Embracing a New Era of Literary Festivals
As Dawn prepared to embark on the North American leg of her global book tour, she attended a literary festival in England. To her surprise, she was the youngest person in the auditorium by at least twenty years. At 45, this revelation prompted her to reflect on the inclusivity of literary events.
Upon arriving in Canada, Dawn followed up with emails sent to bookstores, libraries, and festivals that hosted author talks, workshops, and readings. The responses were disheartening, with many venues restricting participation to “Canadian Authors Only,” “Traditionally published authors only,” or “Authors with agents only.” Such limitations led Dawn to question why event managers are not adapting to a world that is more interconnected than ever.
In a LinkedIn post, Dawn rephrased some of these rejections to highlight their exclusionary nature:
- “The Festival features Canadian writers only” became “Foreigners not allowed.”
- “Canadian authors only” was turned into “White authors only.”
- “Only authors published by traditional publishers accepted” equated to “No entrepreneurs allowed.”
If event managers were to post these rephrased rejections on their websites or in their emails, the backlash from those advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) would be swift and severe. It is perplexing that a country like Canada, which prides itself on inclusivity, would allow such restrictive practices to persist.
Back in August 2022, The Guardian published an article by Sarah Shaffi questioning the future of literary festivals. The piece emphasized the need for organisers to become more savvy with pricing, ticketing, line-ups, and venues post-COVID. However, Dawn believes the issue goes deeper. Literary festivals must also embrace diversity in age, genre, publishing method, and nationality. Including international authors could attract a broader audience, including expatriates and those interested in diverse cultural perspectives.
Dawn has enjoyed learning about Canada through its authors’ storytelling, which underscores the importance of event organisers opening their doors to international voices. By excluding self-published authors or those from boutique publishers, festivals miss out on some of the most entrepreneurial and driven writers in the market.
This exclusionary stance highlights a broader issue: the literary elite’s reluctance to accept the evolving landscape of publishing. Self-published authors and those from small publishers are often seen as threats because they challenge traditional publishing norms, refusing to be controlled or silenced.
Some might view Dawn’s critique as sour grapes, but her argument is rooted in the belief that international authors bring unique viewpoints and experiences that can enrich local literary scenes. Denying these opportunities deprives local authors, readers, and aspiring writers of fresh ideas and networks.
Moreover, Dawn noticed a troubling trend at literary festivals: the predominance of older attendees. This raises questions about why younger people are not more involved. Is it because they don’t read? Unlikely. Are they unaware of these events? Possibly. Or are the events simply not tailored to their interests? Most likely.
Literary festivals that cater predominantly to older generations miss an opportunity to engage younger readers, who can gain valuable insights from their elders’ perspectives. Unfortunately, deep reading and analysis are becoming lost arts in a world where education often prioritises passing exams over fostering a love for literature.
The same can be said for many contemporary writers, especially in the business world, where books are often used as promotional tools rather than vehicles for deep, meaningful storytelling. This trend further underscores the need for literary festivals to champion authors who prioritise enriching their readers’ lives.
Attending a literary festival should be a joyful experience, offering opportunities to learn, discuss, and share a passion for books. Meeting fellow book lovers of all ages and nationalities, and interacting with authors eager to engage with their readers, are experiences to cherish.
If literary festivals do not adapt to include international authors and appeal to a wider age range, they risk becoming obsolete. Instead, the focus will shift to overcrowded, impersonal book fairs dominated by elitist publishing cliques.
It is time for the bibliophile world to shed its dusty jackets and embrace the brave new world of diverse authors. Don’t you think?
