The Independent has announced a partnership with Henley Literary Festival, under which it will serve as the festival’s exclusive news partner.
The partnership will see The Independent deliver exclusive insights from the festival’s lineup of thinkers to its news audience in the UK, with Independent journalists interviewing four of the festival’s biggest names live on stage:
- Former Prime Minister Theresa May will be in conversation with Independent political journalist Simon Walters about injustice and her new book The Abuse of Power at 10am on 30 September
- Novelist Sebastian Faulks will discuss his new novel The Seventh Son with The Independent's Chief Book Critic Martin Chilton at 12pm on 30 September
- Nadine White, independent race correspondent, will interview Gary Younge about Dispatches from the Diaspora, a collection of his essays, at 8pm on 4 October
- Captain Corelli’s Mandolin author Louis De Bernieres will share his new book Light over Liskead with The Independent's Martin Chilton at 12pm on 8 October, a week ahead of its publication
The publisher says the partnership will include further exclusive editorial content, with The Independent publishing interviews and features. Its social media channels will bring news from the festival to a wider audience, and there will also be ticket giveaways.
Other names speaking at the festival include novelist Elif Shafak, George the Poet, historian Simon Schama, comedians Sara Pascoe, David Walliams and David Baddiel, and journalist Louise Minchin. The Henley Literary Festival will offer 130 conversations, performances and talks for adults and children. It will take place from Saturday 30 September to Sunday 8 October.
Jessie Thompson, The Independent's arts editor, said: "We’re thrilled to be partnering with Henley Literary Festival this year, and are proud that our journalists will host a number of events with some of the UK’s most significant writers and public figures. Our readers love great storytelling and intelligent debate, of which they will find much to enjoy at Henley – we look forward to celebrating this year’s festival with them."
Harriet Reed, Henley Literary Festival events director, said: "This year's programme has a fantastic range of brilliant names and we are delighted that The Independent has come on board as news partner this year. We believe that the brands are well aligned and there is so much that Independent readers will like at the festival."
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