NEWS
Merton libraries receive £357,000 from Arts Council England
Working with Wimbledon Bookfest
Merton’s libraries have been awarded Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation status and will subsequently receive £357,000 of funding over the next three years.
Read more here.
The Last Governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, at Wimbledon BookFest
"It is the best of the East and the best of the West."
The Baillie Gifford Tent was packed out on Monday 26th of September for a riveting conversation between the last British governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, and Stefan Stern. Read more here.
Legendary War Journalist Jeremy Bowen speaks at Wimbledon BookFest
War reporting over the years
We were proud to host former BBC Middle East correspondent Jeremy Bowen in conversation with Toby Mundy.. Read more here.
Sunset Festival Event launches with Ai Weiwei at New Wimbledon Theatre
Sunset Festival launch event
Over seven hundred attended as world famous artist and activist Ai Weiwei discussed his memoir at a special event at New Wimbledon Theatre to launch Wimbledon BookFest’s Sunset Festival. Read more here.
Ai Weiwei to discuss his memoir in special event to launch Wimbledon BookFest’s Sunset Festival
World famous artist and activist Ai Weiwei presents his memoir at special event at New Wimbledon Theatre to launch Wimbledon BookFest’s Sunset Festival.
Line-up for Sunset 2022 Festival Announced
Tickets now on sale
Dame Sheila Hancock, Kit de Waal, Mariella Frostrup, Chris Patten, William Dalrymple and the Kanneh-Masons set to appear at Sunset Festival. Read more here.
Wimbledon BookFest’s Sunrise Festival attracts 10,000
Plus speakers announced for Sunset Festival in September
In total, 10,000 adults and children attended events in the Festival Village over seven days. Read more here.
Rene Germain launches 'Black and Great' at Sunrise Festival Opening
A handbook for young Black people entering the workplace
A new book focusing on the challenges Black people face entering the workplace was launched by Wimbledon BookFest at Ursuline High School in Wimbledon, London. 200 Black students from 7 local schools attended the event to hear from Rene and discusss issues concerning them. This event took place on 11 May and opened the Festival's 2022 programme for schools. All children received copies of Rene's book sponsored by the Ursuline High School and Wimbledon BookFest.
Over 5,000 children are exexpected to attend events this summer. With a further 3,000 attending events at New Wimbledon Theatre this September.
Read more here
Watch our Sunrise 2022 Festival trailer
We're back!
We are back on Wimbledon Common with over 50 events from leading writers, a new Festival Village and a host of events for local schools. Watch our Festival trailer here.
Rene Germain launches 'Black and Great' at Sunrise Festival Opening
A handbook for young Black people entering the workplace
A new book focusing on the challenges Black people face entering the workplace was launched by Wimbledon BookFest at Ursuline High School in Wimbledon, London. 200 Black students from 7 local schools attended the event to hear from Rene and discusss issues concerning them. This event took place on 11 May and opened the Festival's 2022 programme for schools. All children received copies of Rene's book sponsored by the Ursuline High School and Wimbledon BookFest.
Over 5,000 children are exexpected to attend events this summer. With a further 3,000 attending events at New Wimbledon Theatre this September.
Read more here
Wimbledon BookFest works with 100 schools + announces dates for two live festivals in 2022
Young Writers' Competition Returns
We are delighted to launch our annual Young Writers’ Competition for school students aged 4 – 19. This year’s theme is “The Tree" and entrants are invited to submit their poems and stories through their teachers and schools at wimbledonbookfest.org. Winners will have their work published in an anthology, and be invited to a prize-giving event at Wimbledon BookFest in September.
Read more here
Wimbledon BookFest Featured in The BooksellerThe return of literary festivals
We were delighted to be featured in an article about the return of in-person literary festivals in The Bookseller, the publishing industry's trade magazine. Festival director Fiona Razvi spoke about how the Sunrise and Sunset festivals came about and the challenges the team faced.
READ THE ARTICLE HERE
Sunset Festival: 15-19 September 2021
Tickets Go On Sale
Friends Priority: Fri 30 July: (10am online) General Release: Fri 6 August:
Line-up includes: Sebastian Faulks, Sophie Dahl, Jess Phillips MP, Miriam Margolyes, Steven Isserlis, Anne Sebba Vince Cable, Rick Stein, Salena Godden, John Cooper Clarke, Christy Lefteri, Elif Shafak, Chris Riddell and more. BECOME A FRIEND FOR PRIORITY BOOKING
READ THE PRESS RELEASE HERE
Sunrise Festival - June 2021
4,000 people attended the first of our summer festivals held in June,
Events included Alastair Campbell, Caitlin Moran, David Baddiel, Anya Hindmarch, Frank Skinner, Jeffrey Boakye, Michael Morpurgo, Monique Roffey, Ingrid Persaud, Ray Mears, Robert Webb, Tim Marshall and Esther Freud,
Watch the highlights trailer HERE
Last Days of Summer Weekend Festival UPDATE - 11-14 September 2020
The government has announced this week further restrictions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. We have reviewed the latest advice and with the extensive measures we have put in place to ensure Wimbledon Bookfest is Covid secure, we are able to continue to go ahead this weekend.
