Snow Patrol are one of the headline acts at the Latitude festival

Latitude will focus on literature, poetry and comedy as well as lining up a number of bands and musical events.

It is being held at the Henham Park Estate in Southwold in mid-July, and is organised by Mean Fiddler, the firm behind the Reading and Leeds festivals.

The festival is the only British date this year for Antony and the Johnsons, who won the 2005 Mercury Music Prize.

As well as Reading and Leeds, Mean Fiddler also operates the Glastonbury Festival, which is not running this year.

'Less manic feel'

Managing director Melvin Benn said he was seeking to emulate the "genteel, less manic feel" of his favourite European festivals.

"I want to be able to wander from books to music to film in the way you can in your own sitting room," he explained.

Antony and the Johnsons won last year's Mercury Music Prize

"I am looking forward to that feeling of being able to listen live to the music and then the words of an author or poet or environmentalist, rather than just reading it in the newspapers or listening on a CD."

Rob Newman and Marcus Brigstocke are among the acts confirmed on the comedy bill, while stand-up performer Robin Ince will host a book club featuring informal readings by authors and comics.

'Edgy, alternative' artists

There will be an outing for London club night Guilty Pleasures, which has built a reputation by championing soft rock classics and other songs from the 1970s and 1980s which have traditionally been considered untrendy.

Cabaret, art, film and theatre also feature in the festival programme.

"I've chosen artists that, with their music, attempt to keep moving forward and who aren't afraid to do things differently," said Jon Dunn, curator of the three main live stages.

"They're provocative artists that fit in with the edgy, alternative slant that Latitude has, but does not exclude mainstream success."

Quality

Mr Benn, whose company also runs the Homelands dance event, told the festival's launch in London that the event would be a unique one.

"I live and breathe festivals and I visit so many of them, but I have never been to one which isn't a copy of Reading, Glastonbury, or Homelands. I hope this one is copied as well," he said.

He said he wanted the festival to be like "engrossing yourself in a quality Sunday paper", adding that he was "fascinated" by the Hay-on-Wye literary festival in Wales.

"But I'm too afraid to go," he said.

Politics and debate would also feature, Mr Benn explained.