Workshop 1
On 22 November, the first formal event of the Book Cultures, Book Events project took place. A workshop at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, brought together academics from diverse disciplines and practitioners from across the fields of Scottish publishing and literary events. The aim of the workshop was to initiate knowledge transfer between collaborators, explore methodological approaches appropriate to the area, and identify key research and policy questions.
Emergent themes and questions included:
• Tensions between economic and cultural aims
• The sustainability of the burgeoning Scottish literary events scene;
• Why so many literary events in Scotland?
• Rethinking event formats to meet audience expectations
• Challenges of the current public funding landscape and sponsorship
• The role of literary events in community identity
• The value of literary events in social inclusion
• Relationships between publishers, literary events, booksellers, authors, and audiences
• Literary events as a civic sphere for ideas exchange
• Meeting the democratic deficit
• Demographics: ‘the elephant in the room’
• Extending the audience and building longer-term audience
• The elitism/populism balance and public engagement
• The labour of cultural workers and volunteers subsidising many literary events
• Can tourism authorities include literature in Scotland’s tourist branding?
• Relationship between London publishers and Scottish literary events
Attendees
Nick Barley, Edinburgh International Book Festival
Jenny Brown, Jenny Brown Associates
Rachel Blanche, Queen Margaret University
Sarah Brouillette, Queen Margaret University
Stephanie Craighill, Edinburgh Napier University
Karen Cunningham, Aye Write! Festival
David Finkelstein, Queen Margaret University
Robyn Marsack, Scottish Poetry Library
David McGillivray, University of the West of Scotland
Douglas McNaughton, Queen Margaret University
Alistair Moffat, Bookfestival Scotland
Marion Sinclair, Publishing Scotland
Alan Spence, Word Festival
Claire Squires, University of Stirling
Jim Thompson, Edinburgh City Council Library Service
Gavin Wallace, Creative Scotland