word festival
DESCRIPTION
The Word Festival in East London engaged local people through a one day festival of reading, writing, famous and local authors and a the launch of a schools' writing anthologyTRANSCRIPT
Newham Word Festivalthe role of reading & libraries in building
community participation
Fiona O’BrienAssistant directorNational Year of Reading
Aims of the project
• Bring residents of Newham together • Raise awareness of the work of the
Community Forums • Encourage wider community participation
•Provide progression routes through library & heritage services
The Word Festival team
• LB Newham Community Participation Unit• LB Newham Communications • LB Newham Library Services• The Campaign Company• Spread the Word• London Libraries Development Agency
Other partners
• Community Forums• Newham Bookshop• NIACE• Stratford Circus• Stratford Market Traders Association• Stratford Picture House
A marketing approach
Publicity plan
Getting the word out
Involving local people
• Campaign Company attended Community Forum Steering Group meetings
• Word Festival Steering Group for Community Forums set up
• Community Forum members compered events in main theatre
• Schools writing contribution• Linking to World Book Day
Maximising impact
Market stall posters
Feedback
• “The best thing about this event has been the poetry, books, talking to people and seeing children having fun”
Shumin – Forest Gate• “The best thing about the festival for me is the
coming together of different people from different ethnic backgrounds”
Remi – Stratford• “Events like this help to foster a great community
spirit”Poinya – Forest Gate
91% respondents rating the event as “good” or “excellent”
Thank you
Fiona O’Brien
Assistant Director
National Year of Reading
fiona.o'[email protected]
www.yearofreading.org.uk