If you would like to become a Friend of the Festival, please visit the link below. The 2024 Festival will run May 10th - 18th. See you there!
We are delighted to announce the winner of the 2023 Short Story Competition. For full details please visit here
For details on how to become a sponsor of the festival, please contact us on sponsorship@foweyfestival.com
Whether you volunteer with us, have taken out a Friends membership, or contributed to our fundraising campaign, your support means a great deal. Our fundraising campaign is ongoing, helping us to stage our Festival in addition to the extremely important continuation of our schools literary programme. If you would like to donate, please follow the link here, or click the button below. Your support is very much appreciated.
Please use the links below to learn more about becoming a Friend of the Fowey Festival.
Congratulations to the winner of the #BookerPrize2023: Prophet Song by Paul Lynch.
Exhilarating, terrifying and propulsive, Prophet Song is a work of breathtaking originality, offering a devastating vision of a country at war and a deeply human portrait of a mother’s fight to hold her family together.
@thebookerprizes @oneworldpublications
#BookerPrize #Bookstagram #ProphetSong #PaulLynch
Nov 27
Highlights from Day 8 ✨
📚 The day began with our final Daphne du Maurier reading group led by Dr Ella Westland.
🎥 David Parker traced Cornwall on film from a variety of archived film footage.
🎨 Turner prize winning artist Jeremy Deller talked through some of his past art and the collation of these in his new book ‘Art is Magic’. @jeremydeller @cheeriopublishing
🧂 James Strawbridge gave an enlightening demonstration all about salt and how to best use salt in cooking to enhance flavours. @jgstrawbridge @chelseagreenbooks
🎶 For the final event the Fowey river singers and st Austell town band put on a wonderful musical concert with contributions from local schools too.
Thank you to everyone who supported us this year and came to our events we had a wonderful week and hope you did too.
@fowey_info @foweyarttrail @radiocornwall @pirate_fm @cornwalllive #foweyfest23 #literature#daphnedumaurier #cornwall #music #fiction #nonfiction #salt #artismagic
May 22
Highlights from Day 7 ✨
The penultimate day of the festival hosted another wide array of events celebrating literature and art. Here is a recap of what went on:
📝 Rowan Hisayo Buchanan held a creative writing workshop focused on dreams and writing dreams in a compelling manner as driving forces of plot. @rowanhisa
🗺️ Raynor Winn spoke with Daphne Skinnard about her most ambitious journey yet which is recounted in her new book ‘Landlines’. @raynor.winn
📖 Raynor also presented the prize for the Festival’s short story competition to Iqbal Hussain.
👤 Daphne du Maurier’s grandson, Rupert Tower, came to the festival to talk about Jung’s shadows concept within ‘The Scapegoat’ a very insightful and interesting conversation.
📻 Iain Dale detailed aspects of his new book and some of the interesting political events he discovered. He also spoke about working in radio and why he finds it such a compelling media form. @iaindale @allenandunwin
🎻 The evening ended with a fantastic performance by The People’s String Foundation who mix passionate theatrics with an urban gypsy sound showcasing the power of music for storytelling.
@fowey_info @foweyarttrail @radiocornwall @pirate_fm @cornwalllive #foweyfest23 #literature#daphnedumaurier #cornwall #music #fiction #nonfiction #politics #jung #psychology #raynorwinn
May 21
Festival audience in their element with Doom Bar, Atlantic Pale Ale and Offshore Pilsner going down nicely! Delighted to have @sharpsbrewery supporting the 25th festival. #DoomBar #Rock #Cornwall #Offshore #ItsOffshore #FoweyFest23 #OffshorePilsner #Atlantic #AtlanticPaleAle
May 20
Chef, author, food photographer and sustainable living expert, @jgstrawbridge delighted to be taking to the stage with @sharpsbrewery Offshore Pilsner. #FoweyFest23 #Rock #Cornwall #Offshore #ItsOffshore #OffshorePilsner #Literature #Events #cheers
May 20
James Strawbridge closing the festivals talks with an interactive talk and demonstration about his brand new book ‘Salt and the Art of Seasoning’.
