Adrian Turpin is to step down as the creative and strategic director of the Wigtown Book Festival, following this autumn’s event in Dumfries and Galloway.
Turpin started as a volunteer in 2006, and has since seen the festival grow from a three-day event to a 10-day literary celebration. In this time, the festival’s audience has quadrupled to more than 20,000, generating £4.2m a year for the region.
In 2017, he was awarded an OBE for services to literature and the local economy, while last year the festival won Outstanding Cultural Event or Festival at Scotland’s national event awards, The Thistles. This January the festival also secured a funding-deal worth £388,000 over three years from Creative Scotland.
“The past year has been a huge one for the organisation, securing vital three-year support from Creative Scotland, acquiring a permanent new home and winning the national Thistle Award for Scotland’s Outstanding Cultural Event or Festival,” Turpin said. “After the long haul of rebuilding audiences following the pandemic, it feels like a very natural moment to pass on the baton, and I’m excited about new creative opportunities ahead.”
Cathy Agnew, chair of the Wigtown Festival Company, added: “The high regard in which Wigtown Book Town and the annual Wigtown Book Festival are held is testament to Adrian’s creative flair and inspiration. He has been the driving force behind the organisation for 20 years and his energy and enthusiasm are infectious.”
Wigtown became Scotland’s National Book Town in 1998 and the festival began the next year, with the aim of attracting visitors to the area. The organisers behind the festival are also responsible for the Wigtown Poetry Prizes and the Anne Brown Essay Prize for Scotland.
The programme for this year’s event, which will be held from 26th September to 5th October, will be announced in August.