Our allocated seating ensures tickets are sold for groups of 4 and under, at socially distanced tables. Hand sanitiser will be provided on entrance and exit, with all staff wearing visors and face coverings.
Visitors are advised to watch our safety film [Click Here] before they arrive. Your safety is at the centre of our festival this weekend. We look forward to welcoming you
The event will take place in an outside space in an open marquee (roofed/ sides open) where the airflow will be good and audiences are much reduced. Social distancing, cleaning & hygiene, and strong communication will be the focus of all protocol on delivery. Book Tickets HERE. Events will be filmed and streamed later on our website (some restrictions apply) . DATES TO BE RELEASED
Hidden Histories - Black Britain
Wimbledon BookFest partners with Chocolate Films to teach young people film making skills. We work with University of Roehampton film students and 6th formers from local schools.
Our 2020 film making project will focus on Hidden Black Histories. Wimbledon BookFest will be producing a series of short films with writers and artists, highlighting someone of their choice from British history. Participating writers include Floella Benjamin, Patrice Lawrence, and Lemn Sissay.The films will be relased later in the autumn. WATCH OUR FILMS HERE
Robert Graves Poetry Prize - New Judge Announced
Bridget Minamore has joined the judging panel for the Robert Graves Poetry Prize 2020. Bridget is a British-Ghanaian poet, critic, dramaturg, teacher, and journalist, and a regular contributor to The Guardian about theatre. She was also chosen as one of Speaking Volumes’ 40 Stars of Black British Literature, has read her work internationally, and is the co-lead tutor for the Roundhouse Poetry Collective. Bridget said: 'The poem is a form that both distils and expands, that gets to heart of things while finding new meaning in the ordinary and the extraordinary. Poetry has long been something I consider both joyous and life-changing, especially new work, which has the potential to surprise like nothing else.'
We really look forward to working with Bridget and hearing her choices for the winning Prize poems. She joins judges, Paul O'Prey and Peter Straus [image credit: Theo Ndlovu].
Wimbledon BookFest Plans for 2020 - Emergency Public Appeal
Festivals & arts organisations are all facing very uncertain futures. Many literary festivals including Hay, Edinburgh and Oxford have cancelled this year incurring significant financial losses. As a not for profit arts and education charity we run to cover our costs, trying to making small surpluses each year to help with running costs for the following year. We are currently appraising various models for 2020 based on public health, finances and our community's appetite for culture and have launched an emergency public appeal to raise £25k. CLICK HERE to read a letter from Fiona Razvi, Festival Director,
CLICK HERE TO DONATE
Robert Graves Poetry Prize - £1,000 Prize
The Robert Graves Poetry Prize, run in association with University of Roehampton, is now open for entries. Now in its 4th year, the Prize is judged by literary agent Peters Straus and former Roehampton VC, Prof Paul O'Prey. It offers a £1,000 prize. To encourage young people's work there is an under age 19 category. Deadline for entries 31 July 2020.
With thanks to our sponsors Marcus Beale Architects. (Illus: Sydney James)
London Library Partnership - 25% off Membership [offer now closed]
Wimbledon BookFest is delighted to announce a new partnershp with The London Library.
Founded in 1841 The London Library is one of the world’s leading literary institutions. From Charles Dickens to TS Eliot and Virginia Woolf to Bram Stoker - the Library has been a home for readers, writers and thinkers since it opened. Today it continues to offer inspiration and outstanding resources to its members.
To celebrate The London Library is offering Wimbledon BookFest e-news subscribers the opportunity to join their community with 25% off membership until Sunday 28 June 2020. Membership gives access to a collection of over one million books, most of which can be posted to members, and thousands of online resources, plus beautiful spaces to work when the building re-opens on 6 July. JOIN HERE
Stephen Hammond MP Raises Wimbledon BookFest in Parliament
Stephen Hammond MP raised the issue of the need for arts funding in his oral question to the Minister for Culture this week in the House of Commons (Thurs 4 June 2020). 'Can I ask him [the Minister for Culture] to look again at charities that specifically promote the arts particularly local arts such as Wimbledon BookFest because they keep culture going in our communities.’
