The Literary Festival Newsletter
Merry Christmas everyone, it looks promising that 2021 will see a return to some sembalance of normality, although how long events will be required to use social distancing is still up in the air.
It has been a difficult year of great upheavals, but if there has been one positive consequence it has been the rapid and successful adoption of digital events across the whole sector. They are not something that will go away.
December is always the quietest festival month. So i am going to put my feet up and will return refreshed with the next newsletter in the New Year. Just a couple of small things of interest before i retire to the sofa to watch Call My Agent …
The Bookseller 150
Congratulations to Syima Aslam from Bradford, Nick Barley from Edinburgh and Nicola Tuxworth from Cheltenham who all made it into the Bookseller’s annual round up of the great and good. Peter Florence from Hay was conspicuous in his absence on the list.
Soho Theatre deal with Amazon Prime
The 140 capacity Soho Theatre has signed a three series deal with Amazon Prime. The first series features 11 different shows filmed at the theatre and is available now. Series two and three will be filmed and broadcast in 2021. Soho Theatre specialises in high quality but low budget theatre - so stand-up comedians, monologues etc. The sort of programming not a million miles from what you would find at a literary festival. I wonder which festival will be the first to sign a deal with Amazon or Netflix?
#DrawMyBookshop
I was impressed by the really simple and effective campaign started by the graphic novel publisher Self-Made Hero that asked artists to draw their local bookshop and share on it social media. It required no central organisation or budget, but has done a fantastic job of highlighting the importance of local bookshops and how people feel about them.
Primadonna Festival moves to bigger venue
Primadonna announced that it’s £48,000 grant from Arts Council England will help support its move to the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket, Suffolk. The festival is due to take place 30 July - 1 August.
Bridport Literary Festival’s Tanya Bruce-Lockhart receives award
Tanya Bruce-Lockhart has been given an award by Dorset High Sheriff George Streatfeild in recognition of the immense work she has done to put on a ‘live’ programme of Covid safe events at this year’s festival.
Mr Streatfeild said: "In a year when joys are in short supply, being able, as High Sheriff, to thank people for the amazing work they do is a huge privilege and joy.
"I have known Tanya ever since she moved down to West Dorset 20 years ago. She would come to Denhay Farm, at Broadoak, march into the office, sit herself down and regale us with stories of her life and travels. She is always wonderful company.’
Bookshop.org - the backlash
Launched in November, this amazon alternative has been a hit selling £450k of books in its first week. A more critical appraisal was given by the Ellen Peirson-Hagger in the New Statesman. It questioned whether everyone should have been so quick to heap praise on them, ‘It is understandable that book lovers, eager to find an “ethical alternative” to Amazon, were quick to publicly celebrate the arrival of Bookshop.org. But in doing so, many forgot to ask the independent bookshops how they feel they can best be supported.”
That’s it for 2020, thank you for all the support you have given BookAmp and the kind words and emails!
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