The 2010 Poole Literary Festival

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In 2010, the Poole Literary Festival in partnership with the Media School at Bournemouth University established a prize for new media writing. The prize created an exciting opportunity for writers working with new media to showcase their skills, provoke discussion and raise awareness of new media writing and the future of the written word. The cut-off point for entries was on 15 September, 2010. There are two awards, one for Best New Media Writing and one for Best Student New Media Writing. Prizes will be awarded at a prestigious Awards Ceremony on 31 October 2010.

This was the website for the Poole Literary Festival held in 2010.
The content below is mostly from the site's 2010 archived pages.

 

October 29th - 31st 2010
The Past, Present and Future of the Written Word

See what a literary festival can offer you? Connect with others and get out of your comfort zone!
Rachel Fells Johns

 

About the Festival

Our abiding passion is to make Poole Literary Festival (PLF) an established annual event, which is a major contributor to the cultural life of Poole and a highlight in the UK Literary Calendar.

We are a not-for-profit organisation founded in April 2009 by Sue Luminati, and run with the help of a dynamic steering group of unpaid volunteers. Former Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo is our Patron and the inspiration behind establishing a Festival of Literature in Poole.

The Festival will provide the opportunity to meet some of your favourite authors and discover new ones through our programme of workshops, discussions and events for adults, children and families. By creating an environment where people can dive into a world of words we hope to ignite your literary passions and leave you wanting more!

The Festival will be varied - a mix of serious and sparky, big names alongside the up-and-coming, with some surprises to create that edge and catch us unawares. But most of all it will be fun!

Poole is a unique location with much to offer, from a quirky Quay, an award winning blue flag beach, a highly regarded University, the largest regional arts venue in the country - the Lighthouse, fine restaurants and first-class accommodation. The enormous growth in Literary Festivals in recent years is good news and a remarkable success story, Poole should be a part of that success.

New Media Writing Prize

Poole Literary Festival is delighted to announce their partnership with The Media School at Bournemouth University to establish a prize for new media writing. The prize will allow writers working with new media to showcase their skills, provoke discussion and raise awareness of new media writing and the future of the written word.

The competition is now closed. For more information on the Entry Rules and make sure you check out the Judging Panel (PDF). For the latest news and discussions from the judges on the future of the written word be sure to read the New Media Writing Prize blog.

'This award is breaking genuinely new ground in looking at how digital technology is transforming written communication. As the first award of its kind globally it will be a landmark in the increasingly exciting arena of new media writing and I am thrilled to be involved.' Michael Bhaskar, a member of the judging panel.

The shortlisted entries for 2010 are as follows:

Professional Prize
Naomi Alderman: The Winter House
Katharine Norman: Yes Really
Christine Wilks: Underbelly
Alan Bigelow: My Summer Vacation
Jim Andrews: On Lionel Kearns
Anna Pitt: The 02 tales 

Student Prize
Lorenza Samuels: Evidence
Emily Hollingsworth: Anonymous


Shortlisted entries will be displayed in the interactive gallery, Lighthouse, throughout the festival. The winners for each category will be announced at the New Media Writing Prize Award Ceremony on Sunday 31st October.

Getting Here

 

Friends of the Festival

Two exciting opportunities for you to get involved with our Festival, right from the start. 

Becoming a Friend of the Festival is a brilliant way of keeping in touch with what’s happening at PLF and a great way of providing long-term support, helping to ensure the Festival's future, after all that’s what friends are for!

PLF Book Worms
For a special introductory offer of just £15 a year*, you can keep up to date with all Festival activities and benefit from special offers, as follows:

• Regular newsletter with discounted offers
• Priority Discounts for our Day Pass (allowing access to a complete day of programmed events)
• Invitation to Special Friends of the Festival reception hosted by the Festival Director and steering group, giving you the chance to have your say.
• Last-minute ticket reductions (we’ll need your e-mail address to keep you informed)
• Discounts at local businesses supporting the Festival

PLF Book Marks
For just £50 a year* you can upgrade to a full PLF Book Mark and take advantage of the following offers:

• All PLF Book Worm benefits (as stated above)
• Invites to high profile launch event
• A signed copy of the Festival programme by named authors.
• Priority booking for our Readers Day

To become a PLF Book Worm or PLF Book Mark all you need do is send your details (name, address, telephone and email) with a cheque for £15 or £50, depending on subscription, made payable to Poole Literary Festival to:

Festival Secretary: Maggie Mills
PLF Friends
14 Dover Road
Poole, Dorset
BH13 6DZ

*All PLF Friends of the Festival membership will be valid for 12 months from date of issue.

