The 41st Listowel Writers' Week kicked off with the usual mix of the international and local that defies the challenging times that are in it according to Festival Chairman Sean lyons. Highlights include Patrick deWitt, Germaine Greer, Peter Taylor, Simon Armitage, John Lanchester, Helen Dunmore, Julian Gough, Aifric Campbell, Maureen Gaffney, Mary Kenny, Paul Durcan, Macdara Woods and Terry Lynch amongst others.
The festival has a programme of art exhibitions that complement the literary focus of its main events. Headlining the programme is a project by a group of North Kerry artists called 'Colourful Spirits' that promised 'exciting collaborative and cross disciplinary exhibition will see the artists exploring the links between literature and art." Sadly, this is precisesly what is lacking from a line up that includes Geraldine O’Sullivan, Liam O’Neill, Maurice Quillinan and Maurice Pierse. The emphasis seems to be on accessibility and locality. The ambition that drives the international end of literary programme is nowhere in evidence.
In hard times one has to prioritise but the lack of excitement in visual arts terms is not entirely about budgets. A little bit of imagination and curatorial dexterity could easily have delivered a programme that would complement and enhance a festival that is devoted to international literature and yet remains loyal to local traditions. Unfortunately the programme of art exhibitions, as a showcase of contemporary visual arts, comes nowhere near the quality of the literary programme at any level.
It begs the question the question, if it were a book, what would it be?
Lets start with Mills and Boon …
A caveat.
Maurice Pierse's illustration and graphic novel work offers a little glimpse of what could have been.
