February 27, 19:30
In the digital age, it is sometimes argued that books and novels are outdated: that they will surely die out over the next generation. If so, how do we explain the worldwide explosion of book festivals, from Malaysia to Canada and from Argentina to Japan? Nick Barley, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, will explain why reading books is still popular and how to interest young people in reading.
Nick Barley argues that literary festivals are not simply about books, but about a human urge for civil society and public discourse. As vehicles for grassroots democracy in the 21st century, how should organisers make sure that they provide a space for citizens of all ages and backgrounds? How can festival organisers imagine new event formats to attract marginalised groups and younger people to join their audiences? With a focus on performance, participation and innovation, Barley will share his experiences of travelling to the best festivals worldwide, and call for courage and innovation from festival organisers, wherever they are based.
The lecture is a part of the series “Theories and practices of cultural leadership” organised by Garage Museum of Contemporary Art together with the Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy in Moscow.
Nick Barley has been director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival since October 2009. Innovations during his directorship include Unbound, a free evening mini-festival of literary performances, the 2012 Edinburgh World Writers’ Conference which took place in 17 cities worldwide, and a Fringe First-winning promenade theatre production, Letters Home, co-produced with Grid Iron Theatre Company in 2014. Nick Barley was chair of the judging panel for the 2017 Man Booker International Prize and is President of the Word Alliance — an international network of the world’s leading literary festivals. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2018.
The lecture will be held in English with interpreting into Russian. Free admission. Please book in advance.18+
