The Live Literature Consortium members are:

Gavin Barlow (co-chair), The Albany, Deptford
Annabel Turpin (co-chair), ARC, Stockton on Tees
Dee Ashworth, Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury
Jane Corry, Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Maidenhead
Louisa Davies, mac, Birmingham
Linda Graham, Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal
Paula Hammond, Merlin Theatre, Frome
Baba Israel, Contact, Manchester

The Consortium initially came together to share our experiences, and to support the development of literature within established arts venues. Throughout our five years of discussion, debate and practice, we have repeatedly returned to the same key questions:

What do we mean by live literature?

What does it include and exclude?

How is it different – for example – from theatre?

How to we talk about the artform?

How do we best describe it to audiences, to peers, to funders?

How can we stimulate critical debate around the artform?

Should there be (can there be?) a common vocabulary to describe the work?

What can artists, venues and funders do to ensure that live literature gets the recognition and exposure it deserves?

How do we bridge the gap between artists who feel their work is not seen enough in established venues and venues who feel the packages on offer are not suitable for their audiences or spaces?

What is the role of producer in this, and who are the live literature producers of today – and perhaps more importantly, tomorrow?

We can’t promise to give you the answers, but through our experience of programming, marketing and producing our own live literature work, we have begun to develop our own views and practices.