New trustees needed to write festival’s next chapter

Derby Book Festival is looking to recruit new trustees and a treasurer to help write the next chapter of the organisation.

The festival, which is a registered charity and receives funding from the Arts Council and the National Lottery for its Shared Reading community project, has sold more than 30,000 tickets for more than 570 events since its inception in 2015.

It also has a packed year-round community programme, working with almost all of Derby’s primary and secondary schools, Derby College Group and the University of Derby offering opportunities to meet authors, explore new books and create their own stories and illustrations.

Its Shared Reading community project enables people in care homes, hospital, prisons, libraries and community centres to listen to and share their thoughts about poetry, lyrics, letters and diaries at weekly and fortnightly sessions.

Its Summer Edition festival, which starts today and runs until 5 June, features talks by authors including James O’Brien, Alison Weir, Polly Toynbee, Patrick Grant and Dan Cruickshank, as well as debut historical novelists Sarah Marsh and Elizabeth O’Connor.

There will also be a special event on 29 July with BBC presenter and reporter Clive Myrie at Derby Theatre.

Sian Hoyle, festival director, said: “Our board of trustees play a critical role in governing our charity and providing strategic direction on how we are managed and run.

“We have a committed team of trustees who volunteer their time and are proud of the role they play in our essential work, but we do have vacancies and an urgent need for a new treasurer.

“Recruiting the right trustees is essential for our book festival to grow and inspire future generations of readers and writers.”

The festival is organised in partnership with all the major arts and cultural partners in the city with funding from the Arts Council England, the University of Derby and several businesses and individuals across the city.

Festival chair, Professor Keith McLay, said: “We are looking for people who will bring knowledge and experience of their own, who will offer a fresh perspective on our work, and possess the wisdom and integrity necessary to be trusted with the festival’s leadership, resources, reputation, and future.

“Trusteeship is a great way of contributing to causes you care about and developing strategic and leadership skills at the same time.

“I am enormously proud to be the charity’s chair and am appealing to others to get in touch and find out how they can help and play a part in our future.”

To apply, send an Expression of Interest explaining why either of these voluntary roles interest you, what you feel you could offer Derby Book Festival as either a trustee or treasurer trustee, and a copy of your CV to Professor McLay at k.mclay@derby.ac.uk.

Deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 28 June.