NEW MINIFESTIVAL CHAMPIONS LITERARY FRINGE

Edinburgh-based literary organisers Inky Fingers have today launched the programme for their new free literary minifestival, taking place at the Forest Café 8-13 August. Featuring local publishers, international slam winners, and a huge variety of events from pop-up performances to relaxed readings, the Minifest is championing the growth of an August literary fringe. The programme is available now from http://inkyfingersedinburgh.wordpress.com.

Highlights include shows from award-winning international performance poets Sergio Garau, Daan Doeesborgh and Pete the Temp, high-energy events from Edinburgh’s Cargo Publishing and top poetry press Salt, and a whole host of local talent.

One of the minifestival organisers, Alec Beattie, said:

“It’s hugely exciting to be part of the Inky Fingers project. We’ve got big ambitions and have programmed an amazingly diverse event, with something to please everyone. And it’s great to be doing it all for free.”

“In an August increasingly dominated my major festivals and big budget venues, it’s important  to be championing the fringes of culture and providing space to those writers and performers who’d otherwise miss out. We’re very glad to be programming spoken word shows, smaller publishers and local talent – and we know our audiences will be too.”

The Inky Fingers Minifest forms part of “FringeWords”, a series of free writing, publishing and performance events taking part at Forest this summer, showcasing the best in the fringes of literary culture. These include “I Am Not A Poet”, a celebration of text in the visual arts, at the TotalKunst gallery (7th-21st), an Edinburgh zine and small press fair organised by international multimedia troupe Zorras (7th), the the final edition of the long-running literary cabaret The Golden Hour (24th).