Winchester Books Festival hosts launch ahead of pilot event

The pilot festival, which has been sponsored by Winchester University, takes place from April 21 to 23.

The event and community interest company was founded by three book-obsessed friends, Sian Searles, Sophie Liardet and Louisa Symington, who felt that Winchester’s festival schedule was missing one dedicated to literature.

In anticipation of the event, organisers, authors and guests celebrated with a launch party at the West Downs Centre on Thursday, March 2 when tickets went live.

Co-founder Sian Searles said: “It’s very much an inaugural books festival where we’ve had to start everything from scratch so we really relied on the university to help us to get the funding to make it possible.

“The response has been unbelievable in terms of people’s excitement around books. The authors who are coming along for the festival are a group of incredibly talented individuals and we’re really excited at the diversity of topics and the line-up.

“We’ve got Claire Fuller, who has written all her incredible books here and actually attended the university. The city is very rich in authors and books.

“We are going to make an annual thing as we’re convinced there is enough appetite and enthusiasm to make this happen.”

Debut author (Eden’s Keepers), Sarah Barclay, said: “It’s very exciting that there’s a book festival now and I’m very happy to be a part of it.

“Winchester is a big area with plenty of history but it’s not really on the map yet as a creative centre and I don’t know why not. I really hope the festival will help to change that.”

Winchester University’s head of external engagements and partnerships, Natasha Montagu, said: “It’s such an opportunity for the city and for the university. We’re really proud and delighted to see the festival realised and it will be a great event to support the engagement of students.”

Cabinet member for business and culture, Cllr Lucille Thompson, said: “There is definitely a gap in the city for this festival and I think it’s absolutely fantastic as a reader myself. We’ve got some great venues and some wonderful authors.

“I really hope it will become a Winchester staple, the city council is really keen to support and promote it.”

The event will also act as a launch for award-winning author Claire Fuller’s fifth novel The Memory of Animals. She said: “The festival is full of inspiring authors. To sit in a room with fellow book lovers gives a sense of community.

“I’ll be a part of a discussion panel with Frances Liardet and Chibundu Onuzo, where we’ll be getting the audience involved and sharing how to get published.”

Students from Winchester University’s film and media department attended to film a promotional video which will be released in the coming weeks.

Tickets are being sold through Play to the Crowd. To see the full event listings or book go to winchesterbooksfestival.com/.