The UK’s first and only literary festival devoted to music is returning for its second year.

The second Off The Page event will bring together critics, theorists, authors, musicians and artists to talk about the state of audio culture.

With talks, panel discussions, workshops and film screenings, there will be lots to do over the weekend at the Whitstable Playhouse Theatre.

The festival, which runs from Friday, February 24, to Sunday, February 26, will look at how critical thinking and writing has expanded, from traditional print media to the blogosphere.

Highlights include composer Gavin Bryars discussing his 1969 piece, The Sinking of the Titanic, on Friday, coinciding with this year’s centenary of the ship’s tragic maiden voyage.

Then on Saturday, Dave Tompkins gives a talk on the history of 1980s hip hop sub-genre Miami Bass. Widely regarded as the best writer on hip hop in the world, Dave charts how bass music has boomed around the world, shaking rumps all the way from the favelas of Rio to the tower blocks of East London.

One of the events of the festival will be a panel debate entitled Collateral Damage: Music in a Digital Economy. This looks at the way new technologies have transformed the ways in which we produce, perceive and consume music. Panelists include The Wire’s publisher and editor-in-chief Tony Herrington, audio visual artist Vicki Bennett, from People Like Us, Chris Cutler of ReR Records, and electronic musician Robin Rimbaud, otherwise known as Scanner.

Also on Saturday is the world premiere of Eliane Radigue: Virtuoso Listening, an hour-long documentary produced in collaboration with the cult French minimal composer. Now in her eighties, Eliane is a celebrated figure in electronic music. Her work has roots in Europe’s post-war avant garde and she has been linked with the pioneers of American minimalism such as Terry Riley, La Monte Young and Steve Reich.

One of the picks of the entertainment on Sunday is radical feminist and post-punk artist Linder Sterling discussing her favourite music visuals.

Since emerging in the late 1970s as a key figure in Manchester’s punk and post-punk scenes, Linder has transformed herself as an artist numerous times.

A weekend pass to all events is £40, Friday £12, Saturday £20, Sunday £15. Box office 01227 272042.