We need your support if we are to ensure Derby Book Festival’s continuing success.

The first Derby Book Festival was a great success with over 10,000 people participating in more than 60 events, and 98% of feedback rated events as Excellent or Good.  And as you have seen from our video, David Nicholls - international best selling author who came to our Festival in 2015 - agrees! We aim to build on it this year, featuring an even wider range of authors and events aimed at all ages and interests.  

As two volunteers living in Derby we set the Festival up last year to celebrate the joy of books and the pleasure and power of reading.  We want to inspire a new generation of readers.  And we want to showcase Derby’s wonderful city-centre cultural attractions.  It is a local festival, with a programme ranging from author talks, discussions, live performances and workshops for budding writers to a children’s book trail, storytelling and ‘Make It’ sessions.  We hope there’s something for everyone with topics from cycling to cricket, railways to real ale and birding to board games! 

Why we need your support

We are a registered charity and the festival is largely organised and run by volunteers, with an amazing number of wonderful people and organisations donating their time and expertise for free.  Some of the bigger events with top authors are self-financing, but many are not.  There are still significant core costs that can only be met by a combination of public grants and private donations and sponsorship.  We are delighted to have again gained the support of the Arts Council of England for our main funding, but even this is dependent upon our continuing to achieve challenging private fund-raising targets, including at least £1000 from crowdfunding.   Please help us achieve this target, ensure the success of the Derby Book Festival, receive a special tote bag (normal retail price £10) as a token of our appreciation, and also enter a draw for a range of cultural goodies!  Prizes include:

• Waterstones book tokens worth £100
• One night B&B at the beautiful boutique Cathedral Quarter Hotel
• Iberico world tapas for two (2015 Michelin Guide 'Bib Gourmand')
• A year's free membership to QUAD, Derby's wonderful arts centre.

What’s happening this year

See our website for full details.  Events will take place in venues across the city centre and in Derby's primary and secondary schools.  There are events to appeal to local people with Derby-related themes, there is a significant programme for children and young people, and local writing talent is showcased as well as internationally celebrated, best-selling authors.  Highlights of the Festival this year include:

• Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl with a Pearl Earring, will talk about her latest novel At the Edge of the Orchard and will discuss Charlotte Brontë with biographer Claire Harman
• Louis de Bernières, author of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, will talk about his latest novel The Dust that Falls from Dreams and perform with The Bookshop Band
• Former MPs, Ken Livingstone with Matthew Parris will give an insight into the world of politics
• Actor and writer, Simon Callow on Orson Welles
• Historian and historical novelist, Alison Weir will discuss her new novel about Katherine of Aragon
• Booker shortlisted novelist, Sunjeev Sahota
• BBC Radio 4’s James Naughtie will be in conversation with Sir Peter Bazalgette, Chair of Arts Council England
• Lauren Child, Children’s author and illustrator of Charlie and Lola, Clarice Bean and the Ruby Redfort books will meet children from Derby schools
• David Lindo aka The Urban Birder will talk about the cities he has visited and there will be a chance to view the Derby Cathedral Peregrines

Follow us, and spread the word 

Find out about the latest speakers and events:

www.derbybookfestival.co.uk
Twitter: @derbybookfest
Facebook : derbybookfestival

And then please tell everyone else about it! Share the news through social media, by email, telephone, in a chat over the fence or on your blog.  It'll be brilliant for Derby, and the more people who know about it, the more chance that the Festival will become a key date in the city's annual calendar.  

Please donate

And of course if you can help us reach our target of £1000 that would be brilliant! All funds go towards Derby Book Festival which is a charity (CIO no. 1159763). Check out the rewards which we would like to give you as a big thank you, and who knows … you may win the lucky draw.