The key event in the Literature programme is Faclan: The Hebridean Book Festival. This takes place in late October, early November, beyond the equinox on the cusp of winter and is themed each year. These have included Second Sight, Belief, Pilgrimage & Journey and The Past is a Foreign Country. Almost as much a festival of ideas as literature and supplemented by a bespoke film programme, Faclan has flourished and is among the annual highlights. Among those attending over recent years have been Richard Dawkins, Jon Ronson, Jonathan Meades, Alan Johnson, Robert Macfarlane, Jenny Colgan, Dr Bernard Meehan, Jay Griffiths and Alistair Darling. While Faclan represents an intense cluster, other events take place whether in the bar or the auditorium on an ongoing basis. The Islands Book Trust are working partners and frequently present their new publications and invited authors here.
The topic for 2017 will be:
25th – 28th October 2017
In mediaeval geographies, Ultima Thule is a place beyond the borders of the known world. Nowadays, we tell ourselves that there are no borders, that there is no unknown world. Not any more. Yet we remain possessed by it: the dark hinterland, the country beyond the horizon, the idea of north, the other. For writers it’s an endless territory to explore, revisit and reinvent. Because ultimately we still need these narratives, we still need somewhere that is off the map.
Early Bird Festival Tickets went on sale in July 2017
The full programme will be announced in the summer. Join our mailing list for updates on Faclan.
For more details of previous years festivals please visit the Faclan archive
We also host a variety of literature events throughout the year including book launches, author talks and poetry readings. Please keep up to date on our latest events through our newsletter.