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HOW THE DARTMOOR EDGE LITERARY FEST STARTED
The South Hams Authors Network was set up by historical fiction author Alison Huntingford in August 2021 when she looked around to find a local group to connect with other authors.
“It seemed that there wasn’t one,” said Alison, “so I decided the only thing to do was to start one up myself! I never expected it to take off as well as this. It has been an amazing first year.”
The South Hams Authors Network is a not-for-profit group to allow authors who are serious about publishing their work, or are already published, to exchange ideas and contacts. They hold monthly meetings in Ivybridge and occasionally Totnes. The group have flourished, having regular meetings with guest speakers, despite the continuing pandemic, as well as giving book readings in local libraries and bookshops and having a regular authors’ spot on a well-known internet radio station.
More information about the group and their activities can be found on The South Hams Authors Network Facebook page.
In 2022 Alison made a new link with the Clay Factory in Ivybridge with a view to participating in the Dartmoor Edge Creative Café sessions that run every third Saturday of the month. Regular book readings by members of the authors network have now been arranged at each of these. Alison mentioned to Jamila Hanan, social art practitioner of Artmoor Haven at The Clay Factory, that she would love to run a literary festival, and the rest is history!
Alison Huntingford, coordinator of The South Hams Authors Network and organiser of The Dartmoor Edge Literary Fest
The Clay Factory on the edge of Ivybridge and Dartmoor
Set just outside the historic market town of Ivybridge and nestled on the edge of Dartmoor, The Clay Factory is an innovative project managed by RedPod CIC and The Eddystone Trust, to turn a former industrial site into a community hub for businesses, organisations, arts, food & events. Containing endless corridors of exciting and flexible spaces overlooking impressive views of the beautiful Devon countryside; it is the ideal venue for a festival.
The free literary festival will feature authors talks, book readings and workshops, illustration, children’s activities and storytelling, competitions, poetry recitals, a raffle, book stalls and more. It promises to be a fun weekend for the whole community which supports local talent and hopes to inspire others.
“I believe that this event should be free for everyone, especially in these days of financial hardship,” Alison said. “It wouldn’t be fair if an aspiring writer, or a keen book reader, wasn’t able to attend due to the rising cost of living.”
Tickets are free but need to be booked on Eventbrite, as numbers for the talks and workshops are limited. This can be done via: http://dartmooredge.eventbrite.co.uk/
Many thanks to our sponsors, Ivor Jones Financial Planning, the South Hams District Council, Ivybridge Rotary Club and The Ivybridge Bookshop who have enabled us to cover essential costs, as well as The Eddystone Trust who are allowing us to use their space at The Clay Factory, so that we can run this event with free entry.
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