About
Based in Scotland's National Book Town in south-west Scotland, Wigtown Festival Company runs the 10-day autumn Wigtown Book Festival, Scotland's largest literary gathering outside Edinburgh, which offers more than 250 events a year.
Working with many local partners, the organisation also delivers a year-round programme of reader and writer development across the Dumfries & Galloway region of south-west Scotland. This includes residencies, mentoring and working with young people.
VISIT website
International Priorities
The organisation is a member of the International Organisation of Booktowns and currently welcomes international writers to the festival on an ad hoc basis. We also administer the international Wigtown Poetry Prize.
Key Strengths
Expertise in running cultural projects in a geographically remote rural area and running community-based projects. Particular experience and interest in cross-genre collaborations, notably visual arts and especially environmental art and writing. Key platforms are the Wigtown Book Festival itself and a year-round, region-wide literature development programme delivered with many partners across south-west Scotland.
Seeking Partnerships With
We're seeking partnerships with organisations that can help us develop an annual programme of international writing at Wigtown Book Festival. We are also especially interested in finding partners on projects to explore aspects of rural experience that cross international borders. And we want to talk to organisations facing similar issues as us (for example, geographical barriers to access) in order to find inspiring ways to reach new audiences and to develop best practice.
Purpose of Partnerships
As well as establishing and sustaining a dedicated international programme at the Wigtown Book Festival, we are interested in developing residencies and commissions and exchanges.
Contact Us
Artistic Director - Adrian Turpin
adrian@wigtownbookfestival.com
Operational Director - Anne Barclay
anne@wigtownbookfestival.com