 

Poole Confessions

Writer David Gaffney is collecting the anonymous confessions of the people
of Poole to turn them into micro-stories. He will perform the stories in
in a custom built mobile confessional box in Poole Dolphin Shopping Centre & Lighthouse Poole’s centre for the Arts, as part of the Poole Literary Festival. Look out for the box and join the queue! After hearing a story the listener will decide on an appropriate penance and the penances will be posted on the Poole confessions website

 

2010 Poole Literary Festival Update

The Past, Present & Future of the Written Word

An amazing array of authors came to Poole over the Half Term Weekend to inspire and entertain us.  We hosted 50 events and 43 writers from across the UK. The current Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy enriched us, Michael Morpurgo moved us deeply, Gervase Phinn made us hoot with laugher, Minette Walters thrilled us with her anecdotes and Lighthouse Cafe was alive with music and poetry readings.  Our workshops were full of people keen to develop their writing skills, children made text t-shirts,  joined the sculpture trail, listened to stories, created art and had fun.  Young People did more and dived into a full day of activities, treasured books were signed, delicious Apple cake was relished, 10 artists created fascinating work from discarded books, and most importantly we shared an experience that was uplifting and made us laugh, cry and think. 

Latest News

Sadly the Poole Literary Festival were unable to gain funding for 2011. They hoped to return in 2012.

End of the chapter for Poole Literary Festival

14 Apr 2011

AFTER its stunningly successful opening chapter, Poole Literary Festival has turned into a short story.

It has been unable to secure the funding to hold a similar event this year after the inaugural event last autumn.

Last year’s October half-term weekend saw the toast of literary talent blaze across Poole with 50 events and 100 authors, actors and artists taking part.

Many performances sold out during the three-day event which came in under its £30,000 budget, funded from the Arts Council.

But with money for the arts tight and the Arts Council’s 14.9 per cent cut in funding resulting in many organisations losing out, the festival has been unable to secure sponsorship or funding for 2011.

“It is sad,” said Sue Luminati, the unpaid organiser since 2009. “But I wouldn’t want to do it in a half-hearted way.”

The first event involved poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy and authors including household names Michael Morpurgo, Gervase Phinn and Minette Walters, music and poetry readings at Lighthouse, writing workshops, sculpture trail and art created from discarded books.

Although short-term funding could be applied for, it would not be sufficient to realistically cover staff costs or provide a top class festival, says the organiser.

“Any hope of developing an artistic vision that is reevant and diverse would be lost in the struggle to make ends meet and exist from year to year with no guarantee for our future,” she said.

Many similar literary events, such as the 10-day Hay Festival, have major sponsors and she would welcome any interest from business.

“We have had a wonderful start and it would be a tragedy for it not to appear in some way further on down the line,” she said.

 

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More Background on PooleLitFest.com

 

PooleLitFest.com was the official online home of the Poole Literary Festival, a short-lived yet culturally significant literary event held in Poole, Dorset, in October 2010. Though the festival itself ran for only one year, its ambitions, programming, and innovative embrace of digital storytelling left a lasting impression on the UK’s literary landscape. The website served not merely as an informational portal, but as an archive of a moment when literature, technology, and community engagement intersected in a meaningful way.

The Poole Literary Festival emerged during a period of rapid transformation in how writing was created, shared, and consumed. Traditional literary festivals were expanding to include digital media, experimental forms, and interactive storytelling. Poole’s contribution to this evolution was notable for its early recognition of “new media writing” as a legitimate and important literary form. Through PooleLitFest.com, visitors could explore the festival’s goals, programming, participants, awards, and broader cultural aspirations.

Although the festival did not continue beyond its inaugural year, the website remains an important historical artifact, documenting both a vibrant cultural moment and the challenges faced by arts organizations in the early 2010s.

Ownership and Organizational Background

The Poole Literary Festival was founded in April 2009 as a not-for-profit organization by Sue Luminati. It was run with the support of a volunteer steering group and guided by a clear cultural mission: to establish Poole as a meaningful contributor to the UK’s literary scene. The festival operated independently but drew inspiration and credibility from prominent literary figures, most notably former UK Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo, who served as Patron.

PooleLitFest.com functioned as the festival’s primary communications platform. It provided detailed information about events, participants, travel logistics, ticketing, and the festival’s guiding philosophy. The site reflected the grassroots nature of the organization—professionally structured but driven by passion rather than commercial intent.

