19 June 2007

Dundee Literary Festival Success

Intense demand for tickets for the inaugural Dundee Literary Festival has led to two of the main events being moved to a larger venue.

With just two days to go before the start of the Festival, organised by the University of Dundee, the events featuring bestselling authors Jacqueline Wilson and Philip Pullman have had to be moved to the Bonar Hall after their appearances proved to be a big pull for schools and individuals.

Both writers were originally scheduled to appear in the D'Arcy Thompson Lecture Theatre but have been moved to the larger hall, which can accommodate around 150 extra audience members.

Festival Director Anna Day says, "We are delighted with the response for tickets for the Literary Festival. This is the first year and it is always a gamble as you just don’t know if people will want to attend the events."

"But it has been great, we’ve got schools coming from across Scotland to see Jacqueline Wilson and we’ve had ticket requests from customers as far away as Manchester and London."

"It looks like it will be a great, fun couple of days and we’d encourage people to get their tickets now rather than just turning up on the day as several of the events are close to being sold out."

Some of the Dundee Literary Festival talks have totally sold out, including Kirsty Gunn’s workshop and the publishing panel which opens the festival and boasts six of the best known names in books talking about how writers can get their work published.

Other events, which have limited tickets available, include a lively talk and interactive fun with John Fardell who writes for older children. He will bring his characters alive with cartoons and readings. Christopher Priest will read from one of his best selling novels and discuss his brush with Hollywood when his book The Prestige was turned into a movie starring Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman.

Alice Greenway will discuss her Orange Prize nominated White Ghost Girls and local author Bill Duncan will be talking about his writing.

The Festival has been made possible by the sponsorship of Apex Hotels, Dundee.

For tickets, go to Borders Bookshop, Dundee or log on to www.dundeeliteraryfest.org/. Tickets can also be reserved by calling 01382 384768 or going to the 5th floor, Tower Building, Perth Road, Dundee.

For media enquiries contact:
Anna Day
Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: a.c.day@dundee.ac.uk