Join us at 6pm tonight.
Tickets available via link in bio or on the door.
@jgstrawbridge @chelseagreenbooks @fowey_info @foweyarttrail @radiocornwall @pirate_fm @cornwalllive #foweyfest23 #literature #cornwall #salt #chef #cooking #seasoning
May 20
We are delighted that Homes Instead Southwest are an official supporter of the Festival.
The service they offer is second to none. They offer home visits from experienced Home Instead Care Professionals, giving you and your loved ones peace of mind through their support at your home.
Contact them at this number 01872 303400 or on their website https://www.homeinstead.co.uk/local-care/south-west/
@home_instead_truro @homeinsteadmidcornwall @homeinsteaduk @fowey_info @foweyarttrail @radiocornwall @pirate_fm @cornwalllive #foweyfest23 #literature #cornwall #homeinstead #arts
May 20
Join Turner Prize winning artist Jeremy Deller as his discusses his new book, ‘Art is Magic’, where he connects key works of his career with the elements that inspired them.
Saturday 20th, 4pm
Tickets available via link in bio or on the door.
@jeremydeller @cheeriopublishing @fowey_info @foweyarttrail @radiocornwall @pirate_fm @cornwalllive #foweyfest23 #literature #cornwall #jeremydeller #art #artismagic
May 20
Big shout out to KP cabs for being our official transport partner for all our wonderful guest speakers.
We can’t recommend them highly enough for anyone needing transport around the area.
Contact them on 01726 815415 or email enquiries@kp-cabs.co.uk
https://www.kp-cabs.co.uk
@fowey_info @foweyarttrail @radiocornwall @pirate_fm @cornwalllive #foweyfest23 #literature#daphnedumaurier #cornwall
May 20
Highlights from Day 6 ✨
Another wonderfully sunny day on Fowey saw a host of events. Here is a recap of what went on:
📚 Dr Serena Trowbridge held her second du Maurier reading group to discuss all things ‘The Loving Spirit’. @serena_trowbridge
👀 JS Monroe came to talk about his new psychological thriller ‘No Place to Hide’ alongside how he rebranded from his spy novels and his upcoming foray into non-fiction. @jsthrillers @headofzeus
🎭 Kate Aspengren gave a talk on some of the various stage, screen, and radio adaptations of ‘Rebecca’ since its publication in 1938. @kateaspengen
📖 Rowan Hisayo Buchanan spoke to us about her third novel ‘The Sleep Watcher’ and how she incorporates dream sequences into her fiction and how it differs from her first 2 novels. @rowanhisa @sceptrebooks
🎤 Julia Hollander discussed her new book ‘Why We Sing’ looking at some of the silence behind singing and the effect is has on the body and it’s ability to inspire and heal. @atlanticbooks
🎣 The Fisherman’s Friends gave a fabulous, sold out, concert to end the day. A concert that saw everyone clapping and singing along. @fishyfriendsofficial
@fowey_info @foweyarttrail @radiocornwall @pirate_fm @cornwalllive #foweyfest23 #literature#daphnedumaurier #cornwall #music #fiction #nonfiction #fishermansfriends #sing #psychologicalthriller #rebecca #stage
May 20
Join us for our FINAL event of the Festival! 🎵
We are closing the 25th Festival with Sing! A Celebration of your Favourite Music.
The Fowey River Singers and the St Austell Town Brass Band will be joined by special contributions from local schools to see the festival off in style.
Saturday 20th May 8-10pm, Fowey Parish Church.
We cannot wait to see you there.
Tickets available via link in bio.
@fowey_info @foweyarttrail @radiocornwall @pirate_fm @cornwalllive #foweyfest23 #music #finalevent #celebrate #foweyriversingers #staustelltownbrassband
May 19
***LAST BIDS SATURDAY MAY 20TH AT 5PM****
Silent Auction at Fowey River Gallery!
Lemon Sails is a collaborative piece created in one day by the prize winners (age 5-16) of the Fowey Festival Awards for Young Writers and Artists 2023, under the guidance of artist Sean Hewitt.
