Our world has been rocked this year by political upheaval, the climate change crisis, and of course, the global pandemic.

Litfest has launched two new and innovative projects,
discovering how these changes have affected us and exploring what we think life might look like in the near future as a result.

How We Live Now is a series of commissioned short documentary films, looking at the lives of local community members navigating a turbulent year.

Through themes of environmental concern, social justice, health, business, migration and the arts, the films explore how
people have responded or adapted to the pressures faced throughout this tough year.

You can watch the films as part of the 2021 festival programme as they premiere on 18 March at
7.30pm (streamed online).

And we need your help and your stories too – simply send us a photo and tell us in one
sentence ‘What is it like for you to live now?’ Tag us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and
use the hashtag #LitfestHowWeLiveNow.

A selection of the submissions will then be
compiled for inclusion in the ‘How We Live Now’ premiere event.
How We Live Next is an investigation into potential futures at local and global level, imagining possibilities for the world after Covid, after Brexit, and in the face of the huge challenge presented by climate change.

This series of five online events runs throughout the
weekend of 13–14 March, and includes four online talks by leading thinkers, writers, broadcasters and activists. Sir Michael Marmot, Fatima Ibrahim, James Suzman and Johny Pitts will give their unique takes on Health, Environment, Work and Social Justice.

The event series will culminate in a panel discussion on Sunday 14 March with a specifically North West focus.

This panel will be moderated by A.C. Grayling and will include Robert Barratt (Eden North), Mark Cropper (James Cropper, Paper Makers), Gina Dowding (Lancaster City Councillor) and Dr Sakthi Karunanithi (Director of Public Health and Wellbeing for Lancashire).

Litfest invites questions in advance for a Question and Answer section which will take place
after all five events. Submit your questions here: https://litfest.org/hwlnextsubmit