THIS YEAR'S Caerleon Festival on July 6-15 will see more emphasis than usual on literature.

There will also be a wide range of other artistic events, including sculpture, dance, painting, evening concerts and gigs, drama and film.

A literary weekend in the grounds of the Priory Hotel will give Festival goers the chance on July 7 to meet and listen to well known writers such as Ben Kane, Paul Flynn MP, Catherine Fisher, Tim Lebbon and Jon Gower.

This will be followed by an afternoon of fun on July 8 when finalists in the first All Wales Comic Verse Competition perform their work in front of a panel of judges led by BBC Wales's Roy Noble and a live audience.

On July 12 the National Poet of Wales Gillian Clarke, a former Newport College of Art teacher of creative writing, will be reading from her work - accompanied by current creative writing students at University of Wales, Newport.

That will take place in the atmospheric surroundings of the Roman Baths.

Literature Wales are organising an Usk Valley Arthur Machen walk which will start at the Bull Inn at 11am and end on the Festival Field at 4.30pm.

Comedy poet John Hegley will round off the literary events with an appearance at Caerleon Town Hall on July 14.There will be musical events in the evenings throughout the week.

A screening of Monty Python and the Holy Grail on July 6 and Shakespeare's Richard III on July 13 will both take place in the Roman Amphitheatre. The final weekend on July 14 and 15 will see sculptors, artists, musicians, dancers, children's activities and craft stalls on the Festival Field and at the Hanbury Arms quay.

Festival organisers are joining forces with Sustrans, the walking and cycling charity, to hold the Grand Opening on the field on July 14 of the latest stage of the Newport - Caerleon cycle and walking route. For ticketing and information visit www.caerleon-arts.org, or ring 01633 422656/430271