The festival’s organizers envisioned it as a recurring annual event, comparable in spirit, though not in scale, to major UK literary festivals. Their long-term goal was to create a sustainable cultural institution rooted in the local community while attracting national attention.

Location and Cultural Setting

The festival took place in Poole, Dorset, a coastal town with a rich maritime history and a growing cultural profile. Poole’s natural setting—its historic quay, award-winning beaches, and proximity to cultural venues—played an important role in shaping the festival’s identity.

Events were hosted across several prominent local venues, including:

• Lighthouse, Poole’s major arts and performance center

• Poole Museum

• Dolphin Shopping Centre

• Poole Libraries

• Public and outdoor community spaces

This multi-venue approach helped integrate the festival into everyday life, making literature visible and accessible beyond traditional academic or ticketed environments.

The location also contributed to the festival’s broader mission: to demonstrate that literary culture need not be confined to major metropolitan centers such as London.

Festival Vision and Goals

At its core, the Poole Literary Festival aimed to celebrate “the past, present, and future of the written word.” This guiding theme reflected a desire to balance literary tradition with innovation.

The festival’s stated goals included:

• Encouraging reading and writing across all age groups

• Supporting emerging writers alongside established authors

• Exploring how digital technology was reshaping storytelling

• Making literature accessible, engaging, and socially relevant

• Strengthening Poole’s cultural identity

Unlike some literary festivals that focus primarily on author talks and book signings, PooleLitFest placed strong emphasis on participation, experimentation, and dialogue.

The New Media Writing Prize

One of the most significant contributions of PooleLitFest was the establishment of the New Media Writing Prize, developed in partnership with the Media School at Bournemouth University.

This prize recognized forms of writing that existed beyond the printed page, including:

• Digital narratives

• Interactive fiction

• Multimedia storytelling

• Hypertext literature

• Experimental web-based works

The prize included two categories:

• Best New Media Writing

• Best Student New Media Writing

Entries were judged by a panel of respected writers, academics, and digital media specialists. Shortlisted works were displayed in an interactive gallery at Lighthouse during the festival.

Michael Bhaskar described the award as a landmark moment in the recognition of digital literature, noting its role in redefining authorship and readership.

Programming and Events

The 2010 festival ran from October 29 to October 31 and featured more than 50 events involving over 40 writers, artists, and performers.

Programming highlights included:

• Author talks and readings

• Writing workshops for adults and children

• Poetry performances

• Panel discussions on publishing and digital media

• Art installations created from books

• Youth writing activities

• Interactive storytelling sessions

High-profile participants included Carol Ann Duffy, Michael Morpurgo, Gervase Phinn, and Minette Walters.

Audience and Community Engagement

The audience for Poole Literary Festival included:

• Local residents and families

• University students

• Writers and aspiring authors

• Educators and librarians

• Visitors from across Dorset and neighboring counties

The festival fostered openness and inclusivity, with many free or low-cost events and accessible venues.

One of its most distinctive initiatives was “Poole Confessions,” a participatory project transforming anonymous public submissions into live storytelling performances.

Cultural and Social Significance

Though short-lived, the festival demonstrated that:

• Smaller towns could host ambitious literary events

• Digital literature deserved recognition

• Community engagement could coexist with artistic ambition

• Literary culture could be experimental and inclusive

The festival reflected broader shifts in publishing, digital culture, and participatory art.

Funding Challenges and Closure

Despite its success, the festival faced significant financial challenges. Public funding cuts and limited sponsorship made long-term sustainability difficult.

Although the inaugural year came in under budget, organizers were unable to secure funding for continuation, leading to the festival’s closure after 2010.

The decision was made to suspend operations rather than compromise the festival’s vision.

Legacy of PooleLitFest.com

Today, PooleLitFest.com serves as an archival record preserving:

• Details of the 2010 program

• Information on the New Media Writing Prize

• Statements of artistic vision

• Documentation of events and participants

• Early digital literature initiatives

The festival’s influence continues through digital writing awards, academic programs, and community-based literary initiatives.

A Brief but Meaningful Chapter

PooleLitFest.com represents more than a defunct festival website. It documents a bold cultural experiment that bridged tradition and innovation, literature and technology.

Though short-lived, the festival succeeded in fostering creativity, encouraging experimentation, and demonstrating the vitality of literary culture outside major metropolitan centers.

Its legacy endures in the conversations it sparked and the example it set for future literary initiatives willing to take creative risks.

 

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