Armagh's Market Place Theatre will host the 39th John Hewitt International Summer School from Monday 27 to Friday 31 July 2026. The five-day literary festival has announced a programme of talks, readings, workshops and performances.

The theme for 2026 is 'Living as Other Women Lived: The Politics of Challenge and Success', drawing inspiration from John Hewitt's 'Sonnets for Roberta'. The programme centres on women's struggles and achievements in Ireland and beyond.

Peace activist and former politician Monica McWilliams will deliver the opening address. Her talk is titled 'Women Struggling for Peace and Justice in Northern Ireland and Beyond'.

Crime writer Stuart Neville will host a panel with authors Harriet Tyce and Catherine Ryan Howard. Booker-nominated Andrew Miller will appear in conversation with Armagh writer Michael Hughes. Sinéad Morrissey discusses her memoir 'Among Communists' with Maureen Boyle, while Jan Carson and Wendy Erskine talk about Carson's novel 'Few and Far Between'.

Poets including Isabelle Baafi, Matthew Rice and Moyra Donaldson will read. Gallery Press presents work by Micheál McCann, Annemarie Ní Churreáin and Grace Wilentz.

Other panels include a discussion on Palestine by activists Sarah Clancy and Gráinnemir Abualrob with Susannah Dickey, a presentation on women and the miners' strike by Natalie Thompson, and a rediscovery of Belfast poet May Morton led by Liz McManus.

Theatre productions 'Work is the Curse of the Drinking Classes' and 'Becoming Marvellous' will be staged. Storytellers Liz Weir, Vicky McFarland and Anne Harper present 'Cloak of Wisdom'.

Art exhibitions feature Brigid O'Brien's 'Home' and James Hughes' 'Storytellers', a series of photographic portraits of Irish literary figures.

Creative writing workshops will be led by Csilla Toldy (poetry), Wendy Erskine (short story) and Bernie McGill (novel writing).

The festival is supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the Department for Communities, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, Ulster University and the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Tickets are available from the Market Place Theatre box office on 0330 056 1025 or online. Full programme details can be found at johnhewittsociety.org.