Book Week Scotland 2021 event examples

To help you with your application we've put together a few examples of the types of digital events, community activities or in-person events that you may want to explore as part of Book Week Scotland 2021.

This page is only a guide. If you have a different idea you want to explore please do. As long as it helps people experience the joys of reading in some shape or form we'll be happy! If you'd like to discuss your idea before submitting your application contact a member of the reading communities team below.

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Digital Events

The necessary shift to Digital events in 2020 allowed partners to reach new and broader audiences. Here are just a few examples of some of the unique, exciting events partners put on last year:

Scottish Poetry Library(this link will open in a new window) gave an expansive and fascinating insight into their building during Book Week. Their guided tour(this link will open in a new window) by host award winning poet, Janette Ayachi explores the history of the building, with some guest readings by fellow poets who also discuss what the building means to them.

Saraband books (this link will open in a new window)collaborated with The Bakehouse(this link will open in a new window) community arts to produce a wonderful film of readings and music for residents in care homes. Some of the contributors included Giles Brandreth, Annette Badland, Tom Pow and Gerda Stevenson. The film was made available for dozens of care homes all over Scotland, helping bring smiles to their residents' faces.

Bookbinding with Cass(this link will open in a new window) organised an online bookbinding workshop with author Julie Galante. Attendees received materials to produce their own book, along with several how-to videos and prompts on the theme of self-development and well-being.

Community Activities

Community activities allowed communities to come together in celebration of books during a difficult period last year.

Last year, our partners at Orkney College(this link will open in a new window) collaborated with St Magnus Way(this link will open in a new window) to place a number of Orcadian texts along the iconic 55-mile walk. People were encouraged to post their own responses to the texts in a series of letter boxes dotted along the walk. The submissions were then used as inspiration for a brand new poem by local author Yvonne Gray, who read her work on BBC Radio Orkney during Book Week Scotland.

KLEO(this link will open in a new window) (Kinross-shire Local Events Organisation) organised a poetry route around Loch Leven featuring work from Jackie Kay and local poets James Annandale and Graham King. They also extended their offering by working with a local children's author who produced an activity route around Kirkgate park.

In-person events

We're more than a little excited by the thought of people being able to come together in a room to hear an author speak about their work again.

Even though a traditional format can often speak for itself, don't be afraid to explore other options or include different elements to your event.

For example, is there someone you’d love to include in the conversation who isn't based in Scotland? Why not ask them to join the event digitally. Or maybe you’d like to record the event so more people can experience it after it first takes place.

Think about where you want to host your event. If your organisation is based in a city or heavily populated area could you host the event in a community centre a little further afield to engage a new audience?

We hope this has given you some ideas on the types of events or activities you could organise for Book Week Scotland 2021.