Interview with Sally Bavage – Headingley LitFest: Endings
Sally Bavage is one of the women working behind the scenes for years to organize the Headingley LitFest among the community of Headingley, Leeds, and the surrounding areas. Here is what she had to say about the final LitFest and the importance of sharing our literary explorations.
What is the Headingley LitFest to you?
It’s great to involve our local community – which includes many students from all three universities in Leeds – in opportunities to experience a wide range of cultural events. We cover a range of genres – poetry, performed and original, drama, songs (even opera on one recent occasion), and not least authors describing their writing and inspirations. So what do I get out of it? A chance to give back to my community as well as enjoy writing on my doorstep. Not literally.
How long have you been working with Headingley LitFest, and why did you decide to get involved?
I retired from teaching and wanted to continue doing something that sup§ports a very vibrant local community. A decade later it is still a great idea!
How did your earlier career choices inspire/lead you to get involved with organising the LitFest?
Teaching involves choosing the best ways of presenting information. So does the LitFest – if you’re enjoying something then you’re learning.
How did you determine the themes for each LitFest and which authors/poets/performances you wanted to include?
Most of the artists we use are local or regional; it’s good to give venues and opportunities to talented people who live in our midst. And our themes just come out of our discussions that reflect what has become important. This year’s theme wrote itself as it is the last full March programme. We will continue with our regular work in local schools and our Between the Lines irregular events.
Over the years, which LitFest was your favourite and why? How have they changed over the years?
I don’t think I have a favourite. They are always a bit daunting before you start (there is a lot of work before, during, and after) but they become such an enjoyable celebration of words in all their forms that by the last event you don’t want it to finish!
Do you have an event which you are most looking forward to this year and why?
I always enjoy the school assemblies where trembling youngsters perform their own poetry, so the last one for this series on March 22nd will be special. I enjoy the drama from Trio Lit and the poetry and music from Schwa – they really are so inventive. I am always moved by the writings performed by a disabled group we host each year. And we have a great line-up of authors as usual. Never mind Jerome K Jerome’s Three Men in a Boat; we have Four Mums in a Boat who rowed the Atlantic… as you do after a glass of wine: ordinary women, not athletes, who gained a Guinness World Record. Friday 23rd will be a corker.
Have you got any Between the Lines events planned for later on in the year?
There is a Reading Shakespeare event on April 18th and plans in the pipeline for poetry and other author events. Charlotte Bronte in Brussels is on June 7th at The Leeds Library. Watch our website for details:
http://www.headingleylitfest.org.uk/
Is there anything else that you would want attendees of the LitFest to know?
Do check out the programme. Yes, it’s eclectic, yes, we think we have something for a wide variety of tastes, yes, we think each event will be a good opportunity to find out more about writers, writing, and original work. Oh, and just have a great time socially. Will we be sad when it’s over? Yes. Do you want to carry on the tradition we have set for 11 years? Put on a Between the Lines event? Get in touch!
Thanks so much for chatting with us, Sally! And best of luck with the lit fest.