IT is the literary gathering that aims to shine a light on the murkier and less appealing aspects of the human character.
Now, thanks to surging demand, Bloody Scotland, the country’s leading international crime-writing festival, will be extended to four days next year.
It comes after a record 16,000 book lovers bought tickets to this year’s events. Held in Stirling over three days last month, the festival was yesterday hailed a success after events were staged in person and live online for the first time.
Festival-goers were able to hear leading authors, including Ian Rankin, Val McDermid and Chris Brookmyre discuss their latest work. The gathering also hosted conversations with global bestseller writers, which were conducted digitally and beamed to thousands of fans around the world. Among those taking part were Lee Child, Kathy Reichs and horror legend Stephen King.
Delighted organisers said the hybrid format would be repeated next year after the event “outperformed targets” and “exceeded expectations”. The festival attracted a record 16,000 paying customers online and in person from more than 30 countries, despite reducing the number of venues, events and capacities due to the coronavirus pandemic. It also extended its reach, with one-quarter (25 per cent) of physical and online visitors attending for the first time.
Bloody Scotland 2022 will be extended from three to four days, starting in Stirling on Thursday, September 15, with the traditional torchlight procession and awards presentation, and closing on Sunday, September 18.
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Director Bob McDevitt said: “This year’s Bloody Scotland managed to exceed expectations. “Within the context of what we were working in, we are very pleased with the success of this year.
“Not only did we pull off a fun physical festival, in which the people who came felt safe and enjoyed themselves, the added digital element allowed us to include more international authors -- not only big names from America like Karin Slaughter and Stephen King, but it allowed us to go into countries like Argentina, Russia and New Zealand.
“We also managed to attract a new audience of people who had never engaged with Bloody Scotland before.”
Bloody Scotland was set up by a group of Scottish authors in 2012 to provide a showcase for the best crime writing from Scotland and the world. It attracts thousands of book lovers to Stirling every September.
Held solely online in 2020, this year’s festival welcomed fans back in person but was presented as a hybrid event. The new format was designed to give festival-goers the “full-on festival experience”, while allowing authors and readers who could not attend in person the opportunity to join in.
Highlights included the announcement of the McIlvanney Prize for Scotland’s crime fiction book of the year, which was awarded to Fife-born author Craig Russell for his 15th novel, Hyde, a “modern Gothic masterpiece” set in Edinburgh. Meanwhile, international bestseller Russell became the first author to win the prestigious award twice, having previously won in 2015. The Bloody Scotland Debut Prize 2021 was won by Helensburgh-born Robbie Morrison with Edge of the Grave, a thriller set in 1930s Glasgow.
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As Bloody Scotland starts planning for the 10th Anniversary in 2022, founding chair Jenny Brown will be replaced in the role by publisher and TV presenter James Crawford. She said: “The success of the festival is down to the creativity of its directors and whole team, the dedication and energy of the board, the commitment from our partners, the enthusiasm of crime readers and, above all, the brilliant support from crime writers themselves.
“As we look forward to Bloody Scotland’s 10th Anniversary in 2022, it’s great to be handing over the chair to Jamie Crawford, with the festival in such good shape for its second decade.”
Mr Crawford, who has been on the judging panel for the McIlvanney Prize for the past two years, said he was “delighted to be joining as chair”. He added: “This is a festival that has a very strong identity and a clear and ambitious vision for the future, and I am very much looking forward to helping shape the plans for its 10th anniversary in 2022.”
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