About Us

Brighton Book Festival exists because Afrori Books and The Feminist Bookshop – two radical bookshops in the city – came together to shake things up.

Carolynn Bain, the owner of Afrori, and Ruth Wainwright, the owner of The Feminist Bookshop, were tired of book festivals that treated marginalised creators as a sideshow rather than the main event. They wanted to create a space where writers, illustrators and other creatives from underrepresented backgrounds could be seen and heard in full. And where book lovers from all backgrounds could enjoy seeing their stories front and centre.

The first Brighton Book Festival was in 2022, and the event has only grown in size and ambition. This year will see a series of 20 fantastic events across the city during Independent Bookshop Week. So whether you’re into poetry nights with zing or fun family events, wine tasting or deep explorations of all kinds of writing, we look forward to seeing you there!