become a friend today and reAp the benefits

  • Priority booking: ticket sales for Friends will open a full week before general booking is available
  • 10% Discount on Tickets
  • Event invitation – to an exclusive ‘invitation only’ occasion.
  • Brochure mailing: delivered hot off the press straight to your home!
  • Friends will automatically be added to our mailing list to receive email updates from the Festival
single membership £30 Joint membership £50
  • Mike Gunton
  • Audience at Friends Event

The Wells Festival of Literature Friends scheme offers members the chance to become a Patron of the Arts and be more involved with all aspects of the Wells Festival of Literature. The scheme encourages our audiences to become actively engaged with what the Festival seeks to achieve, ensuring that we continue to provide a stimulating, entertaining and popular programme in the years ahead.

With the ongoing support of our Friends, we hope to increase our educational work, and so further extend the love of literature and learning among the young people of our county.

Membership Details
The Friends Membership runs from 5 November 2024 to 4 November 2025. You can pay your 2025 membership fee online using your credit or debit card details, or by postal form if you wish to pay by cheque, standing order or bank transfer (BACS).

By Invitation only
Every year the Committee of Wells Festival of Literature says ‘Thank You’ to the Friends, Sponsors and supporters of the Festival at a unique event featuring a special speaker. This traditionally happens in July when the Festival programme has been finalised but tickets are not yet available. A sneak preview!

In 2024 we were delighted to welcome Mike Gunton as the Guest Speaker. Mike is behind much of the award-winning natural history programming we all enjoy so much. He is a senior executive at the BBC Natural History Unit and has been its Creative Director since 2009. Previous speakers have included Mariella Frostrup, John Major and Kate Adie, all of whom provided a unique addition to a most convivial and enjoyable event which was much appreciated.

Mike-Gunton-©-Ella-Morgan-BBC-Studios-Natural-History-Unit
Sir David Attenborough and Mike Gunton filming for The Green Planet on the River Avon in Hampshire in June 2019.
© Ella Morgan / BBC Studios Natural History Unit


“I enjoyed everything about my time at the Wells Literary Festival – from the kindness and efficiency
of the organisers to the enthusiasm of the audience.
It’s a model festival which deserves to go from strength to strength.”

Jonathan Coe – 2024