Spotlight: Children's Literature Festival Cardiff 2013

SQUEEEEEEEEE

My prayers have been answered. I cannot tell you how happy I am to make this announcement. I have prayed long and hard for a Children's Literary Festival in Cardiff, so I can actually attend without the problem of travel and expense.

Scheduled to take place March  20th - 24th 2013 in Cardiff City Center.

Here is the press release:

Cardiff, home of Roald Dahl and Doctor Who, is to host its first ever Children’s Literature Festival in 2013. The Cardiff Children’s Literature Festival will take place on Wednesday 20 - Sunday 24 March 2013. It will bring together some of the best contemporary children’s writers and illustrators, putting South Wales once again on the children’s literary map.
Celebrated children’s author Jacqueline Wilson (pictured) is the first to be confirmed for the festival programme. 'I am delighted to be coming to Cardiff's first Festival specially for young readers', said the former Children's Laureate. 'I think festivals are a great way for children to meet as many authors as possible, and discover the huge joys of reading'.
Children’s literature has never been so vibrant, prominent or exciting and this is an ideal time to start a festival in Wales dedicated to young readers. The Festival will enable young people to meet and interact with some of the most creative minds in children’s books. It will promote literacy and the arts with an inventive and accessible programme of cultural events in key venues across Cardiff, in both the Welsh and English language.
The Cardiff Children’s Literature Festival is organised by Literature Wales, Cardiff Council, Cardiff University and National Museum Wales.
“We will transform Cardiff into a wonderland of myths and magical characters” says Literature Wales’ Chief Executive Lleucu Siencyn. “What better way to start a jam-packed year of literary activities for children and young people than to awake their creativity with a major festival in the capital city”.
“The Cardiff Children’s Literature Festival will be a key new event for the city, joining our already busy events programme” added Cllr Nigel Howells, Executive Member for Sport, Culture and Leisure. “The Council will assist in creating the Festival, programming and providing venues like Cardiff Castle to play host. This will be a fun way to encourage children to read and more importantly to enjoy reading”.
Projects such as Cardiff Council’s Literacy Strategy and Literature Wales’ Young People’s Laureate Scheme acknowledge that the essential skills of reading and creative writing need to be nourished: the Cardiff Children’s Literature Festival will be an opportunity for young people to engage with a wider range of books and ideas than ever before.
Minister of Education Leighton Andrews AM also commented that “A Children’s Literature Festival in south Wales will be a great asset to the area. As Minister, one of my key priorities is to improve standards of literacy across the board. Anything that inspires the children and young people of the city to develop a love of reading and writing should be encouraged. I wish the Festival every success”
More information will be released throughout this year in the build up next spring’s festivities.

To register for festival updates, please email:

cardiffchildrenslitfest@literaturewales.org

So who is coming to visit me next March?????