Hexham Book Festival commission programme 2021-22

As part of our Hexham Book Festival and Gillian Dickinson Trust Young People’s Festival 2021-22 Hexham Book Festival offered three writers and an illustrator, from across the North of England, the opportunity to create new pieces of work.

Writing Commissions: Writers were invited to propose ideas for new commissions that celebrated the diverse and fascinating county of Northumberland, its inhabitants, its agricultural Heritage and historical connections with particular emphasis on Hadrian’s Wall and its upcoming celebration of 1900 years.

We are now delighted to present the commissioned work here :

• Bridget Hamilton- a writer, facilitator and creative producer who has worked with organisations such as New Writing North, Sage Gateshead and BBC Radio Three. She works predominantly with young people but has also recently been involved in writing projects with adults in recovery.

Her piece of prose This Next Hill can be read here

• Garry Lyons has written plays for the National Theatre and theatres throughout the UK.  His television work includes the award-winning Leah's Trials for Channel 4 and ITV's The Worst Witch.

His short story Lupa can be read here 

• Jacqueline Saville is a Yorkshire writer of stories of various lengths and genres. Her short fiction has been published in more than forty places in print and online.

 Her short story Walking The Wall can be read here

• Deborah Snell is an artist and illustrator based in Newcastle who works in illustration, printmaking, installations, model making and animation.

Her illustrated booklet The Wall can be read here

Please note : The contributing authors have asserted their rights under the Copyright and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the authors of their work, this work has been made available subject to the conditions that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form without the permission of the authors and of Hexham Book Festival CIC.

This project is supported by funding from Arts Council England