Literary Festival For Sale

With Valentine’s Day coming up fast, it’s time to start thinking up creative gifts. And what do you buy for the book lover who has everything? How about a literary festival?

Lillian Avon, founder and director of the five-year-old Bournemouth Literary Festival has announced that the festival is for sale. Avon told Book Trade Info that she felt the successful niche festival she has created is ready for the big time with someone else at the helm:

Avon says, “I strongly believe in the Bournemouth Literary Festival but now want to move on to other personal projects. A small and successful and niche festival that celebrates the ‘world of words’ is the ethos behind the festival and a new owner can capitalise on this and make the festival a bigger commercial success. Indeed a potential buyer could and should be a large publishing house or an independent”. Avon added “the sale might challenge common perceptions on cultural value and I hope that it will stimulate lively debate.”

The full piece is here.