Young to aid festival

Ilkley Literature Festival has turned to the young to ensure its continued success - Amy Young to be precise! Amy, 23, who hails from Norwich, is in for a busy 12 months as she organises Beyond the Ilkley 25 - the Festival's youth venture. She has been appointed as outreach and marketing co-ordinator. The Festival has Lottery funding to organise projects aimed at securing an audience for the next 25 years. Amy's task is to improve the accessibility of literature to young people, helped by the Art Council's Arts for Everyone scheme. A recent English and Media graduate from the University of Leeds, Amy said: The outreach adventure, whilst recognising and building upon the achievements of the past 25 years, aims to encourage fresh talent - the writers of our future - so that we can look forward to another successful 25 years. The 12 month programme of workshops, performances, publications and exhibitions, starting in April, will explore everything from journalism, script writing and song lyrics, to poetry, comedy and the Internet. Amy said: Forthcoming projects include PopTV, involving pop video artists and performance poets such as Atomic Lip; a new visual arts magazine written by young people; and a fashion week combining local journalistic and designing talent. There is also a First Novel Award for young (18-30) previously unpublished writers, as well as the annual Ilkley poetry and short story competitions. Amy hopes participants will develop creative reading and writing skills in interesting and innovative ways, and produce their work for public viewing in the Autumn. She said: We don't want young people to be intimidated by literature. We want them to explore their own interests - we are certainly not going to dictate what is and is not good literature. Festival director David Porter is already counting down to the official launch on March 29 at Ilkley's Craiglands Hotel. It is a fantastic achievement for a small Yorkshire Dales town to host one of the most prestigious literary events in the country. Famous names from Auden to Zephaniah have appeared at the Festival over the years and we want to mark this achievement with a special programme, he said. l If you would like to become involved in any of the outreach projects, or would like further information about the 25th Ilkley Literature Festival, you can contact Amy on (01943) 601210. A free Festival brochure will be available in mid-February.ILKLEY Literature Festival has turned to the young to ensure its continued success - Amy Young to be precise! Amy, 23, who hails from Norwich, is in for a busy 12 months as she organises Beyond the Ilkley 25 - the Festival's youth venture. She has been appointed as outreach and marketing co-ordinator. The Festival has Lottery funding to organise projects aimed at securing an audience for the next 25 years. Amy's task is to improve the accessibility of literature to young people, helped by the Art Council's Arts for Everyone scheme. A recent English and Media graduate from the University of Leeds, Amy said: The outreach adventure, whilst recognising and building upon the achievements of the past 25 years, aims to encourage fresh talent - the writers of our future - so that we can look forward to another successful 25 years. The 12 month programme of workshops, performances, publications and exhibitions, starting in April, will explore everything from journalism, script writing and song lyrics, to poetry, comedy and the Internet. Amy said: Forthcoming projects include PopTV, involving pop video artists and performance poets such as Atomic Lip; a new visual arts magazine written by young people; and a fashion week combining local journalistic and designing talent. There is also a First Novel Award for young (18-30) previously unpublished writers, as well as the annual Ilkley poetry and short story competitions. Amy hopes participants will develop creative reading and writing skills in interesting and innovative ways, and produce their work for public viewing in the Autumn. She said: We don't want young people to be intimidated by literature. We want them to explore their own interests - we are certainly not going to dictate what is and is not good literature. Festival director David Porter is already counting down to the official launch on March 29 at Ilkley's Craiglands Hotel. It is a fantastic achievement for a small Yorkshire Dales town to host one of the most prestigious literary events in the country. Famous names from Auden to Zephaniah have appeared at the Festival over the years and we want to mark this achievement with a special programme, he said. l If you would like to become involved in any of the outreach projects, or would like further information about the 25th Ilkley Literature Festival, you can contact Amy on (01943) 601210. A free Festival brochure will be available in mid-February.