Syima Aslam
Founder, CEO and Artistic Director

CEO and Artistic Director, Syima Aslam is the founder and Director of the Bradford Literature Festival (BLF), which she established in 2014. A literary and cultural celebration, BLF welcomes more than 185,000 visitors to Bradford annually and is celebrated as Europe’s most diverse literature festival.

Aslam remains the driving force behind the festival. An economist by background, with extensive experience across a range of sectors including inward investment & regeneration, education, and data & marketing solutions, her ambition is to create real and lasting change. Her commitment to young people and passionate belief that education has the ability to change lives, is the inspiration behind everything she has achieved with the festival.

Syima Aslam's remarkable journey and contributions in the world of literature and cultural exchange resonate deeply, as such she has been made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Bradford. In 2022, she became a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of her achievements to date for services to literature. In 2024 and 2025, Syima was recognised as one of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World.

Bradford Literature Festival has celebrated its 11th anniversary with 750+ events across the 10-day festival. The festival was named Europe’s most eclectic and diverse literature festival and was awarded the Culture Award at the Yorkshire Post Tourism Awards.

Dr Bill Lawrence
Executive Director

Bill first discovered his passion for cinema while studying for a PhD in mathematics, after joining his university film society. Building his career in York, he became the founding programmer of Pictureville Cinema when it opened in 1992, later progressing to Head of Film at the National Museum of Photography, Film & Television, now the National Science and Media Museum. During this time he established three major Bradford film festivals, the Bradford International Film Festival, the Bite the Mango Film Festival and the Bradford Animation Festival.

In 2006 he created the partnership board for Bradford: City of Film, contributing significantly to the UNESCO designation achieved in 2009. He later became Creative Director at Showroom Cinema in Sheffield, one of the UK’s leading independent cinemas, before leaving in 2010 to develop a broader portfolio supporting festivals and cinemas across the country, work that ultimately led to his involvement with Bradford Literature Festival.

Bill maintains a deep commitment to cinema, literature and the power of shared stories, ideas and experiences. His favourite film is Sunset Boulevard and his favourite novel is Flicker, a conspiracy thriller rooted in the world of film exhibition.

Emma Price
Head of Marketing & Programming

Emma Price is Head of Marketing & Programming and a Senior Management Team member at Bradford Literature Festival. With extensive experience in branding, marketing and events, Emma drives the festival reach to tens of thousands of visitors each year.

Passionate about her home city, she is a proud advocate for Bradford and is deeply committed to championing its creativity, heritage and diverse communities. Her work reflects a strong belief in the power of arts and culture to connect people, inspire dialogue and drive positive change. Known for her collaborative approach, team building and infectious enthusiasm, she continues to strengthen Bradford Literature Festival’s position as an inclusive, ambitious and nationally respected event.

Beyond the festival, Emma actively supports the wider arts, music and cultural sector, collaborating with local artists, organisations and venues. She can often be found at a music or comedy gig, taking a wild swim or engrossed in a new craft project.

Emma Lloyd
Development & Insight Manager

Emma Lloyd is the Development and Insight Manager at Bradford Literature Festival and a Senior Management Team member. She leads on fundraising, stakeholder engagement, evaluation, and impact reporting.

With over a decade of experience in marketing and communications, Emma has held senior roles across the arts, cultural, and creative sectors, including at Coventry City of Culture Trust, Buxton International Festival, and Attenborough Arts Centre. Her work has focused on audience development, planning, and team leadership. Since moving into development, Emma brings a data-led approach to income generation, applying her communications background to funding delivery and organisational insight. She works across departments to align fundraising activity with programming, marketing, and audience goals.

Outside of work, Emma plays squash, sings, and plays guitar and piano. She also enjoys creative crafts projects.

Jason Colombick
Operations and Production Manager

Jason Colombick has worked all his life in the entertainment sector and as a seasoned Artist Manager, Promoter, and Production & Operations Manager with over 35 years of global experience in live events, touring, and technical production. At BLF he leads Operations and is a Senior Management Team member.

Jason a born South African moved to the UK in 2001, he has managed large-scale festivals, international tours, and high-profile events, working with world-renowned artists, including: Janet Jackson, INXS and the Bee Gees.

Jason’s expertise spans event production, artist management, contract negotiation, sound engineering, and international logistics. Jason is fluent in a few languages he brings a global perspective and a passion for creating world-class entertainment experiences. When not managing events, Jason enjoys travel, scuba diving, and cultural engagement.

