Medway River Lit 2024 was more than just a gathering of book lovers, it was a celebration of storytelling, creativity, and the vibrant cultural tapestry of the Medway Towns. In just its second year, this annual event is well on the way to becoming a cornerstone for authors, poets, readers, and artists; transforming the region into a hub of literary exploration and inspiration during the festival.
(Photos show: The Four Poets / Michi Masumi at launch / Sarah Hehir interviews Sir Ben Okri)
"I thought Medway River Lit Festival thoughtful, thought-provoking, kindly in spirit and invaluable for the region" – Sir Ben Okri
“An ace gig - up there with the best experiences we’ve had on the tour” – Martin Figura
“A wonderfully creative event” – Adam Taylor
“Medway River Lit 24 was adorable and everything I love about the poetry community. Intimate, earnest, a celebration of sharing our vulnerabilities with lightness” – Lalah-Simone Springer
“I felt so relaxed and had a lovely time! You run an absolutely spiffing festival, I'm so glad for it, and hope to come again next year, either attending or participating or both!” – Zahra Barri
From its carefully curated lineup of events, to its embrace of diverse voices, the festival stands as a beacon of the power of words. Let’s take a closer look at what makes the Medway River Literary Festival a truly unique experience.
The Heart of the Festival: Stories That Connect Us In An Overheating World
At its core, Medway River Lit 2024 celebrates the universal language of stories and how those stories can provoke action. Featuring authors from a range of genres; including fiction, poetry, memoirs, crime thrillers, and speculative fiction, the festival offers something for every literary taste, with a particular focus on sustainability and what we can do about the Climate Crisis.
Notable participants on the theme included:
Sir Ben Okri, the Booker Prize-winning author of The Famished Road, whose latest book Tiger Work imagines messages - sent to us from beyond the end, from those who saw it coming - exhorting us to change now. Combining fiction, essay and poetry, Tiger Work displays Okri's classic blend of storytelling, fantasy and magic.
Professor Bill McGuire, Professor of Geophysical and Climate Hazards, explains the science behind the climate crisis and for the first time presents a blunt but authentic picture of the sort of world our children will grow old in, and our grandchildren grow up in; a world that we catch only glimpses of in today's blistering heatwaves, calamitous wildfires and ruinous floods and droughts. Bleak though it is, the picture shown in Hothouse Earth: an inhabitants’ guide is one we must all face up to, if only to spur genuine action, even at this late stage, to stop a harrowing future becoming a truly cataclysmic one.
Megan Hunter, whose eco-fiction novel The End We Start From, was recently adapted into a film.
Chloe Timms, whose novel The Seawomen, tells of an island where women are ruled by men, who seek to abuse their power.
Local poet Pauline Holmes was just one of the poets who also spoke of the environment in her poetry, performed at our regular poetry night, Poetry Republic.
Whether it's emerging voices or established luminaries, each participant brought a unique perspective to the literary stage, sparking conversations and igniting imaginations.
“Great slightly unexpected discussion of the main issues of humanity, I think this could have carried on for hours.”
“Fantastic! Knowledgeable, engaging and shocking to the core.”
“Good setup to interview the author like a chat show, more enjoyable than a straight talk. Good choice of author for theme climate change, good questions from audience.”
“Great to have accessible and affordable places to see and hear poets performing their own work. Inspiring. Don't often get a chance to meet others with similar interests and loves.”
Medway Youth Poet Laureate
We also set up the Medway Youth Poet Laureate scheme for young people aged 11-17, who were tasked to write a poem on the theme of the weather. Three winners were selected whose poems reflected young people’s concerns about the climate emergency. Prizes including books tokens and books were provided by the Climate Response Team, Wordsmithery and Crystal Peake. Funds permitting, we hope to work further with these three young people and run the scheme again next year.
A Multitude of Events and Experiences
The festival boasted a month-long schedule of events that catered to all ages and interests with 42 Kent-based authors and performers and 26 from further afield. (Photos below show: Top row: Sarah L Dixon interviews Jim Bob / Caroline Bird / a contestant in 'Meanderslam'. Bottom row: Ben Aaronovitch / Barry Fentiman Hall interviews Chloe Timms / Historical Fiction Writing Workshop with Michael Hughes and Charlotte Byrne.)
Some highlights included:
Author Talks and Panel Discussions: Authors such as fantasy writer Ben Aaronovitch and Booker Prize-winner Sir Ben Okri spoke about their latest books, and answered questions from the audience. We ran several panel discussions about aspects of writing craft, including Writing better short stories, Historical Fiction, How to get published and How to write genre fiction.
“Very informative talk about genre I wouldn't usually read but I will now branch out.”
“Lovely talk and great choice really came to buy the book, great to see local writers included and a diverse range of speakers, keep it up!”
