Boosting its vibrant in-person and existing online programme, the WayWORD Festival has extended its livestream offering to include an additional eight live events.
Funding from Event Scotland will see the events broadcast from King’s Pavilion to a global audience who cannot make it to the festival in person.
WayWORD’s Assistant Director Kirsty Lawie said: “Accessibility is a priority at WayWORD and we want to ensure events reach everyone who wants to attend. We applied for funding to improve our equipment so that people who cannot attend the festival in person due to disability or any other barrier are able to enjoy our headline events live online.”
Now in its fifth year, the youth-led, literary cross arts festival has become a well-loved part of the cultural calendar. Created by young people working with staff of the University of Aberdeen WORD Centre for Creative Writing, WayWORD is proud to continue its mantra of ‘celebrating unconventional forms of artistic expression’.
The addition of livestreaming adds to existing accessibility provisions such as British Sigh Language interpretation, captioning for online events and ensuring that every ticket for every event is free.
The previously announced live-online events include Scottish Canadian novelist Margot Livesey; a Neurodiversity & Writing event with Elle McNicoll, in conversation with Sarinah O’Donoghue; and, continuing the legacy of Nan Shepherd, a Women of Colour on Nature panel.
The additional eight events will be livestreamed from King’s Pavilion and have been selected to improve access to the offering. The new additions to the programme are:
Richie Webb, the brain behind every Horrible Histories song who comes to share his expertise in writing comedy song while Verbal Remedies is a showcase of poetry and prose from Medical Students enrolled in the Creative Writing elective at University of Aberdeen.
The programme tackles important current topics through arts and literature, such as in Confronting Climate Change with Creativity, a panel discussion with curators, artists and writers responding to and challenging climate change in Aberdeen. Scottish journalist Jen Stout and Polish-Ukrainian writer and academic Aleksandra Hnatiuk discuss women in war zones, cultural identity, unearthing truths and battling falsifications of history. Art, Expression and Identity Across Culture brings Leila Aboulela, Amira Al Shanti, and Dean Atta together to discuss how their work is informed by multiple cross-cultural identities.
Headline novelists will bring their insights into their creative processes and inspiration to the festival throughout the week. Solving the mysteries of crime writing is James Lovegrove, bestselling author of the reimagined Sherlock Holmes series The Cthulhu Casebooks. Aberdeen University Alumni Maud Woolf launches her debut novel in an event with Ben Aaronovitch, author of the Rivers of London series - rumour has it Ben is working on a novel set in The Granite City, maybe this will be an ideal opportunity to find out more! Acclaimed Scottish writers Zoë Strachan and Louise Welsh will be closingthe livestream programme, discussing their latest novels and creative collaborations.
The festival mentors its WayWORD Youth Committee in all aspects of arts organisation, from marketing and stage management to audio visual skills and event chairing and provides hands-on experience that often leads to future employment in the creative industries. It’s also possible to be a volunteer at the festival.
"I began volunteering with the WayWORD Festival initially, but this year I’ve had the chance to contribute to the festival as a committee member. It’s been an amazing opportunity to connect and work with talented creatives in a supportive environment," said a 2024 Youth Committee member.
Dr Helen Lynch, Director of the University of Aberdeen WORD Centre for Creative Writing and Festival Creative Director added: “I’m delighted that we are again able to offer a varied, dynamic and innovative programme to audiences from the north-east and beyond.
“Five years ago, when we started during the pandemic, it scarcely seemed possible that WayWORD would be able to create such a successful, durable, annual arts event, and the fact that we have done so is down to a vast team of helpers, supporters and cultural and community partners.
“I’m amazed at the energy and exciting ideas of the young people who have created 2024’s WayWORD, and certain that the stellar performer line-up and interactive opportunities will inspire the public too!”
The full programme is available at www.waywordfestival.com. Tickets are free but booking required. British Sign Language interpretation is provided.
The festival is funded with the generous support of University of Aberdeen Development Trust, Creative Scotland, Event Scotland and Aberdeen City Council.