Details have been announced for the third Bournemouth Writing Festival, to be held over the weekend of 25th to 27th April at various locations in Bournemouth town centre.
The three days will feature around 100 events and activities (some free) to inspire writers of all ages, backgrounds, abilities and experience.
There will be talks, walks, panels, workshops, informal networking breakfasts, lunches and dinners, and literary agent 1-2-1s.
Writing on the Beach will return as well as a Words for Wellbeing Chillout Zone at the Russell Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, and special evening events from the Outsiders Project and Bourn Jammy.
Closing the festival on the Sunday night will be Making Waves, a showcase for new and emerging writers hosted by Arts University Bournemouth.
Bestselling authors including Rachel McLean, Alex Stone and Anna Britton will be joining over 50 other writing professionals delivering talks and sessions.
Literary agents Laura Williams, Oscar Janson-Smith, Saskia Leach and Megan Carrol from London-based literary agencies will be offering 1-2-1 sessions where authors could bag a publishing contract.
A poetry hub, located in the Bandstand in the Lower Gardens, will have free drop-in sessions and performances with further networking activities in cafes and restaurants across the town centre to meet and mingle with other writers and industry professionals.
Such has been the success of the festival in its first two years that a new one-day Romance Writing Festival will make its debut on 18th October at the Royal Bath Hotel.
Funding from the Town Centre BID and Arts Council England means free workshops for marginalised members of the community will take place, including Children in Care, the homeless and Adults with Additional Needs.
New co-working space Patch, on the 1st Floor of Bobbys, will host children’s activities all day on Saturday 26thApril and a special Author’s Marketplace, where people can meet local authors and their buy books.
Paul Kinvig, COO of the Town Centre BID, said: “The Bournemouth Writing Festival is a huge success and just what Bournemouth needs, bringing together creatives, writers, students and local businesses with an energetic focus.
“It demonstrates that towns outside of London are hubs of creativity and imagination.
“We are pleased to continue our support and can’t wait to welcome writers to the Town Centre.”
Festival Director, Dominic Wong, said, “Writers and authors are coming to Bournemouth from across the country – indeed 30 per cent of attendees live outside of Dorset.
“The buzz and community feel around the Writing Festival is tangible, evidenced in our continuing events throughout the year.“
The Bournemouth Writing Festival is supported by the Arts Council England funded by the National Lottery, the Town Centre BID and Solid Imagery Photography.
- Visit https://www.bournemouthwritingfestival.co.uk for full details, including a downloadable programme.
- To find out more about the new Romance Writing Festival Bournemouth, visit https://www.romancewritingfestival.co.uk