The Director of the Guernsey Literary Festival has said the series of events will give islanders the opportunity to enjoy “world-class” writers without the expense of leaving the island.
Claire Allen said it was “wonderful” that the festival has returned to a full line-up after “a tough two years” of the covid pandemic. She was confident that this year’s programme of events would offer “something for everyone”.
“We’ve had national and international novelists, poets, crime writers, science fiction writers, playwrights, TV writers. But we also have non-fiction experts in their own fields, writers on politics, business, history, health, education, music and science,” said Ms Allen.
Pictured: Author of "The God Delusion", Richard Dawkins, will be featured in one of the festival events. (Credit: Jana Lenzova.)
Local authors will also be featured in the festival.
Ms Allen continued: “The festival has increasingly involved local writers. After all, what would be the point of ignoring the talent we have on this island?
“Local authors can lend us their talent and we can help give them a platform. And, of course, every successful writer will be an encouragement to someone else.
“We see that talent in the published writers we have in the Bailiwick, many of whom we feature this year, but we also see it in the talent young writers are showing in our very popular WriteStuff competition.”
Ms Allen said she was pleased to have secured celebrity talent in the line-up.
“This year there is a full programme involving a wide spectrum of speakers and writers. The full programme includes comedian Jack Dee, scientist Richard Dawkins, as well as business speakers Jean Oelwang, UK senior judge Lady Hale, wine expert Rob Buckhaven and Yorkshire Shepherdess Amanda Owen,” she said.
Pictured: Guernsey resident and published author, Jenny O'Brien, will be speaking at the Guille Alles Library this month.
The festival is run by a team of volunteers and relies on sponsorship and ticket sales to continue.
Ms Allen added: “It is true that from little acorns, mighty oaks grow. The festival was initially held every 18 months, but since 2017 it has been annual and remains one of the biggest art events in the Channel Islands.”
The full festival programme can be found HERE
Record entries to Write Stuff competition from young writers
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