“An incredibly inspiring event. I feel stirred to take action in small ways and collectively”
“So thought provoking and inspirational. Would happily had stayed another hour!”
Poetry Readings and Performances: We held a regular Friday night poetry event at Coffee Republic in Chatham, with local poets supporting the likes of Caroline Bird, Martin Figura and Helen Ivory. We also held Medway River Lit’s first ever slam, with guest judges Michi Masumi and Lalah-Simone Springer.
“Really interesting evening. Lots of poetic talent in Medway it seems! Thanks for hosting”
“Fantastic event, so thought provoking. Amazing to be with so many like-minded people.”
“Absolutely blown away by the passion/dedication of this team/event. And incredibly touched by the performances. Sometimes you don't realise you need to have something until you do.”
Workshops: Aspiring writers were able to take part in a number of hands-on workshops led by seasoned authors, Caitlin Davies (researching historical crime novels) and Michael Hughes and Charlotte Byrne (writing historical fiction).
“Excellent workshop with outstanding leadership, so much effortlessly covered and thought provoked in just two hours. So worth an afternoon! Thank you to Medway River Lit organisers and especially Michael and Charlotte for their personal and valuable insights and generously shared experiences.”
Family-Friendly Activities: Children’s author Tom Mitchell enthralled our younger readers with his presentation on his book How To Stop The End Of The World! Storyteller Rachael Hammond provided Afro Caribbean Stories For Restless Spirits on our final day.
Venues That Bring the Festival to Life
We were delighted to hold the festival at a variety of accessible venues, some of which hadn’t been used as cultural venues before.
The Eagle Tavern in Rochester, which was the home for the launch of Melissa Todd’s most recent memoir Americaned.
“Love this evening's free event. Great to do something a bit different. Melissa is funny and a great writer been looking forward to this for weeks can't wait for the rest of the events inspirational. Thank you!”
Coffee Republic in Chatham, which became a haven for poetry every Friday throughout the festival.
“A fantastic event in Chatham. Important and vital. So good to see such fabulous representation and creativity it made me feel enriched and culturally inspired. I would love to see more events like this in Medway. What a fab turn out too! Thanks Medway!”
Medway Libraries, throughout the month, our festival popped up at Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Wigmore Libraries! Were you there? Share your photos on social media with the tag #MRL24
Diversity and Inclusion: A Festival for Everyone
Medway River Lit is proud of its commitment to diversity and inclusion. The lineup reflects a broad spectrum of voices, from established literary icons to emerging authors from underrepresented backgrounds.
Our major theme of environmentalism, was backed up by writers whose books address a broad range of topics for everyone, from female detectives, to mental health, from wizards to Estella Havisham reimagined.
Our venues were wheelchair accessible and a PA system was in use in order for those who were deaf/hard of hearing.
We also hosted a fundraising event for the local Ukrainian community which raised funds to buy a medical kit for paramedics in Ukraine.
“Excellent session, well planned and organised on the day. I will be coming to more author talks now.”
“The event was amazing! All the poetry and the poets were/are incredible thank you for all! Love the atmosphere relaxed and warm and calming”
“Wonderful community event, diverse audience, excellent host and engaging performers.”
“Great. My first time attending a poetry night. It was a lovely experience.”
Beyond Books: Supporting Local Culture and Business
The festival isn’t just about literature; it’s a celebration of the Medway community. By partnering with local businesses, the festival supports the region’s economy while fostering a sense of unity. Attendees are encouraged to explore the towns, enjoy local food, and immerse themselves in the rich history of the area. We were fortunate to have been supported by volunteers from Medway Change Makers, we couldn't have run the festival without their help!
“A fabulous night, real variety of poets and a lovely warm crowd. Great venue too.”
“Great venue. Welcoming. Lively. Good coffee and atmosphere. Well run event with interesting performances and time to chat too.”
Festival Online
We produced eight 30-40minutes podcasts featuring writers who were appearing at the festival. These podcasts have been downloaded and listened to 387 times, so far. Listen to The River Is Lit podcast on Spotify and subtitled on YouTube.
A Celebration to Remember
Medway River Lit was more than an event, it was an invitation to connect, reflect, and celebrate the beauty of words. Whether our audience members were lifelong book lovers or a casual reader, our 2024 festival was an enriching experience that stays with us long after the final page is turned. Thanks to all the writers, venues, audiences, volunteers, funders and those behind the scenes!
(Photos show: Top: Martin Figura, Helen Ivory, Pauline Holmes, Zack Davies / Meanderslam judges and winners. Middle: Zahra Barri / Connor Sansby / Barry interviewing Neil Nixon. Bottom: Tom Mitchell / Megan Hunter.)
Words and images: Drishti Mehra / Sam Hall / Anne-Marie Jordan / Barry Fentiman Hall / Harmesch Kaur
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