Young Writers' Competiton - Record Numbers of Entries in 2020
53 primary and secondary schools in South London have taken part in our 2020 Young Writers' Competiton this year - themed The Secret. The competition closed on 1 May and the winning entries will be published in our anual anthology of poems and stories in the autumn.
WORLD BOOK DAY EVENTS: Due to developments with the coronavirus these events were cancelled and all tickets refunded. 17 schools booked and 1,000 children booked to attend our World Book day events on 4 March at New Wimbledon Theatre author events.
University of Roehampton Partnership
University of Roehampton is Wimbledon BookFest's Prinicipal Partner and supports the Festival both financially and with programming content. Every year their Roehampton's academics run events for 6th formers, judge competitions, hold free taster sessions on new research and chair and speak at events at the Festival. Wimbledon BookFest encourages Roehampton students to get involved in a variety of ways and they make films, steward at events and send their students journalists to cover the festival. Read some of the students articles here.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
Coming Up in 2020
We are currently working with our delivery partners on plans for 2020 within the Covid-19 environment and will regularly update on developments on our news pages.
To watch a film about our team, please click here.
Watch Elif Shafak's Event Online Now
In November 2019 Elif Shafak joined us in Wimbledon Library to discuss her Man Booker shortlisted novel 38 Seconds 10 Minutes in This Strange World. In conversation with Jane Thynne, Shafak discussed the themes of her most recent novel, her writing processes and her past works.
To watch the event in full please click here.
Robert Graves Poetry Prize 2019 Winner Announced
The winner of the Robert Graves Poetry Prize 2019, run in partnership with University of Roehampton, was announced as Andre Mangeot at Simon Armitage's event at this year's Wimbledon BookFest. Andre Mangeot's 'Scrimshaw' received the winning prize and Sharon Black and Mark Fiddes were named as runners-up. This year the prize receieved a phenomenal 537 entries from all over the world. The winning entries will soon be published on the Poetry Centre's website. Click here. With thanks to Marcus Beale Architects who sponsored the prize and judges Peters Straus and Prof Paul O'Prey.
Pictured here: William Graves, Peter Straus, Marcus Beale, Andre Mangeot and Paul O'Prey.
Young Writers' Competition Winners 2019 at New Wimbledon Theatre
Madeline Harding from Ursuline High School has been announced as the winner of the 2019 Wimbledon BookFest Young Writers' Competition. The prize givings took place at New Wimbledon Theatre at special events with Children's Laureate Cressida Cowell, Konnie Huq, and Malorie Blackman. The theme for the 2020 Competition was announced as 'The Secret'. From everyone at Wimbledon BookFest, a huge congratulations to the 345 entrants for their awe-inspiring entries. We are so pleased have to received such a great range of ideas around the 'Island' theme. This year the competiton received entries from 63 schools, this means that 21 new schools entered in this year's competition! (Pictured here: Chair of Judges, Ariel Kahn, Madeline Harding and Malorie Blackman).
Read the Guardian coverage here.
Wimbledon BookFest Awarded Time and Leisure Award
The team were awarded the 'Tony Kane Cultural Experience of the Year' at an event in September 2019 by Time & Leisure Magazine. Tony , who sadly passed away in Dec 2018 co-founded Wimbledon BookFest with Fiona Razvi.
Pictured: Sydney James and Mandy Mallen from the Wimbledon BookFest Team
Winner: Wimbledon BookFest
Highly commended:Hampton Court Palace
Commended: Merton Music Foundation, Rose Theatre, Kingston, Surbiton Ski Sunday
Finalists:Furzedown Festival, Kew Gardens, Morden Hall Park, Polka Theatre, Strawberry Hill House
World Book Day Celebrations at New Wimbledon Theatre
On the 6th March 2019 we hosted events with Dermot O'Leary & Nick East, Tom Fletcher and Frank Cottrell-Boyce at New Wimbledon Theatre. Over the course of the day we welcomed over 2500 children into the theatre. Every child that attended went home with a book (or two!). Dermot O'Leary and illustrator Nick East came to share the last addition to the Toto the Ninja Cat series, Toto the Ninja Cat and the Incredible Cheese Heist. Tom Fletcher returned to Wimbledon BookFest with his book The Creakers, the audience were even treated to some 'creaker' based songs. Finally we were joined by World Book Day Author, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, who used the power of story telling to encapsulate the whole theatre. We didn't want it to end!