You can bid for this artwork by posting a bid, in the collection box at
Fowey River Gallery, 38 Fore Street, Fowey PL23 1AQ
Alternatively email details to info@foweyfestival.com quoting “Lemon Sails”
This Auction is held by The Du Maurier Festival Society and funds raised will be put to furthering the aims of Fowey Festival of Arts and Literature. Our grateful thanks to Sean Hewitt and all those prize winners who collaborated on this work.
The bidding closes at 5pm Saturday 20th May 2023.
@fowey_info @pirate_fm @cornwalllive @radiocornwall @foweyrivergallery @mandidellow #lemonsails #silentauction #art #cornwall #fowey #artist #foweyfest23
May 19
Highlights from Day 5 ✨
Wednesday saw another jam packed schedule of events. Here are some of the things that took place:
🎶 The Bookshop Band held a wonderful songwriting workshop sharing their writing process and began to compose new songs as a group. @bookshopband
📚 Liz Fenwick and debut novelist Becky Hunter sat with Veronica Henry to talk about their new novels. Liz Fenwick is back with a historical fiction novel set in Cornwall and Becky Hunter’s novel explores love and friendship in life and beyond. @beckyhunterbooks @liz_fenwick @hqstories @atlanticbooks
🎻 ARKangel performed a wonderful lunchtime recital in the Church, tracing the journey of Laurie Lee violinist and dreamer. @ark_angeluk
👮Kate London spoke about her fourth novel ‘The Misper’ and how she transitioned from a member of the Met Police to a crime author and her novels being adapted for TV. @curtisbrownbooks
📚 Dr Serena Trowbridge gave a crash course on gothic fiction and discussed in du Maurier’s ‘Rebecca’ can be read as a gothic novel. @serena_trowbridge
🪩Ann Widdecombe was welcomed back to the festival to give a series of anecdotes of her time Strictly Come Dancing, politics, and everything inbetween.
🎤 Johnny Cowling closed the evening with a fantastic comedy performance that had the whole audience in stitches. This event was sponsored by Dowrick Electrical. @johnnypcowling @dowrickelectrical
@fowey_info @foweyarttrail @radiocornwall @pirate_fm @cornwalllive #foweyfest23 #comedynight #dowrickelectrical #literature#rebecca #daphnedumaurier #crimefiction #cornwall #gothic #music #annwiddecombe #fiction #nonfiction
May 19
Delighted to have @sharpsbrewery supporting the 25th festival. #DoomBar #Rock #Cornwall #Offshore #ItsOffshore #OffshorePilsner #Atlantic #AtlanticPaleAle
May 18
We are excited to have Daphne du Maurier’s grandson, Rupert Tower, at the festival discussing Jung’s shadow concept within du Maurier’s novel ‘The Scapegoat’.
Rupert looks at the recent book ‘Jung’s Shadow Concept: The Hidden Light and Darkness in Ourselves’ and shares his thoughts on what his grandmother might have been engaging with in her work. This is sure to be an illuminating talk about both du Maurier and Jung’s work.
Rupert’s event is on Friday at 2pm. Tickets available via the link in the bio.
@fowey_info @foweyarttrail @radiocornwall @pirate_fm @cornwalllive #foweyfest23 #cornwall #literature #fowey #dumaurier #fiction #jung
May 18
Join Rowan Hisayo Buchanan for a Creative Writing Workshop looking at how to use dreams, both ancient and recent, as pathways into the stories we need to tell.
You will consider how dreams might affect characters in their waking hours and how to write a dream without losing a reader. The writing prompts will be suitable for both lovers of the fantastical and faithful realists.
Suitable for all levels—focus will be on prose but poets are always welcome.
Tickets available via the link in the bio.
@rowanhisa @sceptrebooks @fowey_info @foweyarttrail @radiocornwall @pirate_fm @cornwalllive #foweyfest23 #cornwall #literature #fowey #dumaurier #fiction #dreams #writingworkshop
May 18
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