Chipping Norton festival offers profit share to authors
Chipping Norton Literary Festival is to split its profits with authors in lieu of paying appearance fees.
 |
| Clare Mackintosh |
The festival, which began in 2012, has previously offered to pay authors their accommodation and travel expenses, but not an additional fee. From 2015 it will continue to pay accommodation/travel but will also offer a “co-operative” profit share arrangement.
The news was announced at an event at The Club at The Ivy in London earlier this evening (7th July).
The 2014 festival had profits in excess of £10,000, festival director Clare Mackintosh (pictured) told The Bookseller. Had a profit share scheme been in operation for this year’s festival, all authors would have been paid between £100 and £150 apiece.
Mackintosh said paying authors for appearances was “the ethical thing to do”, with the profit-share scheme placing “authors at the heart of the festival”. The arrangement means “author fees will grow in direct proportion to the success of the festival”.
Mackintosh said: “The issue of author fees is both contentious and important. Ever since the festival began we have been working towards a point where we would be able to financially recognise the work authors put into their appearances, and we’re delighted to have reached that stage within such a short time.