Beverley Literature Festival Appoints New Co-Directors

East Riding of Yorkshire Council is delighted to announce the appointment of Lara Goodband and Rebecca Jenkins as co-directors of Beverley Literature Festival 2012.

Lara and Rebecca will begin programming the festival in May and this year’s festival, the tenth, will run from Thursday, 11 to Sunday, 14 October.

Lara takes on the new role as co-director having been director of Beverley Children’s Literature Festival for two years. She also directs, creates and manages an extensive range of art projects, exhibitions and festivals in Yorkshire, including the Cultural Olympiad projects Sea Swim and Wingbeats.

Rebecca Jenkins is a highly-experienced arts professional living and working in the East Riding with an interest in working collaboratively and across art-forms. She has an excellent track record in creating and delivering successful arts in education projects, live performances and events as well as performing as an actress in the West End and regional theatre. She is also a director of Rusticus Theatre Arts.

Councillor Richard Burton, cabinet portfolio holder for civic wellbeing and culture at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “I am delighted that Lara and Rebecca will direct this year’s Beverley Literature Festival. Their combination of skills and experience will continue the excellent work of the festival.”

Lara and Rebecca already work collaboratively on the East Riding’s Cultural Olympiad project Wingbeats.
Lara said: “I have attended many festival events over the past nine years and enjoyed the excitement of the children’s festival; I’m really looking forward to programming this year’s festival with my co-director Rebecca.”

Rebecca said: “It is a great honour to be asked, with Lara, to lead the literature festival and I look forward to working with the festival team to shape the 2012 programme. I value immensely the opportunity to contribute to the community in which I live. Art is the means by which we explore and reflect on the world we live in and I believe the festival has the potential to explore these issues in a broad and robust way.”

Lara and Rebecca’s first Beverley Literature Festival will include events for children and adults at the Treasure House and Toll Gavel Methodist Church. They plan to build on the festival’s strong reputation for bringing the best in writing and the spoken-word to the East Riding.

Beverley Literature Festival is run as part of East Riding Libraries reader development programme, which also includes the Bridlington Poetry Festival, which runs from Friday, 8 to Sunday, 10 June.