Hay Festival to launch in India
Bosses at the Hay Festival of Literature are poised to export the event's highly successful format to India.
Housed annually in a temporary tented city outside the picturesque village of Hay-on-Wye, mid Wales, the festival has become a phenomenon.
Up to 100,000 people are expected to visit the sprawling site to listen to the words of writers, artists and musicians at 500 events over 10 days.
Now the festival is taking its successful brand to Kerala, in south western India, with an event running from November 12 to 14.
The fledgling Indian export is a collaboration between the Hay Festival and Teamwork Productions. Together they will put on about 30 events over three full days ranging from conversations to performances.
Up to a dozen international authors, 10 leading Indian writers and 15 authors of local language will lead discussions, readings and debates.
Lyndy Cooke, executive director, Hay Festival said, "We are very excited to celebrate the Hay Festival in India. Kerala became the obvious choice for its high literacy rate and popular tourist destination. The Festival will create a platform to present Indian writing to an international audience."
Sanjoy K Roy, of Teamwork Productions said, "The Hay-on-Wye festival is an absolute delight for any book lover and we look forward to its first India edition. Besides the razzmatazz of literature, the festival will also generate and explore new ideas on arts, poetry and storytelling."
Since its launch in the mid 1980s the Hay Festival of Literature has expanded internationally and become a recognised global brand. As a not-for-profit institution it already runs the current successful mid Wales event as well as the Brecon Jazz Festival and events in London.
It now also runs events in Sergovia, Spain, Cartagena de Indias and Bogota in Colombia and last year launched events in Kenya and Beirut. Its first annual festival in Zacateca, Mexico, takes place in July with a new Maldives Festival this autumn.