Bradford Literature Festival Partnership Information Pack
www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk | @BradfordLitFest | #BradfordLitFest
"A TRULY BREATHTAKING EXPERIENCE" Visitor, BLF 2019
"THE MOST INCLUSIVE ARTS EVENT I HAVE EVER ATTENDED" Visitor, BLF 2019
CONTENTS About the Festival
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A National Context
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Public Programme of Events
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Children, Young People & Families at BLF
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The BLF Education Programme
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Social Responsibility
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Audience & Reach
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Press & Media Coverage
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Sponsorship Information
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Contact Us
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ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Bradford Literature Festival (BLF) is a ten-day celebration of the written and spoken word, taking place between June and July in the city of Bradford. BLF is recognised amongst the top 5 literary festivals in the UK, welcoming audiences more socio-economically and ethnically diverse than any other. BLF is a key event in the UK cultural calendar. Held annually, both our Public and Education Programmes celebrate the written and spoken word on the page, stage, screen and in public forums offering ideas to delight, challenge and entertain. Passionate about education and creative learning, we inspire a love affair with words and put the joy of literary experiences at the heart of all of our events and education projects. Curated by Culture Squared CIC (CSq), Bradford Literature Festival is recognised as Bradford’s flagship event, and the leading literary festival in the North. BLF is creating a step-change for Bradford, transforming the city into a regional, national and international cultural destination.
“In the four years Provident Financial Group has sponsored the Bradford Literature Festival we’ve watched it become an annual highlight for Bradford, with a unique and diverse programme of social inclusion and educational events which continues to raise aspirations in the city, boost literacy levels and increase skills and employability for Bradford’s young and growing population. As the CEO of Provident Financial Group, I’m delighted that our support has helped to drive the successful growth of the festival; made culture more accessible to all and raised Bradford’s profile nationally and internationally.” Malcolm Le May, CEO Provident Financial Group
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Our Mission BLF is unique. As well as being the most diverse festival in the UK, we are also one of the fastest growing; in just 5 years we have grown from a 2 day event attracting 968 people, to a ten day cultural and literary extravaganza, welcoming audiences upwards of 70,000. This year (2019), we welcomed our 200,000th audience member. With 20% of our audiences in 2019 travelling from across the UK to attend BLF, our uniquely diverse festival offer has become a firm fixture in the nation’s annual cultural calendar. With this solid national audience base, BLF is now perfectly positioned to enter the next stage of development, with a clear focus on: Building on our reputation as an international destination festival delivering world-class cultural experiences, reaching larger audiences regionally, nationally, and internationally, through a world-class programme of live and digital content, quality cultural partnerships and groundbreaking international commissions and projects. Bringing more national and international leading writers, performers and poets to Bradford, melding them with the brightest emerging talent; developing the breadth and depth of our programme, seamlessly integrating diverse artists, audiences and issues and ensuring that the festival is relevant both beyond the realm of literature – and our nation’s borders. Further strengthening Northern cultural development; positioning Bradford as the “de facto” literary hub of the North, the Gateway to Yorkshire, at the centre of the North’s literary and cultural heritage. Inspiring greater numbers of children and young people in the region, further raising aspirations and literary engagement levels, through an expanded year-round Education Programme, which focuses on our most disadvantaged children and young people. Capitalising on our position as the exemplar of the creative case for diversity, to showcase, platform and develop new models of best practice. We will continue to share our learnings with peers, and seek new opportunities to ensure that equality and diversity are centred as long-term, sustainable goals for the broader sector. Further improving perceptions of Bradford – enhancing pride in citizens by creating more positive PR and discussion about Bradford locally, regionally and nationally.
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A NATIONAL CONTEXT
BLF is proud to be an organisation rooted in the diverse communities of Bradford, with a celebrated national and international outlook. With a young and growing, multicultural population, Bradford is a city of huge potential with a demographic that is at once unique, and the bellwether for a changing, contemporary Britain. A city of contrasts, Bradford is one of the country’s largest urban areas, sitting on the edge of one of the nation’s largest National Parks. It is the historic heart of Yorkshire, and the literature hub of the North – with a progressive and fearless approach to regeneration and development, that echoes the story of the rising fortunes of millenial East London. As a city, Bradford has the youngest population in Europe, and BLF believes that this equates to the greatest potential of any city in Europe. Research published by Barclays has named Bradford as 'the best place in the UK to start a new business', above major cities such as Edinburgh and Liverpool, and cites the strength of the city's business rate relief, transport infrastructure, broadband speed and labour productivity. Bradford has long harboured a powerful culture of entrepreneurship, with more than 30,000 self-employed workers calling the district home. The festival's founding aim was, and remains, to inspire a love of reading and writing; in doing so raising literacy levels and aspirations within Bradford, a city with historically poor educational and employment records, but with unrivalled potential for growth.
