What's happened
The Aye Write Glasgow literary festival, which was cancelled due to lack of funding, has received a £65,000 donation from the Weir Charitable Foundation. While the full festival will not take place, pop-up events featuring authors like David Nicholls and Val McDermid will be held throughout 2024. Wee Write, a festival for children, will also proceed on a smaller scale.
Why it matters
The donation to the Aye Write Glasgow literary festival is crucial in allowing the literary community to continue engaging with authors and literature through pop-up events. Despite the cancellation of the full festival, the support will ensure that cultural events can still take place, albeit in a modified format, providing opportunities for authors and audiences to connect.
What the papers say
The Guardian reports that the Aye Write Glasgow literary festival will present a slimmed programme after receiving a £65,000 donation from the Weir Charitable Foundation. Authors like David Nicholls and Val McDermid will feature in pop-up events throughout 2024. The Scotsman notes that the festival's cancellation led to the announcement of a series of nine pop-up events, with further events expected to be announced. Sky News highlights Creative Scotland's recovery of funds from an arts project involving real sex performances, contrasting with the positive impact of the donation on the Aye Write festival.
How we got here
The Aye Write Glasgow literary festival faced closure after its funding application was rejected by Creative Scotland. The cancellation of the festival, which saw criticism from authors like Val McDermid and Andrew O'Hagan, led to plans for pop-up events. The Weir Charitable Foundation's donation has now allowed for the continuation of the festival in a modified form, ensuring that literary events can still take place.
Common question
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Creative Scotland is the development body for the arts and creative industries in Scotland. Based in Edinburgh, it is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government.
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Aye Write is a book festival which takes place in Glasgow in late February or early March. Since 2007, it has been an annual fixture.