Manx Litfest has received two major funding boosts following the award of a £5,000 grant from the Manx Lottery Trust and an agreement from the IOM Arts Council to underwrite the festival up to an agreed sum.
The news follows on from a £5,000 grant received from the Manx Heritage Foundation earlier this year and ensures that the festival is on a sound footing financially, with the inaugural Litfest all set for September 27-30 this year.
‘We are indebted to both the Manx Lottery Trust and the IOM Arts Council for their support,’ said Festival Director John Quirk. ‘Coupled with the backing from the MHF, this gives us a solid platform from which to ensure the first Manx Litfest is a success, and from there allow us to stage the event on an annual basis.’
Manx Litfest is registered as a charity with the General Registry (charity number 1100) and September’s event will see around 20 authors, poets and performance storytellers from around the British Isles join with IOM-based contemporaries for a colourful celebration of the written word.
Among the names appearing at Manx Litfest are Martin Bell OBE, Jasper Fforde, crime authors RJ Ellory, Ann Cleeves and Chris Ewan, Elizabeth Buchan, performance poets Thommie Gillow and Gez Walsh, children’s authors Jeremy Strong, Hilary Robinson and Tom Palmer, Island-based author Trevor Norton, and Ben Haggarty, one of the UK’s leading performance storytellers.
The grant from the Manx Lottery Trust is a General Award as a delegated partner of the Big Lottery Fund UK.
Marlene Hendy, Chairman of the Manx Lottery Trust, said: ‘The Trustees see this as an invaluable opportunity to help launch such an important initiative which will hopefully reach out to all sections of our community, both young and old; in addition to raising the profile of the Island in wider literary circles. We wish the Manx Litfest every success for its inaugural event and feel confident that the festival will be the first of many to come in the future.’
Laurence Skelly MHK, Chairman of the IOM Arts Council, said: ‘The Arts Council is delighted to be supporting the first Manx LitFest. We have a rich heritage and culture when it comes to literature and the Arts Council is very keen to recognise that. I look forward to seeing the festival become an integral part of the Isle of Man’s cultural calendar.’
In addition to this funding, Manx Litfest has sponsorship packages available for a variety of events. ‘We’ve had some good support so far, with companies and individuals sponsoring specific events,’ John explained. ‘But there are still several opportunities for anyone interested in backing our efforts, with packages starting at just £400 for an event.’
The main Litfest hub will be focused around the Villa Marina & Gaiety Theatre Complex, with marquees in the Villa Gardens and events in the Colonnade Suite, Promenade Suite and the Gaiety Theatre. Other events will be held at venues around the Island, including the Manx Museum, Castle Rushen, and the Erin Arts Centre.
‘It’s now under two months until the festival and preparations are in full swing,’ said John. ‘There is plenty of news to let the public know about from here on in, and we’ll be issuing regular updates to the media from now until the festival starts. Perhaps the best way of keeping up-to-date with what’s happening, and for ticket news, is to visit our website – www.manxlitfest.com – and sign up for the email newsletter, which will ensure you don’t miss anything.’
Book fans can also find out more about Manx Litfest by following on Twitter (www.twitter.com/manxlitfest) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/manxlitfest).