With one of the most diverse populations in Britain – ethnic minorities make up to 36% of the total population, with over 150 languages spoken in the district – Bradford is a truly international city. BLF’s programme reflects the city’s global heritage and contemporary connections, and is the most diverse festival in the UK with 55% BAME audiences and 39% BAME artists and speakers. Whilst the festival has the ‘pulling power’ to attract names as metropolitan and internationally renowned as Will Self, Ben Okri, Elif Shafak, A.C. Grayling, Germaine Greer, Saul Williams and Linton Kwesi Johnson, BLF is proud of and deeply rooted in its Northern heritage. Showcasing northern ideas and talent is a key theme across the festival programme, and central to the festival’s ambition to strengthen Northern cultural development - ultimately aiding the economic regeneration of Bradford through cultural regeneration. 2019 Audience 51% Local (within Bradford) 29% Regional (within Yorkshire) 20% National Visitors from London make up the highest proportion of national visitors, equating to 10% of national attendees at BLF, followed by Manchester at 9%. “The festival that everyone within the UK’s literary circles is talking about” Nick Barley Director, Edinburgh International Book Festival 4
PUBLIC PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
Bradford Literature Festival is a distinctive, innovative, genre-spanning festival which combines literatures from around the world and across all genres to reconnect audiences with classic and contemporary literature. BLF creates an atmospheric blend of voices, combining the work of leading writers, performers and poets with emerging talent. Taking a wide view on the definition of ‘literature’ allows the festival to be playful and creative with its programme, incorporating film, music and theatre which act as entry points to audiences who might not otherwise engage with a literary event. BLF’s seamless integration of diverse artists, audiences and issues creates a space in which no conversation is off limits, and in which people of all backgrounds and communities can come together to celebrate the literature and culture that unites us. As well as recurring strands such as the Brontës, Poetry, World Affairs & Politics, Economics and Health & Wellbeing, each year the festival programme also encompasses important literary and historical anniversaries, and explores the issues and trends of the moment, weaving themes across the programme, to incorporate performance, discussion and workshop events.
Examples of 2020 themes and anniversaries include:
400 years since the Mayflower set sail - BLF will explore topics of religious tolerance and colonialism, delving into the legacy of this cross-Atlantic voyage which still resonates in the “Special Relationship" of political, cultural and artistic exchange between the US and UK. 10 years of the Arab Spring - a decade on from this period of great socio-political turbulence and radical upheaval BLF will ask ever-pertinent questions about the true impact of revolution. Iraq 1920 - 2020 – tracing the trajectories of literature, culture and politics in Iraq, from the nation's creation a century ago to the present day. Is Death the End? – an exploration of death through science, psychology, literature and mysticism. Voices from Beyond the Borders – platforming globally-marginalised voices and offering a platform to indigenous, nomadic and typically ‘othered’ perspectives, throughout the BLF programme. “The diversity of Bradford Literature Festival is its greatest selling point. I’ve been to other literature festivals but none of them have the range of events that Bradford does. Some of them put on a culturally diverse event but only because it’s on trend. Bradford’s not ‘on trend’, it just ‘is’. These events are Bradford’s cultural heritage, perfectly represented in this brilliant festival.” Festival Visitor 5
CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE & FAMILIES AT BLF
Almost 50% of the festival's Public Programme is dedicated to children, young people and families. These events consist of free activity tailored towards the needs, abilities and interests of different age groups, and range from Early Years activity for 0-3s to our B-Lit Programme, aimed at teenagers aged 14-18. This year, our Family Fun Days, children's events and BLit Programme reached over 30,000 visitors. Parents cited the activity as a positive alternative to excessive use of digital technologies, an opportunity to educate their children (many noting it as education by stealth!), and as promoting an important love of reading. Family Fun Days Each year, BLF takes over City Park in the centre of Bradford, creating a hub of activity for all the family. Book-ending the festival dates, our Family Fun Days take place across both festival weekends and include outdoor theatre, interactive workshops, film screenings and walkabout performance as well as non-traditional literature festival activity such as free face-painting and a pop-up lake, complete with pedalo boats and zorbs. Our Family Fun Days are entirely free of charge, removing the financial barrier to participation and
reflecting the socio-economic disadvantage of a large proportion of our family audience. By programming free activity in a public space, at the centre of the city, we meet families who might otherwise never attend a cultural event, and children who may be experiencing the arts for the first time. Early Years BLF delivers a dedicated, free Early Years Programme for 0-3 year-olds and their caregivers. Activities such as baby raves, baby sign and baby music support parents to set down the fundamental building blocks of literacy, oracy and communication. Storytelling sessions and mark-making support the neurological development of under-3s in areas such as fine motor skills, hand-eye co-ordination and language acquisition. B-Lit Launched at the 2019 festival, the B-Lit Programme actively engages young people aged 14-18 through events such as open mics, headline musical performances and age-appropriate workshops. B-Lit events are effective at catching the attention of an age group that is traditionally difficult to engage, whilst acting as a gateway to the wider festival.
