Get past Alan Partridge and the Normal for Norfolk jokes and you will see that this East Anglian city has creativity in its veins
What makes a city a literary giant? According to Unesco, it takes a rare and rarified combination of editorial initiatives and educational programmes, lashings of libraries, bookstores and cultural centres, plus a vibrant literary event scene. In short, its the extent to which literature plays an integral role in the urban environment and the only city in England to have earned the status so far is Norwich.
Norfolks county town may not be the first city that springs to mind when considering Englands foremost cultural offerings. Dig your way past the Alan Partridge and Normal for Norfolk jokes, however, and youll see why Norwich well deserves its City of Literature title, awarded in May 2012 (the other six recipients to date are Reykjavik, Krakow, Iowa City, Edinburgh, Melbourne and Dublin).
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