Aye Write, the Glasgow literary competition that was cancelled final month after its funding utility was turned down by Artistic Scotland has introduced that it’s going to current a slimmed programme after an “surprising, however very welcome” £65,000 donation.
The donation, from a basis arrange by the late lottery winner Colin Weir, will assist fund a sequence of pop-up occasions all through 2024, that includes authors together with David Nicholls, Val McDermid and Lionel Shriver.
The complete multiday competition – which final 12 months noticed 175 authors showing in additional than 120 occasions throughout 10 days – will nonetheless not go forward. Nonetheless, Wee Write, a competition for kids and younger individuals, will now go forward in autumn on a smaller scale.
When the competition’s cancellation was introduced, Aye Write stated that it could be planning pop-up occasions. The donation “means there might be an elevated variety of these”.
Val McDermid, Douglas Stuart and Andrew O’Hagan have been among the many authors who criticised the cancellation of the competition after its utility for £77,500 of funding was rejected.
McDermid stated it was “profoundly miserable” that Glasgow “can not maintain a ebook competition”, whereas Stuart known as it “unacceptable”. O’Hagan stated that the cancellation is “savage and it shouldn’t be taking place”.
“Aye Write is a much-loved competition, which is clear from the outpouring of assist over the previous few weeks,” stated Annette Christie, chair of Glasgow Life, the council-funded charity that runs Aye Write. “The beneficiant donation from the Colin Weir Charitable Basis means it may well proceed to have a constructive influence on Glaswegians and folks all through Scotland.”
Glasgow Life stated it can proceed to develop a multi-year funding utility to Artistic Scotland for future festivals. If the appliance is profitable, Aye Write will return in full in 2025, 2026 and 2027.
Together with Nicholls, McDermid and Shriver, former first minister Nicola Sturgeon and the actors Alan Cumming, Kieran Hodgson, Forbes Masson and Doon Mackichan will characteristic on the pop-up occasions. Writers Damian Barr, James Ley, GT Karber, James O’Brien and Chris Brookmyre are additionally slated to look, in addition to the Herald editor Catherine Salmond and Nationwide Theatre of Scotland chief govt Jackie Wylie.
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“We’re happy to have the ability to assist Aye Write to placed on a programme of nice occasions in 2024,” stated a spokesperson for Weir’s basis. “It was unthinkable that Aye Write needs to be silenced till subsequent 12 months. Fortunately, the donation implies that received’t be the case.”
Tickets for pop-up occasions are on sale at ayewrite.com.
