Corfu Literary Festival: Culture, gastronomy and cricket!
festival
19 Jul 2019
/ 06:16
CORFU. 23 - 30 September 2019.
The Corfu Literary Festival - an island celebration of the arts - will be taking place as the summer comes to an end. The impressive programme of events in Corfu Town - including history, literature, gastronomy, culture and cricket - lasts just over a week.
The celebrated English cricket team of writers - known internationally as the Authors XI - will be returning to Corfu for a rematch with the locals. Visiting and local writers will take part in talks, discussions, poetry recitals, wine tastings, musical performances, culinary demonstrations and exhibitions.
Event participants will be able to enjoy the food and wine on offer until the sun sets and the festival organisers hope that any barriers between the writers and the public will disappear - allowing a special relationship between them to develop.
During the day the public will be able to watch the cricket or take part in a treasure hunt and in the evening they can enjoy talks by Sebastian Faulks, Sofka Zinoviev, Tom Holland on his new book 'Dominion', Elizabeth Speller, Frances Edmonds, Peter Francopan, Adam Nicolson and others.
The inaugural Corfu Literary Festival was held in 2018. It was founded by Nikos Louvros from Corfu, his British wife Annabelle and author Alex Preston to celebrate the passion the Corfiots and the British share for the arts and culture.
The Festival Founders
Annabelle Louvros
Annabelle was first introduced to Greece as a child in the 60s, when her mother was contracted to take photographs for the then emerging Greek tourism industry. Returning on holiday in the 80s, her love affair with Corfu truly blossomed and was sealed for life during her time working and living on the island. Annabelle, a Londoner, has worked in the art publishing, catering and property industries but is most inspired by working with communities and on projects outside the traditional commercial sectors.
Involved with school governance, subsidised housing and green space regeneration, she has long wished to transfer her energies and passions to realise and promote aspects of Corfu's existing array of riches to a wider audience and introduce new visitors to the place she loves. Annabelle's aim is that a celebration of the arts, both local and invited from elsewhere, in this special and beautiful place, will attract attention to Corfu in an unexpected, different and unique way.
Alex Preston
Alex Preston is the prize-winning author of three novels, including In Love and War, which was selected for BBC Radio 4’s Book at Bedtime. Alex appears regularly on BBC Radio and television. He writes for The Telegraph, Harper’s Bazaar and The Economist as well as for the Observer’s New Review. He holds a PhD on Violence in the Modern Novel from UCL and teaches Creative Writing at the University of Kent. His most recent book, As Kingfishers Catch Fire: Birds and Books, is an illustrated and visually stunning exploration of birds in literature, from Ovid to Ted Hughes. Alex nurtures a deep and abiding love of Greece and Corfu. His work is published in Greek by Papadopoulos Publishing and Alex has written a regular monthly column for Epsilon Magazine in Athens.
Nikos Louvros
Nikos Louvros, born in Corfu Town, co-founded CricketCorfu and now the Corfu Literary Festival with his wife, Annabelle. Niko is a passionate chef, traveller, event organiser and travel consultant and has lived in London for many years, never losing his affection for his home island, describing the UK as his lover but Kerkyra as his mother.
In recent difficult years, and with growing concerns over the un-sustainability of hyper tourism, Niko has devoted his time to encouraging and supporting local cultural bodies and enthusiasts to develop their existing offers and charms to the wider travelling world, and to work together and encourage a fresh cohort of visitors to the island, whilst also providing alternative potential to Corfiots themselves. There is a place for seaside holidays but Corfu is so much more - and her music, art, literature, sporting opportunities, history and food heritage, along with her natural riches and environment, need care, time protection and attention, so that all may enjoy and benefit from them.
The celebrated English cricket team of writers - known internationally as the Authors XI - will be returning to Corfu for a rematch with the locals. Visiting and local writers will take part in talks, discussions, poetry recitals, wine tastings, musical performances, culinary demonstrations and exhibitions.
Event participants will be able to enjoy the food and wine on offer until the sun sets and the festival organisers hope that any barriers between the writers and the public will disappear - allowing a special relationship between them to develop.
During the day the public will be able to watch the cricket or take part in a treasure hunt and in the evening they can enjoy talks by Sebastian Faulks, Sofka Zinoviev, Tom Holland on his new book 'Dominion', Elizabeth Speller, Frances Edmonds, Peter Francopan, Adam Nicolson and others.
The inaugural Corfu Literary Festival was held in 2018. It was founded by Nikos Louvros from Corfu, his British wife Annabelle and author Alex Preston to celebrate the passion the Corfiots and the British share for the arts and culture.
The Festival Founders
Annabelle Louvros
Annabelle was first introduced to Greece as a child in the 60s, when her mother was contracted to take photographs for the then emerging Greek tourism industry. Returning on holiday in the 80s, her love affair with Corfu truly blossomed and was sealed for life during her time working and living on the island. Annabelle, a Londoner, has worked in the art publishing, catering and property industries but is most inspired by working with communities and on projects outside the traditional commercial sectors.
Involved with school governance, subsidised housing and green space regeneration, she has long wished to transfer her energies and passions to realise and promote aspects of Corfu's existing array of riches to a wider audience and introduce new visitors to the place she loves. Annabelle's aim is that a celebration of the arts, both local and invited from elsewhere, in this special and beautiful place, will attract attention to Corfu in an unexpected, different and unique way.
Alex Preston
Alex Preston is the prize-winning author of three novels, including In Love and War, which was selected for BBC Radio 4’s Book at Bedtime. Alex appears regularly on BBC Radio and television. He writes for The Telegraph, Harper’s Bazaar and The Economist as well as for the Observer’s New Review. He holds a PhD on Violence in the Modern Novel from UCL and teaches Creative Writing at the University of Kent. His most recent book, As Kingfishers Catch Fire: Birds and Books, is an illustrated and visually stunning exploration of birds in literature, from Ovid to Ted Hughes. Alex nurtures a deep and abiding love of Greece and Corfu. His work is published in Greek by Papadopoulos Publishing and Alex has written a regular monthly column for Epsilon Magazine in Athens.
Nikos Louvros
Nikos Louvros, born in Corfu Town, co-founded CricketCorfu and now the Corfu Literary Festival with his wife, Annabelle. Niko is a passionate chef, traveller, event organiser and travel consultant and has lived in London for many years, never losing his affection for his home island, describing the UK as his lover but Kerkyra as his mother.
In recent difficult years, and with growing concerns over the un-sustainability of hyper tourism, Niko has devoted his time to encouraging and supporting local cultural bodies and enthusiasts to develop their existing offers and charms to the wider travelling world, and to work together and encourage a fresh cohort of visitors to the island, whilst also providing alternative potential to Corfiots themselves. There is a place for seaside holidays but Corfu is so much more - and her music, art, literature, sporting opportunities, history and food heritage, along with her natural riches and environment, need care, time protection and attention, so that all may enjoy and benefit from them.