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THE BLF EDUCATION PROGRAMME
In 2019, the BLF Education Programme reached 18,904 children aged 4-18 and 2,027 educators. BLF delivered 6 Schools Days at the University of Bradford, for Primary and Secondary schools, featuring 54 large-scale events, along with 83 focused sessions within participating schools, supplementary schools and community centres. Offering opportunities to supplement and enhance curriculum-based classroom learning, the Education Programme allows BLF to reach children, young people and their families, who would otherwise be unlikely to engage with cultural activity. The impacts of this contact translate directly to increased engagement with the wider festival programme and have a ‘trickle-down’ effect of widening engagement with arts and culture more generally for some of the most socio-economically disadvantaged families in the Bradford district. The Education Programme is free to all schools within the Bradford district and open to institutions from further afield for a nominal fee. The programme has received excellent feedback from teachers and pupils alike and BLF is currently in the process of fundraising for 2020. "We all had a fab day at the event. The team were amazing, so helpful and brilliant at entertaining the children. The authors were really good, and we think the children got a lot out of it. We would definitely come again next year. Thank you so much for organising a free event." Teacher BLF Education Programme 2019
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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Ethical Pricing A key focus for BLF is reaching audiences in areas of socio-economic deprivation and combating what have been identified as the primary causes of dis-engagement with the arts and culture – poor educational attainment, low aspiration levels, unemployment and poverty. BLF takes social inclusion seriously and operates a unique ethical ticketing policy which reflects the key principle of 'high-quality arts for everyone' upon which the festival was founded. Tickets to BLF are free to anyone in receipt of Universal Credit or legacy benefits, living in social housing, relying on a state pension, as well as refugees and asylum seekers and those caring for a disabled audience member. Tickets are also offered at a discounted rate to students, senior citizens and those with disabilities. This year, BLF issued 57% of all festival tickets for free, or at significant discounts, to people from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. "The festival gives people with limited finances the opportunity to access high-quality, life-enhancing events. It opens people's eyes to the wonderful possibilities offered by literature." Visitor, BLF 2019
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AUDIENCE & REACH
Festival Audience BLF's audience is growing rapidly, from 968 in 2014, to 69,862 in just 5 years. The festival's Education Programme is extensive; in 2019 we held more than 137 events and reached over 18,000 children. BLF is fast becoming a national destination festival with a 20% national audience and visitors travelling from London, Edinburgh and Manchester. BLF is the most diverse festival in the UK. In 2019, 55% of our audience were BAME along with 39% of festival speakers. Our audience talks: BLF has a net promoter score of 9.6 when audiences were asked how likely they would be to recommend the festival to a friend, family member or colleague. Our audiences are impressed: 96% rated the festival as very good/good.
Marketing & PR National media attention for BLF has included: Features in The Financial Times, The Guardian, The Mail Online, The Independent and The Telegraph. Broadcast coverage on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Asian Radio. National television coverage on BBC News.
Consumer Reach 45,000 full brochures circulated on top of online views. 70,000 schools’ brochures circulated to every primary school in Bradford. Database of 3,000 GDPR compliant, subscribed and engaged customers. Over 16,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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PRESS & MEDIA COVERAGE
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SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION
As a Bradford Literature Festival sponsor, your organisation will have the opportunity to be part of our unique and extraordinary programme. You will receive a bespoke package of marketing benefits, in addition to working one on one with BLF to establish sponsor-specific CSR objectives. Title Partner | £250,000 Festival named as ‘Bradford Literature Festival in association with [Title Partner]’ Logo used alongside BLF logo on all occasions including: all festival marketing and advertising all other BLF communications including email signatures Named in festival press releases and PR Full-page introduction in the festival brochure 2 full-page advertisements in the festival brochure Opportunity to work with BLF on audience communications, surveys and data-gathering All Key Partner and Major Sponsor benefits listed below Key Partner | £100,000 The opportunity to work directly with BLF on event programming. This can include: working together to create events that showcase the work of your organisation within the festival introducing and/or hosting events Opportunity to work with BLF to create bespoke hospitality packages Logo placement on BLF marketing and advertising materials All Major Sponsor benefits listed below Major Sponsor | £50,000 Logo placement on pop-up banners and other event-based marketing materials across the festival Opportunity to select a strand of events within the festival, creating a discrete programme, named and branded by your organisation Opportunity to support core festival infrastructure, creating a named and branded festival stage or structure Invitation to exclusive, partners-only events, providing unique experiences for staff, friends and clients As standard, all BLF sponsors and partners receive: Full-page advertisement in the festival brochure Logo on Sponsors & Partners page in festival brochure Hyperlinked logo credit on Partners & Sponsors page at www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk Referenced across BLF social media platforms, with dedicated posts throughout key festival months 11
For information about Bradford Literature Festival’s year-round activities, and for programme information, visit www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk For 2019 festival highlights, and to keep up with 2020 festival news, follow us on social media:
@BradfordLitFest #BradfordLitFest
Supporting Bradford Literature Festival If you would like to discuss sponsoring the festival, please contact The Festival Director Room BO21, Chesham Building, University of Bradford Richmond Road, Bradford, BD7 1DP +44 (0)1274 238374 marketing@bradfordlitfest.co.uk
26th J u n e - 5 t h J uly 2020
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