The Cheltenham Literature Festival is one of the biggest literary highlights of the year. I was lucky enough this year to not only go, but have in put into some of the events this year. So grab a cuppa while I run through all the action from the literary legends, beautiful bloggers, starry celebs and of course lots and lots of books!
So back in March I was asked to be in the 18-24 years old advisory panel for the Cheltenham Literature Festival. It was such a great honour to the chosen and it was so much fun working with the organisers of the festival and with the other girls on the panel.
To say thank you for being part of the panel we were all given backstage passes to the festival and free tickets for one full day. So along with getting to see as many events as we could for free were also got access to the Writers’ Room, where all the authors, guests and speakers hang out in before and after their events.
So back in March I was asked to be in the 18-24 years old advisory panel for the Cheltenham Literature Festival. It was such a great honour to the chosen and it was so much fun working with the organisers of the festival and with the other girls on the panel.
To say thank you for being part of the panel we were all given backstage passes to the festival and free tickets for one full day. So along with getting to see as many events as we could for free were also got access to the Writers’ Room, where all the authors, guests and speakers hang out in before and after their events.
Naturally I had a complete fan girl moment chilling backstage and soaking up the VIP treatment, with complimentary wine and scones. As well as just being a bit awkward I also got to see two absolute heroes of mine the Times journalist and Girl Power advocate Caitlin Moran, the legendary choreographer Matthew Bourne and Bake Off’s Sue Perkin.
Looking fabulously chilled out in her leopard print fur coat and wine Caitlin Moran’s show talked about the evolution of celebrity culture and how journalist writer about them (now that they can’t hack phones) and her feelings toward the ‘do-nothing’ celebrity.
Looking fabulously chilled out in her leopard print fur coat and wine Caitlin Moran’s show talked about the evolution of celebrity culture and how journalist writer about them (now that they can’t hack phones) and her feelings toward the ‘do-nothing’ celebrity.
Meeting Jason Isaac (Lucius Malfoy) in the Writers' Room
I’ve never been a huge fan of the ‘do-nothing’ celebrities as I’ve always thought if we are going to ‘celebrate’ a person it should be for something amazing that they have done. But Caitlin raised as excellent point that before the ‘do-nothings’ actors and musicians etc. had the difficult task for working two jobs, one of the papazzi waving, red-carpet walking celebrity, and the other working on their music or their acting. What was often found was that they weren’t good at both. So now we have a whole group of people volunteering for the papatzzi waving part to allow actors, musicians etc. to focus on their work. Which now it’s mentioned like that, is actually pretty smart.
My other idol I got the pleasure of meeting and seeing was the wonderful Matthew Bourne, having taken ballet lessons when I was tiny, I think it’s very little girls dream to be a ballerina (for whoever short a time). Charming and so approachable, Bourne talked about how it is his love of musical theatre that fuels this passion and creativity in ballet. He said how he would love to see ‘Dance’ rather than ‘Ballet’ be discussed as a whole as all forms of dance and movement come together under the same prestige. I think when much of the ballet is seen as archaic and dated, this fresh take on how ballet can evolve is inspiring. While Bourne found his medium in ballet and dance his creativity and flair is one that can be translated across mediums. His work takes inspiration for film, movie soundtracks, musical theatre and all forms of dance, as some who is a patron to arts and a whole not simply ballet.
I’ve never been a huge fan of the ‘do-nothing’ celebrities as I’ve always thought if we are going to ‘celebrate’ a person it should be for something amazing that they have done. But Caitlin raised as excellent point that before the ‘do-nothings’ actors and musicians etc. had the difficult task for working two jobs, one of the papazzi waving, red-carpet walking celebrity, and the other working on their music or their acting. What was often found was that they weren’t good at both. So now we have a whole group of people volunteering for the papatzzi waving part to allow actors, musicians etc. to focus on their work. Which now it’s mentioned like that, is actually pretty smart.
My other idol I got the pleasure of meeting and seeing was the wonderful Matthew Bourne, having taken ballet lessons when I was tiny, I think it’s very little girls dream to be a ballerina (for whoever short a time). Charming and so approachable, Bourne talked about how it is his love of musical theatre that fuels this passion and creativity in ballet. He said how he would love to see ‘Dance’ rather than ‘Ballet’ be discussed as a whole as all forms of dance and movement come together under the same prestige. I think when much of the ballet is seen as archaic and dated, this fresh take on how ballet can evolve is inspiring. While Bourne found his medium in ballet and dance his creativity and flair is one that can be translated across mediums. His work takes inspiration for film, movie soundtracks, musical theatre and all forms of dance, as some who is a patron to arts and a whole not simply ballet.
Meeting Ranulph Fiennes with Ella and Caitlin Moran
It was an amazing experience thank you to everyone at the festival who made this possible. I now have a whole lot more books to ready over the next few months
lots of love
lots of love