Marlborough LitFest (29 September – 2 October 2022) is excited to launch this year’s national LitFest Love Books competition, to celebrate and share a love of reading amongst all ages…

In its third year, this competition is once again open to anyone across the country in three age groups – 13-16 years, 17-19 years and 20 years and above – with winners in each age category winning £300; runners-up will each win £100. The closing deadline for entries is 1 July.

One of LitFest’s aims is to celebrate the power of reading to shift perceptions and to open up opportunities. The annual LitFest Love Books competition invites participants to explain their choice of a favourite book, poem or play by either a written (up to 750 words) or video (no more than four minutes) response. The emphasis needs to be on what entrants love about their chosen read and why they think others should try it. For more information on the competition and to read past winners’ entries, visit: www.marlboroughlitfest.org

Judges for 2022 include Judy Carver (daughter of William Golding), writer and CEO of William Golding Ltd, Jan Williamson (ex-Chair of Marlborough LitFest) and Nicola Presley, Senior Lecturer in English Literature at Bath Spa University. 

Genevieve Clarke, Chair of the Marlborough LitFest, said: “We’ve been really impressed with the quality and quantity of submissions for this national competition over the last couple of years. We’d love even more individuals, schools and other organisations to get involved this year to share their enthusiasm for books that move and engage them.”   

Planning is underway for this year’s Marlborough LitFest, with a varied programme of literary events for all ages including fiction, non-fiction, poetry and the annual Big Town Read. Already confirmed to this year’s line-up is the 2022 LitFest Golding Speaker, Ali Smith, who will be appearing at LitFest on Friday 30 September, to talk about her latest book, Companion Piece. The festival aims to champion new, upcoming writers as well as established names and also encourage a love of reading in children and young people with author talks, competitions and LitFest’s community outreach programme. The full festival programme will be available in the summer. For more information, visit www.marlboroughlitfest.org

Highlights from last year’s LitFest can be seen on the new video of the 2021 festival, which was a hybrid live and online event due to Covid restrictions. Local creative video agency, StreamWorks, delivered high quality livestreaming throughout the 2021 festival and created the video.

LitFest would like to thank its sponsors for 2021: lead sponsor Sarah Raven, livestream sponsor Hiscox Insurance, and event sponsors William Golding Limited, Marlborough College, St Francis School, Marlborough.news, Adam Matthew, as well as our patron Sir Simon Russell Beale, Hamilton Trust, Katharine House Gallery, The Arts Society Kennet & Swindon, Haine and Smith, The White Horse Bookshop and Wiltshire Life for their continued support for the festival.