THE BATH FESTIVAL OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
21st-30th September, 2007
One of the biggest new literary festivals announced in recent years will take place in Bath this Autumn.
The Bath Festival of Children’s Literature will be a 10-day celebration of children’s books and reading. Its director, John McLay has already put together a programme that features some of the biggest and most creative names from the world of children’s publishing.
Headlining guests include :
§ Jacqueline Wilson, the current Children’s Laureate, who was born in Bath.
§ Eoin Colfer, author of Artemis Fowl (his only UK festival appearance of 2007).
§ Anthony Horowitz, author of the Alex Rider novels. Stormbreaker, the first title in the series, was made into a film in 2006.
§ Louise Rennison, popular teenage author and creator of the Georgia Nicholson books.
§ Darren Shan, whose Cirque Du Freak and Demonata series for young horror fans have earned him a worldwide audience.
§ Lauren Child, creator of BBC TV’s Charlie & Lola.
§ Julia Donaldson, author of popular picture book The Gruffalo.
§ Francesca Simon, author of the Horrid Henry series.
§ Tony Ross, illustrator of Horrid Henry and author of the Little Princess books, now a cartoon series on TV.
§ Garth Nix, Australian Fantasy author, his only UK festival appearance of 2007).
§ Brian Jacques, author of the Redwall series – which celebrates its 30th Anniversary in 2007.
§ Geraldine McCaughrean, author of the official Peter Pan sequel, Peter Pan in Scarlet.
§ Joanne Harris, author of the book Chocolat, which became a film starring Johnny Depp. Her first book for children is published in Autumn 2007.
§ Lucy Hawking, daughter of Stephen Hawking, who has collaborated with her father on a new children's book, also published in the Autumn.
"The festival is all about getting as many authors and illustrators - local, national and international - in front of as many children as possible,” says Bath-based International Literary Scout, John McLay. “We want to inspire, to entertain and to educate, but most of all to have fun."
There will be 80 ticketed events for the public, across the duration of the festival, which runs from 21st to 30th September, 2007. The target audience will be those aged up to 16, and their families, but some events will be aimed solely at adults, in the form of writing and illustration masterclasses. The festival aims to attract a combined audience of more than 10,000 people from Bath, Bristol and the South West region, and from all along the M4 corridor. Bath is 90 minutes from London Paddington by train, so the festival will be marketed in the capital as well as in the immediate area.
Running alongside the main ticketed events will be an extensive schools and outreach programme in the Bath area, co-ordinated by Gill McLay, who, until the end of 2006, was head of Trade Sales at Egmont Children's Books in London. The festival will take place in a number of venues across Bath, both historic and modern. Venues hosting events will include The Guildhall, The Assembly Rooms, The Mission Theatre, Bath Forum, Bath Pavilion and Bath Central Library.
Festival Director John McLay is helping co-ordinate the experienced group of local professionals, who are all involved with children and the arts, that make up the organising committee. They include teachers, librarians, booksellers, editors and authors from across the region. "Children's book publishers have been very supportive of this new festival," he says. "I'm very excited about the line-up we have so far. There may be a few more surprise guests still to come. Local businesses in Bath and the South West have been very receptive to our plans too. Their generous sponsorship means we are now in a position to stage this ambitious 10-day festival without support from the traditional arts funding bodies."
Martin Brown, illustrator of Scholastic's Horrible Histories series, has drawn the main poster image for the festival - a young reader surrounded by three fascinated characters who reflect Bath's famous historical and literary heritage - a Roman, a Georgian and a Jane Austen-esque figure.
Bath & North East Somerset Cllr Gitte Dawson, board member of Bath Festivals, said, “This is a tremendous new addition to the Festivals programme in Bath. It is aimed squarely at children, and will give them something really special to look forward to. I’m delighted so many famous children’s authors and illustrators are coming here. Autumn tourism for the city may well be boosted as a result - and our own children are sure to end up reading more."
Jacqueline Wilson, the current children's laureate, who was born in Bath, will be one of the biggest draws at the festival, and will be the star of one of it's largest events, at the Bath Pavilion on the opening weekend, in front of an audience of 1,000. She says, "I'm thrilled to be back in Bath for the inaugural Bath Children's Literature Festival. It's such a special place and I'm always glad of an excuse to visit."
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