The Edinburgh International Book Festival will take place online this year after it was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
There will be more than 100 events for adults, families and children with both live and pre-recorded conversations featuring leading writers, poets and participants from around the world.
Events at the festival, which runs from Saturday, August 15 to Monday, August 31, will be free to view and available through the book festival’s own website.
READ MORE: Coronavirus in Scotland: Edinburgh Festival Fringe set to be cancelled by pandemic
Full details of the programme and participating authors will be announced at the end of July.
We are excited to announce a special online edition of @edbookfest for 2020 – 15 to 31 Aug! Watch 100+ events for adults, families and children for free on our website, featuring leading voices from around the world. Full programme announced end of July. https://t.co/vCfoeFrP6C pic.twitter.com/LwNTymwXbq
— Edinburgh Book Fest (@edbookfest) June 11, 2020
Nick Barley, director of Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “We are very excited to be presenting live online events for the first time.
“Thanks to invaluable support from the Scottish Government, Creative Scotland, the City of Edinburgh Council and many of our sponsors and donors, including Baillie Gifford, People’s Postcode Lottery and a number of generous individuals, we are in a position to experiment, to bring the essence of our wonderful festival to our loyal supporters – and new audiences – in a series of ambitious, innovative and exciting online conversations.
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“The Edinburgh International Book Festival is a crucial part of the literary year for Scottish and British writers and publishers, and we felt strongly that we needed to showcase the very best writing and ideas despite not being able to come together in Charlotte Square Gardens in Edinburgh this August.”
Information on how audiences can access the free events will be announced at the end of July.
A string of other summer festivals in Edinburgh have also been cancelled amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
The International Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Art Festival and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will no longer take place as planned in 2020.
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