With the usual festival format compromised due to the current Covid-19 situation, organisers of the Isle of Wight Literary Festival are preparing free online sessions to delight, inspire and enlighten audiences this 9th to 11th October.
Organisers of The Red Funnel Isle of Wight Literary Festival today announced that, for the first time ever, this year’s Festival will take place digitally, across three days, starting Friday 9th October.
Now in their ninth year, the organising committee will carry on the tradition of bringing authors together to share their work and provide audiences with an inspiring and engaging programme that offers something for all.
A wide range of free video content
Festival participants can expect wide range of free video content from a host of top writers and will be able to choose from myriad sessions including history, poetry, the lives of famous people, adventure and everything in between.
Island writers will be celebrated and take centre stage with a special feature about the Island landscapes and views that inspire them.
Ankers: Can’t wait to reconnect with our loyal festival patrons
Maggie Ankers, Chair of the Isle of Wight Literary Festival comments,
“While we are very sorry not to be gathering in person this Autumn at our beautiful event home – Northwood House in Cowes, we look forward to delivering a rich and varied programme.
“We can’t wait to reconnect with our loyal festival patrons who have supported us since the start and we also hope to use this far-reaching digital platform to attract new fans, whom we hope to meet in person next year.”
Sign up for the newsletter
For more information, to stay up to date with the latest news and be the first to hear about speaker announcements, digital festival goers should visit the Website and subscribe to Festival newsletter.
Subscribers will also benefit from special access to pre-order titles from the Festival’s bookshop partner, Blackwells as well as receive exclusive ferry offers from Red Funnel, the headline Festival sponsor.
Collins: Committee is a tremendously dedicated group
Fran Collins, CEO, Red Funnel, said,
“We are pleased to support the Isle of Wight Literary Festival and ensure its spirit lives on for 2020. It’s disappointing that there won’t be a live gathering this year but we hope to see everyone online and having a great time.
“The Festival organising committee is a tremendously dedicated group which has done a brilliant job delivering a quality experience for nearly a decade and its passion for showcasing literature to all is clear.
“I have every confidence that they will delight audiences for yet another year in a row and I am personally looking forward to enjoying this year’s festival in its new digital guise!”
Festival Radio
Festival Radio will be working with organisers to deliver the digital festival format and will begin broadcasting from Friday 9th October with information about the event and interviews with authors.
For a preview of what to expect this October, listen to 2019’s Festival highlights on the Festival Website.
Image: Jess Bailey under CC BY 2.0
