Words.04
Leigh and Wigan words together. . .
Coming in April 2004, Words.04 is a festival of Leigh & Wigan words: writing, reading, and performance.
The festival will bring together the talents of local fiction authors, poets, and scriptwriters from the many thriving writing groups in the borough, with keen readers and performance artists, to create a celebration of the written word.
There will be events and competitions for children and adults, workshops and performances, and "big names" : authors with local connections : who will read and sign their books.
Ruth Hamilton, best-selling family saga author from Bolton, and Tony Warren, the creator of "Coronation St." have already agreed to take part.
Leigh's Turnpike Gallery and Derby Room will be one of the festival's major venues, with a Wigan centre venue to be confirmed. Libraries will host exhibitions and reading events. Fringe events will be held in pubs, schools, and, we hope, using a custom built recording and performance bus, taken to the heart of communities around the borough
2004 is the 50th anniversary of the death of Leigh author and film scriptwriter James Hilton, ("Goodbye Mr Chips" and "Lost Horizon") and the Festival will commemorate his life and work with an illustrated talk by the James Hilton Society.
The Festival steering group has representatives from several local writers groups, Towpath Community Press, Making Waves Radio Group, Libraries, The Turnpike Gallery, Wigan & Leigh College, and Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust.
Together we hope to create a lively and memorable celebration of Words.
For more information contact:
Festival chairman, Stephen Lythgoe
tel: 01942 404566
e-mail s.lythgoe@wlct.org
Footnote
Words.04 is an example of community literature development on the hoof : suggested by a local author and reading group member and enthusiastically taken up by writers and readers around the borough.
I attended the first meeting "just as an observer for Libraries", emerged as chairman of the steering group and since then I've been very busy : it's rather like trying to steer a charging bull by hanging on to its ears!
If anyone has festival-organising experience I would love to hear from you.
Stephen Lythgoe