19 March 2008

Literary salons growing in popularity

The latest Dundee Literary Salon, which features literary agent Clare Conville, has run out of tickets, leaving many disappointed.

The Literary Salons are held in the DCA and are free, but space is very limited and demand for tickets is growing. The events last for two hours and are open to everyone.

They were founded by Kirsty Gunn, Chair of Creative Writing at the University of Dundee. She says, "The Literary Salons we've established at the dca are part of an ongoing project to foster an atmosphere of creativity and literary excitement in our community. They come directly out of the work I'm doing here at the University -so we get students, writers, publishers and people "out there" involved with "in here" on- campus activities. That vivid mix of the writing and academic world is part of what makes the Creative Writing programme at Dundee distinctive and inspiring - and shows how we can reach out those beyond the University walls."

Clare Conville is one half of Conville and Walsh, one of the most exciting literary agencies in the UK - with clients that include that enfant terrible Booker Prize winner dbc Pierre. She’s up from London especially to talk to us about what she’s looking for in a manuscript and what it is about a book that makes it take off.

The salons are backed by the Dundee Literary Festival and the DCA. To find out who is taking part in the next Literary Salon, register your interest by mailing dundeeliteraryfestival@gmail.com. For tickets call the DCA on 01382 909900. Tickets will only be available after the next group of salons have been confirmed.

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