MEET JONATHON DAVIDSON
Jonathan Davidson, Chief Executive of Writing West Midlands attended Newman University to speak to us about organising, and managing the Birmingham Literature Festival (BLF). Jonathan didn’t just speak to us though; he pretty much blew our minds. To begin with, he revealed how he got to where he is today.
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Who is Jonathan Davidson?
For anyone unfamiliar with Jonathan Davidson, he organised and created the BLF 19 years ago, He began his career as a wages clerk, which developed his appreciation of money and the value of it; a quality he invested years later, when he worked in finance. However, you’re not about to read an autobiography.
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This is a story that started with a student, and a dream he wasn’t even aware of until later in life.
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At an early age, Jonathan wanted to find a way for writers to release their potential in the most engaging way. He began running a literature festival at Polytechnic University in Leicester, giving him a taste of working with prolific writers. This eventually led to his appreciation of an audience’s experience of events, which is why he now organises them for the BLF. He strives to encourage young people to run their own events through volunteering opportunities and internships. At this point, you’re probably thinking that it can’t get much better than that. It does. At 21, he ran a programme, and promoted Carol Ann Duffy (best decision he made) who ended up becoming a Poet Laureate.
POPULAR CATEGORIES
CLASSICS
ROMANCE
MYSTERY/SUSPENSE
SCI-FI & FANTASY
YOUNG ADULT
HISTORICAL FICTION
Jonathon Davidson 2016 BLF
Birmingham Literature Festival
What once started as the Birmingham Book Festival changed to the Birmingham Literature Festival five years ago, as Jonathan discovered that other forms of literature were becoming popular amongst writers. He established the legal side of the festival with a bank account and a voluntary board, leading to the BLF finally becoming a charity.
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Ideas lead the foundation of the Birmingham Literary Festival, as opposed to big name authors, and the festival has a genuine interest in internationalism. Programming of the event itself is through hunting and gathering i.e. gathering writers from other countries to speak at an event. He chooses the authors by what he believes the audience will take an interest in. The 2016 Festival was focused primarily on accents and regional dialect in the West Midlands with Liz Berry, and Benjamin Zephaniah headlining the event, “How does dialect shape your writing?” People warm towards seeing Birmingham as a city of many populations, the centre of the literary world.
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Although big literature festivals, like Hay and Cheltenham, pay more money to writers, they invest less money in the festival itself. Yet the BLF invest an equal amount to both aspects of the festival, receiving sponsorships from companies, universities, businesses, and individuals. By doing this, Jonathan believes, long-lasting relationships and connections are created. The festival itself seeks to keep expenditure low, and emphasises why volunteers are key.
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The BLF strives to be friendly and approachable to a wider audience. Being a ‘literature first’ organisation, the festival offers post event activities, talking to writers, and book signings, something you don’t often find in larger literature festivals.
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Jonathan’s advice:
Never ask permission; do what you think is right, and never wait to begin your dreams. Writers have a duty to fill a vacuum where literature is absent.