Irna Qureshi
Education & Communities Manager
Lizzy Newman
Senior Creative Producer

Lizzy Newman is a Senior Creative Producer at Bradford Literature Festival. She joined the festival in 2024 as a Creative Producer and, through dedication, creativity, and hard work, quickly progressed into her current role.

Lizzy earned a first-class degree in Theatre and Performance with Enterprise before freelancing across the events sector, where she discovered a real enthusiasm for organising and developing creative projects. Her love of history, community engagement, and local heritage deepened through her work at the Brontë Parsonage Museum and as a community fundraising events manager. These roles strengthened her organisational skills, expanded her creative approach, and helped shape her path to BLF.

Away from work, Lizzy appreciates the subtle moments of magic in life. She enjoys romantacy and gothic reads, roaming the halls of museums, and spending relaxed afternoons in cafés with friends. Best of all, she loves wandering the whispering moors with her spaniel Pepper.

Seher Mahmood
Creative Producer

Seher is a Creative Producer at Bradford Literature Festival. She first became involved with the organisation in 2015 as a volunteer, later joining the team as Events Manager for the annual festival. After several years supporting Production, she joined the core team permanently in programming in 2025.


Seher has a background in marketing, brand and communications and holds a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. She works across the Children and Young People, Education, and main festival programme with a keen interest in music, faith and fiction.

Outside of work, Seher enjoys reading, making coffee, and experimenting in the kitchen with both cooking and baking, and can usually be found with her tuxedo cat, Smudge, somewhere nearby. She likes staying active and splits her time between the gym, reformer pilates, and getting outdoors for long walks and hikes. She also creates content focussing on culture and relationships.

Hollie Wilson
Programme Coordinator

Hollie is the Programme Coordinator at Bradford Literature Festival. She first joined the team as a freelance administrator, where her skill, enthusiasm and calm efficiency made an immediate impression. She later stepped into the Programme Coordinator role on a permanent basis, supporting the delivery of the festival’s wide ranging programme.

Hollie holds a degree in Music Journalism and brings a strong background in writing, research and cultural engagement, along with valuable administrative experience. Her creative instincts and organised approach help shape events that run smoothly and resonate with audiences.

Outside the office, Hollie is happiest with a book in hand, exploring the outdoors or experimenting in the kitchen. She enjoys spending time with her family and socialising with friends, whether catching up over food, visiting new places or enjoying a night out. She is also a devoted live music and comedy fan and often travels for gigs. Her love of storytelling in all its forms inspires her work at the festival and fuels her passion for creating meaningful cultural experiences.

Jacob Gotobed
Digital Content Manager

Jacob Gotobed BA (Hons) discovered his passion for content creation at the age of six when his father let him make a stop-motion animation with Lego figures on the family camera. His career has since developed through the theatre industry on both regional and national scales, where he created digital content for National tours and West End productions.

Jacob’s expertise centres on producing engaging video content and developing audiences through thoughtful social media strategy.

A lifelong lover of stories in every form, Jacob’s favourite read of 2025 was 'The Sword of Kaigen', and he has a strong fondness for fantasy and science fiction. If he were a fictional character, he would most resemble Bilbo Baggins, happiest exploring mountains or reading in an armchair with a well-earned second breakfast. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking and either playing or running tabletop roleplaying games or building Lego.

Rebecca Foster
Marketing Manager (CRM & Ticketing)

Rebecca ensures BLF's audiences have a smooth experience booking their tickets, bringing exciting festival news straight to your inboxes, and creating engaging content for the BLF website.

Rebecca has ten years’ experience working in marketing and communications, particularly for not-for-profit organisations, specialising in digital communications and improving audience journeys.

Away from the world of copy, ticketing and databases, Rebecca can be found tucked up with a good book, sketching, painting and crafting, or out exploring the countryside with her playful spaniel, Penny. Rebecca’s lifelong love of reading and the arts inspires her to bring her marketing expertise to a festival that champions literature and culture in her home city of Bradford.

Robert Welbourn
Marketing Manager (CRM & Ticketing)

Robert ensures BLF's audiences have a smooth experience booking their tickets, bringing exciting festival news straight to your inboxes, and creating engaging content for the BLF website.

Robert has ten years’ experience working in marketing and communications, specialising in both on and offline content and improving customer experiences.

Away from the world of copy, ticketing and databases, Robert is a published author of contemporary fiction and horror. When not writing, he can be found reading, walking his sprollie (springer spaniel/border collie) Nellie or fighting with his cat Sylvia Plath. Robert’s love of the written word and his marketing experience combine to inspire all his work with Bradford Literature Festival.

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