Independent Bookshop Week Will Include Events In Brighton

The Booksellers Association has announced the line-up for this year’s Independent Bookshop Week (June 17-24).

It's the annual celebration of independent bookshops across the UK and Ireland, with Hachette as the headline sponsor.

With nearly 700 independent bookshops confirmed to take part, celebrations taking place up and down the country include a special event with IBW Ambassador Rev Richard Coles in conversation with Clare Mackintosh, a bookshop-led fundraising event for Edinburgh Dog & Cat Home, the Independent Bookshop Week children’s bag features artwork by Cressida Cowell to mark 20 years of How to Train Your Dragon, the return of the Indie Bookshop Week BookTok Tour with participating BookTokers from across the country, a full festival line-up as part of the Brighton Book Festival, and much more.

BOOKSHOP EVENTS IN BRIGHTON

Afrori Books and The Feminist Bookshop are bringing back their Brighton Book Festival (Tuesday, June 20 - Sunday, June 25), with several events during IBW including:

• “Resistance is Futile?” will take place online on Tuesday 20 June at 5:30-7pm, featuring Kajal Odedra, author of Do Something: Activism for Everyone; comedian, podcaster and author of Main Character Energy, Fats Timbo; and Vicky Spratt, journalist, documentary maker and author of Tenants: The People on the Frontline of Britain's Housing Emergency. 
• “Supper Club” - Tuesday 20 June, 7-10pm, at Afrori Books featuring Lerato sharing her cookbook Africana. 
• “Performing Our Stories” - Wednesday 21 June, 7:30-10pm, at Brighton Centre for Contemporary Arts, featuring Irenosen Okojie, Laura Bates and Helen Trevorrow. 
• “Real Life Dystopia” - online on Thursday 22 June at 5:30-7pm. 
• “Windrush 75th Anniversary Celebration” - Thursday 22 June, 7:30-10pm, at Brighton Centre for Contemporary Arts, featuring Louise Hare, Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff, Colin Grant and Roy McFarlane. 
• “Poetry Workshop” - Friday 23 June, 5-7pm, at Brighton Centre for Contemporary Arts, hosted by Roy McFarlane and AFLO. 
• “Poetry Café” - Friday 23 June, 7:30-9:30, at Brighton Centre for Contemporary Arts, hosted by Roy McFarlane and joined by Salena Godden, Nii Ayikwei Parkes and Ty’rone Haughton. 
• “Family Festival” - Saturday 24 June, 10-12:30pm, at Brighton Centre for Contemporary Arts, joined in the Afrori Books Craft team, Marvyn Harrison, Joelle Avelino, Greg Stobbs, Patrice Lawrence and Venessa Taylor. 
• “Emerging Authors Showcase” - Saturday 24 June, 1:30-3:30pm, at Brighton CCA, with debut authors across different genres. 
• “Who Cares About Education?” -  Saturday 24 June, 1:30-3pm, at Brighton CCA, with speakers including Sarah Wordlaw Natalie, Naomi Evans and Abha Aggarwal. 
• “Help Yourself” - Saturday 24 June, 3:30-5pm, at Brighton CCA, with speakers including Indie Foolheea, Maxine Mei-Fung Chung, Donna Noble and Ione Gamble. 
• “You Cannot Be Series” - Saturday 24 June, 5:30-7, at Brighton CCA, with speakers including Ore Agbaje-Williams, Maame Blue and Talia Hibbert. 
• “Boyz 2 Men” - Saturday 24 June, 8-10pm, at Brighton CCA, with speakers including Iggy London, Okechukwu Nzelu, Yomi Sode and Stephen Buoro 

 ONLINE CELEBRATIONS

Coming back for its second year, the Independent Bookshop Week BookTok Tour will see BookTokers across the UK celebrating IBW and sharing content from their favourite independent bookshop.

Participating influencers hail from Coventry, Stockport, Kirkcaldy (Scotland), Northumberland, Lincoln, Bridgend, Hertfordshire, Hertford and Norwich.

Confirmed influencers set to take part include anya.reads (73.7K followers), emilymiahreads (63.8K followers), erinsandrews (60.4K followers),whatbritreads (54.2K followers), exlibrisjessica (37.5K followers), readwithhayls (33.4K followers), readwithmeg (24.1K followers), joe.reads(22.6K followers), tiggybooks (7K followers).

Meanwhile, Bookshop.org, the online bookstore on a mission to celebrate independent bookshops in the UK, will be offering free shipping on any purchases made on the website the last weekend of IBW, Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 June 2023.

 Rev Richard Coles, said:

“One of the many enjoyable things about publishing my debut novel Murder Before Evensong last year was getting out to meet lots of independent booksellers all over the country. Seeing their amazing window displays, tables and stacks of books was so heartening – I feel very lucky! So I am excited to visit more shops this time around when A  Death In The Parish is published in June during Independent Bookshop Week.

"It takes off some months after the end of the previous book, as the parish is expanded and Canon Daniel Clement has to wrestle with a difficult new colleague.  But there’s also something going on with his mother Audrey, and then there’s the shock of a bizarre ritualistic murder in the parish, which Daniel will help to solve. Plus, cats as well as dogs this time! “

 Emma Bradshaw, Head of Campaigns at the Booksellers Association, said:

“We’re delighted to have so many incredible events confirmed for Independent Bookshop Week 2023, with many more in the pipeline. With the number of UK independent bookshops at a ten-year high, we are looking forward to celebrating this milestone, and no doubt independent booksellers will know how to make the week extra special. There will be something for everyone, so we encourage all book-lovers to make the most of this week that brings the wonderful indies together”.

 Follow the latest developments via social media: #IndieBookshopWeek @BooksAreMyBag