Greenwich Book Festival 2015

About this event:

The inaugural Greenwich Book Festival, hosted by the University of Greenwich and with the support of the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the Old Royal Naval College, will take place in the beautiful buildings and grounds of the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, from Friday May 22-Sunday May 24.

Authors already confirmed for the adult programme include Jessie Burton, talking about her prizewinning debut The Miniaturist, Viv Albertine and Tracey Thorn discussing their acclaimed memoirs, Jon Ronson on his current bestseller So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed, Patrick Gale exploring the family mystery that inspired A Place Called Winter, Alexandra Heminsley leading a Running Like A Girl workshop, an evening curated by Greenwich University’s current writer-in-residence Paul Ewen (Francis Plug, How To Be A Public Author), with guest writer-activists Simon Crump, Stewart Home and Frank Key, Victoria Hislop, a Galley Beggar Press showcase, Antonia Hodgson, Rory Clements and historians Peter Moore, Jerry White, Tracy Borman and Selina Todd, and chances for University of Greenwich students to showcase their work.

On Friday, May 22, a wide-ranging children’s programme will kick off with a local schools’ day, with star author-illustrators Axel Scheffler (The Gruffalo, Pip and Posy, The Scarecrow’s Wedding) and Sophy Henn (Kate Greenaway-nomiated Where, Bear? and World Book Illustrator 2015) and writers Marcia Williams and Piers Torday, winner of the 2014 Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize for The Dark Wild. This will be followed by an After-Schools Club, including performances, workshops and author sessions.

The children’s programme running through the weekend will include books-related performances, workshops, and author events. Authors/organisations visiting include: Kate Saunders, winner of the 2014 Children’s Costa prize for Five Children On the Western Front; Pip Jones, author of Squishy McFluff running a workshop on imaginary pets; Longnose Puppets presenting Polly Dunbar‘s Flyaway Katy; Wimpy Kid and Dinosaur that Pooped shows. Much-loved local Blackheath toyshop, Ottie and the Bea, will host children’s workshops from the likes of OKIDO magazine; William Grill and his stunning illustrated non-fiction account of Shackleton’s Journey; David Lucas showing how to make a picture book; and The Bubble Writer, Linda Scott.

Waterstones will run an on-site festival bookshop. The Bookseller’s We Love This Book will offer a pop-up clinic from ‘a book doctor’; and local London artists will be running free drop-in activities for adults and children alike throughout the weekend.

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of the University of Greenwich and the Royal Borough of Greenwich the Greenwich Book Festival is delighted to be paying appearance fees. To maintain the festival’s accessibility, the site will be free, some events will be free and most ticketed events will be priced at £5-£8, with discounts for Greenwich residents.