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About the festival
The Guernsey Literary Festival is one of the highlights of the island’s arts calendar bringing some of the world’s greatest writers, speakers and thinkers to Guernsey. With events for all interests and ages, the Festival is a unique opportunity to come together to celebrate the written word.
The festival attracts speakers from a wide range of disciplines, from literature to politics, from history to sport, from the environment to food, from biography to travel. We also organise a full education and community programme, together with workshops for local writers with renowned visiting authors.
Discovered by writers like Victor Hugo and Mervyn Peake, the Bailiwick of Guernsey's beauty and history makes it the perfect literary travel destination.
The Guernsey Literary Festival is a not for profit organisation and registered charity, run by volunteers and is supported by generous and committed sponsors, patrons, members and partners.
The Festival Team
The Guernsey Literary Festival is a non-for profit organisation and registered charity run by a group of volunteers and board of directors.
Festival Team (Steering Group)
Claire Allen, Adam Bayfield, Livia Blücher, Maz Campbell, Paul Chambers, Diane Colton, Niki Cleal, Stef Haigh, Rick James, Huw Lewis-Jones, Nick Le Messurier, Laura McKerrell, Gillie Revill, Mandi Rutter, Catriona Stares, Rachael Taylor-Blake, Ruth Thomason, Holly Watkins, Anne Wilkes-Green.
Festival Board
Rob Shepherd (Chair), Claire Allen, Livia Blücher, Tony Gallienne, Jacqui Golden, Lindsey MacDonald, Sharon Parr, Mandi Rutter, Trina Le Noury.
Patrons
Valerie Blows, Livia Blucher, Evelyne Burke, Jo Durrant, James and Georgina Ede-Golightly, Michael & Heather Fattorini, Tony & Susie Gallienne, Jacqui Golden, Connie Helyar -Wilkinson, Jon & Pauline Moulton, Kay Parnwell, Felicity & Larry Quevatre-Malcic, Craig & Janette Roberts, Christopher & Lavinia Storey, Nadine Stares and David Warr.
Festival Guest Curators
The following Guest Curators have kindly shared their insights and expertise to the programming team and will also be chairing Festival events.
Steve Foote
Steve Foote is the founder of local publisher Blue Ormer, CEO of the Priaulx Library and Editor of The Review of the Guernsey Society. He is passionate about celebrating local history, and the impact that the Bailiwick has had on the world - and, through Blue Ormer, providing a platform for local literary talent and books on local subjects.
Gerry Foley
Gerry Foley is a regular chair at book festivals across the UK and Ireland. While most of his career was as a broadcast journalist in Westminster, Gerry has also worked in Dublin and Belfast. Known for his versatility, he’s more than happy to chat to authors across genres. Recent interviewees have included high profile novelists such as John Boyne, Rachel Joyce and Richard Ford, crime writers Mari Hannah, Luke Jennings and Alan Johnson as well as professors and sporting personalities.
Jo Durrant
Jo Durrant is the award-winning presenter of the independent arts and science podcast Jo Durrant’s Beautiful Universe. She’s also a highly respected and accomplished interviewer and chair. For 20 years Jo was a presenter/producer/reporter with BBC radio, and is now freelance.
Hannah MacInnes
Hannah MacInnes is a broadcaster, journalist and podcast host. She presents frequently on Times Radio and is host of How to Academy’s live programmes and podcast. Recent interviewees include Bill Clinton, Melinda Gates, Jane Goodall and Louis Theroux. Hannah interviews on-stage and hosts at major literary events and climate summits and has written for the Radio Times, the Evening Standard and TLS. Before going freelance she worked for eight years at BBC Newsnight.
Huw Lewis-Jones
Dr Huw Lewis-Jones is a polar-exploring author and naturalist, who grew up in Guernsey. He now lives in Cornwall where he is a professor at Falmouth University, teaching natural history and other creative things. Huw also travels across the Arctic and Antarctica each year working as an expedition leader. He has written numerous books for children, including award-winning Do Bears Poop in the Woods?, Do Penguins Like the Cold?, the Bad Apple series of picture books, and the best-seller Clive Penguin. To date, his books have been published in 20 languages.
