• Vending event

    There’s nothing like the magic of high tech to promote learning in youngsters, and there was great excitement at the launch of a new book vending machine this month at Kings Academy, Cheddar. Half the cost was funded by Wells Festival of Literature’s education team as part of the festival’s year-round programme of promoting literacy…

  • School Visits

    Profits from Wells Festival of Literature fund a year-round programme of exciting events in local schools to promote learning. These range from author visits to book donations and even trips to Waterstones bookshop. Already this year there have been several author-led workshops, including children’s author AF Harrold who has visited several local schools as part…

  • Happy Days!

    Looking back on the 2024 Festival, it’s almost impossible to decide who enjoyed it most. Was it the speakers themselves? There were 35 of them, each with a very different tale to tell, all fascinating and all inspirational in the telling. But then what about the interviewers, including our dedicated Festival Associates? It certainly looks…

  • Changes to the Festival programme

    As often happens, speakers change their plans after our brochure has been printed. Luckily, however, we are almost always able to find a suitable replacement. The following speakers will not after all be appearing at Wells this year: Marianna Spring, Zeinab Badawi, Michael Taylor. But we do have excellent replacements for all of them: Rafael…

  • A Game Changer

    Not long until the 2024 Festival kicks off but as we warm up for the starting line there has been some unexpected movement on the field and, in true championship style, we have a few last minute changes  in the line-up. Charlie Taylor the well-known BBC Radio Somerset radio presenter, cricket commentator and podcaster will…

  • Getting ahead of ourselves!

    The 2024 Festival starts on Friday 18 October but if you were in Cedars Hall on 11 July, you might well have thought it had already begun! Those who were lucky enough to be invited to a packed Cedars Hall enjoyed a foretaste of what lies ahead. Mike Gunton, Creative Director of the BBC Natural…

  • The 2024 Wells Festival of Literature starts here!

    With only a few months left until this year’s Festival gets under way, activity behind the scenes is already evident. For a start, entries are flying into our International Competitions. The closing date for all four categories is 30 June – so get creating as soon as you can. The prize money is extremely generous!…

  • 2023 Festival Highlights

    The 31st Wells Festival of Literature is now over but it has left us some wonderful memories, every one of them different. Wes Streeting, who led the way with the opening event, featured on many ‘Top Ten’ lists.  So did Robin Ince, Chris Patten and Emily Kenway – all of them appearing on that first…

  • The numbers say it all

    As a Festival of Literature our chief passion, obviously, is for words! But there are occasions when figures speak louder and, as the countdown to the opening of the Festival gathers momentum, we thought we would share some of those numbers: 1 venue, 35 events, 36 speakers, 12 interviewers, 15 Competition Prizewinners, 18 sponsors, 5738…

  • Enjoy a prize Festival

    Tania Branigan has now been shortlisted for two of the most prestigious prizes in the business: the Baillie Gifford Prize for non-fiction and the equally influential Cundill History Prize. This is a magnificent achievement, particularly for a debut work, and we are looking forward to Tania’s event with renewed anticipation!  But Red Memory is by…