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Authors underline value of Scottish book festivals

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Dominic Hinde said book festivals were key to the cultural life of Scotland

A string of authors and poets have spoken out about the value they place on Scotland's book festivals.

It comes as new research shows the "huge benefits" they deliver to the nation socially and economically.

Dominic Hinde, author of A Utopia Like Any Other, said the events were "critical to the vitality and impact of Scottish writers".

He said they were key to cultural life and should be seen as a "fundamental investment in civic infrastructure".

The research into the festivals has been released to coincide with World Book Day.

It includes data gathered from nearly half of the more than 60 events held around the country.

Colin Hattersley Adrian TurpinColin Hattersley
Adrian Turpin said book festivals needed "full-blooded support" if they were to recover after the Covid pandemic

It found that in 2019 they attracted audiences of nearly 780,000 and invested almost £6.7m in staff, goods and services.

However, attendances dropped by more than 50% - with the majority attending online - in 2020.

Adrian Turpin, artistic director of Wigtown Book Festival, said the growth of the events had been "extraordinary" and they had become a "powerfully positive and much-loved part of our lives".

"During the pandemic many were able to pivot and deliver great events digitally and online - and they achieved a huge amount at a time when people were facing tremendous challenges," he said.

"But it has been a struggle for the festivals and they have endured a serious battering, not least through the huge loss in revenues."

Getty Images Kathleen JamieGetty Images
Kathleen Jamie said the events showed reading and intelligence and debate were alive and well

He said that only with "full-blooded support" from a range of funders could they continue their recovery from the pandemic and "further flourish and multiply".

A large number of writers and poets have also spoken about the importance of the events.

Kathleen Jamie, Scotland's fourth Makar, said: "Sometimes you feel the world is going to hell in a handcart, but the growth of book festivals shows that reading and intelligence and debate are alive and well and happening at a local level."

"Writers spend most of their working lives alone with a screen," added crime writer Val McDermid.

"The great joy of festivals is the positive interaction with readers, with other writers and with industry professionals."