sunday.

Girl With A Pearl Earring author Tracy Chevalier and crime writer Peter Robinson, both interviewed on these pages today, will also be appearing.

As usual, this year’s festival - which is supported for the first time by an Arts Council grant of more than £6,000 – will feature local writers and performers as well as well-known names.

Events will take place across the city from March 19 to 24, at venues such as York St John University, the Theatre Royal, City Screen, the National Centre for Early Music and the Museum Gardens.

Here are a few highlights:

• Peter Robinson and Martin Carthy: Crimes and Ballads. National Centre for Early Music, Tuesday March 19, 7.30pm.

• Tony Hawks: Round Ireland with a Fridge – film and Q&A. City Screen, Wednesday March 20, 8pm. Tickets £10 adults, £8 concessions.

• Will Self in Conversation. Temple Hall, York St John University, Wednesday March 20, 8pm. Tickets £8.

• York Walk: a stroll through literary York. Meet outside Museum Gardens, Thursday March 21, 10am. Tickets £6 adults, £5 Yorkcard.

• Simon Armitage, Temple Hall, York St John University, Thursday March 21, 8pm. Tickets £10.

• Flying High with Anneliese Emmans Dean and Catherine Heinemeyer. Celebration of birds from the mythical Anzu to noisy sparrows in your garden hedge – in stories, poems and songs, featuring local performance poet (and author of Buzzing!) Anneliese Emmans Dean and storyteller Catherine Heinemeyer. York Theatre Royal, Friday March 22, 6.30pm. Tickets £5.

• Tracy Chevalier in conversation with Robert Powell (see interview).

• Carol Ann Duffy. York Theatre Royal, Sunday March 24, 5pm. Tickets £10 adults, £8 concessions, £6 students and under-25s.

• For full festival details and information about how to book tickets, visit yorkliteraturefestival.co.uk