Community spirit

Now in its fifth year, Ryedale Book Festival returns next month for a packed weekend of literary events in and around Malton.

Founded by a group of passionate book lovers who wanted to share that passion with other enthusiasts and at the same time reach out to people living in some of the more rural and isolated communities of Ryedale, the festival is still run and programmed by a team of committed volunteers and supporters.

“There is a core group of about ten people who I am in regular contact with who meet every month but that team grows over the festival weekend with people coming in to host events and assist on the day who help out in a voluntary capacity,” says festival director Sarah Tyson.

“Once you take into account the venues and the accommodation providers, the technical team, stage management, those who design and print the programme, there are a lot of people who have contributed to make it happen. There is a great community feeling about the festival and a tremendous amount of goodwill.”

Many local businesses and organisations are supporting the festival either as sponsors or partners. “There is lots of energy and a buzz around the festival and it feels like it has earned its space in the local cultural calendar, which I am quite proud of,” says Tyson. And so she should be – the programme that has been put together, on a shoestring budget – is impressive. The schools outreach element is always an important part of the festival and this year is no exception with 16 local primary schools signed up for a poetry-themed day of workshops and performance to tie in with National Poetry Day. Award-winning young poet Joseph Coelho will be running a workshop in the morning and he will be joined by poet Andy Seed and performer Tabitha Grove who will be giving the pupils some tips about poetry and performance. “In the afternoon all 300 children will get into costumes and perform in an X-Factor style poetry competition called The P Factor,” says Tyson.

The Mayor of Malton will be presenting the prizes in the Grand Final which will be live-streamed to participating schools so that they can watch and support their teams. “It means that the smaller rural schools in the area can get involved, so from a community point of view it’s great.” says Tyson.

Ian McMillan and cartoonist Tony Husband will be visiting secondary schools as well as performing, and Elizabeth Murray who recently published her first Young Adult book will be talking to sixth formers about the writing process and gettting published.

Other highlights include novelists Anna Hope and Lucy Foley who will be talking about how to write a successful second novel after receiving huge critical acclaim for your debut and there’s a lively poetry and comedy event with Holly McNish, Nat Luurtsema and Ian Douglas. In keeping with the festival’s admirable ethos of inclusivity and affordability, many of the events – particularly for families and children – are free.

Festival Commission

“It’s one of the events I’m most looking forward to, I think it is going to be quite reflective,” says Tyson of a cross-artform piece that will be presented at the Milton Rooms on the Sunday and which includes a special festival commisssion.

The Bookshop Band, who appeared at the festival last year, have written a new piece of music inspired by the award-winning travel book The Snow Geese by William Fiennes. The commission has been sponsored by Malton-based travel company Inntravel who specialise in ‘slow travel’ holidays on foot and by bike in rural Europe. “This event is probably our most ambitious yet and I can’t wait to see it all come together,” says Tyson who came up with the idea of bringing together music, travel and literature. The collaboration between the author and musicians Ben Please and Beth Porter will result in a unique performance that combines readings and music. It will be followed by a Q&A and discussion about the process of creating the piece. “I love the Bookshop Band’s music and I’m so glad to be revisiting The Snow Geese in the company of their songs,” says Fiennes. “It’s brilliant of the Ryedale Book Festival to have thought of such a combination and made it happen.” The Band will also be performing in the Old Town Hall – the venue for the festival’s independent book fair – later on the Sunday after the festival’s first ever writers’ forum which brings together a panel of eight local writers.

October 9, Milton Rooms, Malton, 3.15pm.

The festival takes place on October 7-9, for full programme details visit www.ryedalebookfestival.com