The 2010 Poole Literary Festival


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.

 

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

 

I attended this festival as well as several subsequent events held by the same sponsors, but in different locations. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the authors, other writers, and mixing and chatting about the art of the written word. As a writer, I'm always looking for inspiration and meeting other writers always inspires me. At a recent outdoor gathering I met a fiction writer who had stunningly long hair which I commented on. She thanked me and sauntered away. Later that evening I thought I saw the same person, but this time her hairdo was a trendy asymmetrical mid length. I did a double take and then realized she must have been wearing a wig during the day with that long lush wavy style. I approached again with a comment regarding her haircut. This time she laughed and didn't blow me off, perhaps because she had had a couple of drinks. "Look", I said. "I am not hitting on you. I have always wanted to have long hair like what you were wearing today. Obviously it was a wig. Please tell me where you bought it. It looked so natural." She said she would text me. the url for the online wig boutique where she buys her wigs. The long one, she mentioned, was a Raquel Welch style called, Scene Stealer. Late that Much later that evening I got a text with the url to the online wig store: https://www.elegantwigs.com/Raquel-Welch-Wigs.html. I clicked the link and there was a page with 109 Raquel Welch styles. I looked through them all seeing the long style as well as the short trendy style she wore that evening. I have never worn a wig, but there is an element of fun in checking out new stuff. And the more I read about buying a good quality wig, the more I realized the whole process is very personal, perhaps similar to getting fitted for brasieres. I just might take the plunge for the experience of having a totally new look, but after spending a considerable time looking at various styles and their descriptions, I realized it might not be so simple. Obviously the first thing one looks at are the styles. But then I realized there are all different types of fibers and cap constructions. Synthetic fibers seem the most common among the styles but with price ranging all over the place. I discovered that styles made with monofilament cap constructions cost more than standard or open cap constructions and those with lace fronts plus a mono top or mono part line cost more. The most expensive wigs are made from Remy human hair which is a better quality, apparently than regular human hair. They are way out of my price range. I think I will stick with the Raquel Welch brand for now but made from synthetic fibers or heat friendly synthetic fibers  that allow one to style the wig with heat curling tools. Looking at other brands just adds another complication which will just overwhelm me at this point. Perhaps I will be inspired by all my wig research!
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

  • Tourist Information
  • Car
  • Rail
  • Ferry
  • Coach
  • Air

Contacting Poole Welcome Centre Situated on Poole Quay Tel: 01202 253253, enquiries will be answered in person during opening hours, recorded information all other times. Write to: Poole Welcome Centre, Enefco House, Poole Quay, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1HJ.

Parking For parking near Poole Quay: 
Quay Visitors - multi-storey, 550 spaces, 6 for disabled use 
Prosperous Street - 10 spaces, 1 for disabled use
New Orchard - 19 spaces, 1 for disabled use 
Harbourside Park 1 - 205 spaces, 4 for disabled use 
Harbourside Park 2 - 199 spaces, 4 for disabled use 
 
For parking near Town Centre: 
High Street Shops - multi-storey, 335 spaces, 4 for disabled use
Chapel Lane 1 & 2 - 110 spaces, 10 for disabled use 
Supermarket - 552 spaces, 12 for disabled use 
 
For parking near Dolphin Shopping Centre: 
Kingland Road Disabled - 6 for disabled use 
Shopping Centre 1 & 2 - multi-storey, 353 spaces, 4 for disabled use 
Serpentine Disabled - 14 for disabled use 
Dolphin Shopping Centre - multi-storey, 1160 spaces, 41 for disabled use 
Serpentine Lane - 20 spaces  Pay by Plastic to Park in Poole Motorists using council owned car parks across Poole can pay for their parking by mobile phone in 31 of their pay and display areas look out for RingGo.

 

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 relevant 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.



PooleLitFest.com