Sarah Webb explains how to run a literary festival

What are they? How do they work? Author Sarah Webb outlines her role as a programmer for International Literature Festival Dublin

Listowel Writers’ Week was founded in 1970 and is one of Ireland’s longest running annual literary events. It was set up to bring writers and readers together and is still doing so to this day. It also runs a dedicated Children’s Literary Festival and a YA Festival. Every literary festival is different – some focus on one author like the Lennox Robinson Literary Festival (a playwright), others are themed, like the Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine or the Moby Dick Festival in Youghal. But all aim to bring book lovers and authors together to talk about books and ideas.

Festivals take a lot of planning and organisation. This starts at least six months before the actual event. Each festival has a festival team. A team can be made up of programmers, event planners, publicity and social media experts.

Some festivals are run by a voluntary board or committee, and some also have experienced administrators and literary advisors, like Listowel Writers’ Week. I am Listowel’s Children’s Literary Advisor which means I advise them on finding and inviting international writers to the festival. This is a voluntary role.

I am also the Family and Children’s Programmer for ILFD, International Literature Festival Dublin which runs from 19th to 27th May at venues all over the city. My job is to find the very best and most exciting writers for children and young people and bring them to Dublin to talk to and meet Irish readers. I believe live literature events can be life changing for young audiences and for the past twenty years I’ve been working to make this alchemy happen.

How does a festival work?

PLANNING

First the festival team or committee meet to decide on the overarching themes for that year’s festival. 2018 marks the 21st birthday of ILFD so that will be a major theme for us this year.

Once the themes have been discussed the programmers start thinking about who they might like to invite to the festival. This is based on many different things. Good programmers read widely, attend literary events, talk to publishers, booksellers, read book magazines, listen to book podcasts and have their finger firmly on the pulse of the book world. They know who is a brilliant speaker or who has written a really exciting new book. They invite speakers to their festival, either directly or via their publisher or agent.

Many of the larger festivals also have an events company or administrator who work on the logistics of the festival – from sourcing and booking venues to booking authors’ flights and hotels. They are a vital part of the team.

While the programmers are working away on the content, the events company is running social media, websites and getting all the important nuts and bolts in place to support the events.

LAUNCHING THE FESTIVAL

Once the speakers have been confirmed and the venues booked, next programmes are printed and the festival is launched. Then the festival team starts promoting the different events.

FESTIVAL TIME

The festival itself always goes by in a blur. I’m a list maker and I’ve usually planned every aspect of the children’s programme so carefully that if something does go wrong (and there is always something – a delayed flight, a venue problem) I can solve it quickly and with a smile on my face.

Why do I love working as a festival programmer?

Last year I brought Judith Kerr to Dublin. Judith is 93 years old and escaped Germany

with her family just before World War II. It was a great honour to meet her as The Tiger Who Came to Tea is one of my all-time favourite picturebooks. The event in the Pavilion Theatre in Dún Laoghaire was magnificent. It sold out in days and was crammed with Judith’s fans, young and old. The standing ovation at the end of her event brought tears to my eyes and made all the hard work worthwhile.

If you’re interested in working as a programmer for literary festivals, many of the festivals have volunteer programmes. It’s a great way to get involved. Check the festivals’ websites for details.