Page 22 - link magazine

Swindon Wide
22
Overflowing with ideas and cultural development
Matt Holland considers the impact of May's Swindon Festival of Literature
This year's festival was ground- On the second day, African author absolutely fantastic, with words, Swindon Festival of Literature: 4- 17
breaking in more ways than one. Its Marion Molteno made numerous songs, and dances on `Life, Love, May 2009. If there is anything that
programme cover, instead of being points about literature. You do your and the Stuff as Dreams are made you would like to see next year,
literary or arty, pictured an ordinary writing alone, almost secretly, and on. please tell us via: swindonlitfest@
town with terraced streets, chim- then offer it to the world of readers, Already we are planning the next lowershawfarm.co.uk
neys, cars, lamposts and Swindon's who sit in judgement on you. Writing
tallest building rising above it. is a great vehicle to help you get into
Instead of being full of celebrity someone else's life, to understand A summer for reading
authors. it was full of ideas, themes them better. Culture means sharing Swindon Libraries launched its annual summer reading challenge with a
and topics pertinent to life today. the same jokes: week of storytelling in the Old Town Bowl by former Westlea headteacher
Also, instead of importing all its On Saturday morning, young Neil Griffiths of Corner to Learn.
performers from far flung places, poets from nine Swindon schools Schools from across the town helped Neil, inset below, enact his fa-
it had numerous events parading strutted their stuff on stage. Four mous book The Journey with music, props and action.
local talent. 1 3 year-olds from Commonweal The challenge runs from 19 July to 13 September. It has an Olympic
Furthermore, instead of scurry- School, with a poem on the futility flavour with young readers able to achieve gold, silver or bronze medals
ing round town from one venue to of political choices, won the day and for their reading achievements. Call into any Swindon library for details;
another, the festival stayed at the walked off with a big silver cup.
it's free to take part.
Arts Centre for most of its events In the second week, on a Thurs-
and soon a continuous festival feel- day evening, members of Swindon's
good factor built up. many reading groups were out in
The result of all this was a festival force for Marina Lewycka. She spoke
that not only included international- of sex in her books. `In life, whatever
ly-known names and prize-winning situation we find ourselves in, we get
a
authors that was grounded in on with it, and look for someone to
Swindon, bursting with ideas, and get off with.'
celebrating the work of local writers After sex, who'd have thought
and artists.The 50-plus events were that maths could be a hit, but it was. k
better-attended than ever before, Un-professorial Professor Marcus
with well over 5.000 people from du Sautoy delighted his evening
near and far choosing to enjoy this audience and got them well and
annual communion of words. truly involved with his mathematical
Highlights were many but maybe problems.
some events merita mention, if only The Festival Finale at the Town
to show the festival's variety, range, Hall was performed by Theatre of
and reach. Motion, young, local, talented and

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