Over 100k visits were made to Edinburgh International Book Festival’s new home at the newly opened Edinburgh Futures Institute from 10-25 August 2024, with ticket and book sales significantly up on previous years, and thousands of curious passers-by exploring and enjoying the new site, amongst the heart of Edinburgh’s festival action.
Future Tense, the first Book Festival programme to unfold under new Director Jenny Niven, tackled topics of global importance ranging from AI to the climate crisis, capitalism to the war in the Middle East, migration to inheritance, and more besides. Legendary authors, writers, poets, thinkers and entertainers including Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie (who joined down the line), Richard Osman, Dolly Alderton, Alan Cumming & Forbes Masson, Phillipa Gregory, Jackie Kay, James O’Brien, Lemn Sissay, Elif Shafak, Louise Welsh, Raja Shehadeh, Marian Keyes, Roger McGough appeared on stage, alongside RF Kuang, Blindboy, Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson, Evie Wyld, Julius Roberts, and Samantha Shannon.
As well as greats from the literary sector, stars of music and film (Stuart Brathwaite of Mogwai, Esther Swift, Evelynn Glennie, Stuart Murdoch, Steven Moffat, Anjoa Andoh), theatre makers (including Grid Iron’s Ben Harrison), producers, publishers (many appearing as part of the Business of Books strand aimed at those in the industry, and artists (Ruth Millington, Kate Leiper) and actors also featured, bringing the multi disciplinary magic of the Edinburgh Festivals to life, right at the heart of the city.
This year saw a number of brand new types of events unfold, many celebrating cross-discipline collaboration, including the ambitious digital experience, Perambulations of a Justified Sinner and the intimate Have Lunch With… series at Elliott’s Studio, featuring chef-writers (Asma Khan, Sami Tamimi and Rachel Roddy). Clean Money: Can Fundraising Ever Be Ethical brought in audience members with a variety of views to discuss the detail and nuance of modern arts funding in a safe and supported space, and events including ThinkTanks offered audiences unparalleled access to world-class minds including Harold Hongju Koh, Ingrid Robeyns, Joseph Stiglitz and Ken Costa. Voices from across the political spectrum also joined the conversation, with appearances from John Swinney, Jess Phillips, Caroline Lucas, Andy Burnham and Sadiq Khan.
Jenny Niven, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the success of the Book Festival this year. Audiences have voted with their feet and we’ve seen full houses and brilliant, engaged crowds. Debate and discussion has been relished by audiences and authors alike proving the Festival is a truly important space for people to be inspired and come together.
Edinburgh Futures Institute as a Book Festival venue has been terrific and we’re already looking at the ways we can build on what we’ve created for next year. We’re looking forward to beginning conversations in the Autumn with everyone who will be part of our story in our next glorious edition.”
Over the course of the Festival, more than 4,500 school children from P1 to S6 were transported to the Festival, to attend free events and claim their very own free book, supported by the final instalment of Baillie Gifford’s funding. Also during August authors including Andrew O’Hagan, Amy Liptrot, Jenni Fagan and Joseph Coelho attended schools, prisons and local Reading Centres as part of the Book Festival’s year-round Communities programme.
Jamie Crawford, incoming Chair of the Edinburgh International Book Festival Board, said: “For the past two weeks, the excitement at this new chapter in the story of the book festival – from authors, staff and audiences – has been palpable. The new space at the Futures Institute has opened up a long-dormant part of the city, and it has clearly demonstrated its value and its huge potential for the future. As for right now, it is crucial to reflect on the great success of this year’s festival to underline the critical importance of literary culture to Edinburgh and Scotland. It is in everyone’s interests to support it and to see it thrive.”
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The 2024 Edinburgh International Book Festival ran from 10 – 25 August, and took place for the first time at its new home at the Edinburgh Futures Institute on Lauriston Place, made possible by a partnership with Edinburgh University.
This was the first year the Book Festival worked with Underbelly at the McEwan Hall to bring audiences the Front List strand of showstopper events.
Many of the 2024 events are still available to watch on demand. To do so, and for more information on Edinburgh International Book Festival, visit: https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/
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