Swanage is a beautiful seaside town situated on the Isle of Purbeck which hosts a wide range of festivals held throughout the year. In 2024 a local reading group, whilst sharing their love of reading, recognised that the introduction of a Literary Festival would enhance Swanage’s cultural environment and offer an event that could be enjoyed by the whole community. And so it began….
In November 2024 this vision became reality, and the Swanage Literary Festival was born, initially for one day. Its aim was twofold: to invite a range of authors to share their work and writing experiences with the wider community, and to actively involve local primary schools.
The success of this Festival led to the decision to expand the event in 2025 to two days, with more authors and the additional focus of a ‘Poetry and Performance’ evening. The schools’ programme was also extended by the involvement of the local Secondary School. It is now scheduled to be an annual event held early in November.
The Mowlem theatre is the main venue for the Festival. As well as its stunning seafront location it creates a welcoming environment, providing space for informal discussions in addition to the main presentations. The Swanage Library hosts events for children and the Swanage Bookshop is actively involved in the Festival. As a Community Interest Company the Festival is proactive in supporting the local community and welcomes engagement with a range of local businesses and organisations including Purbeck Sounds.
