Words by Smiley Team
Bringing marginalised artists into the spotlight, Primadonna festival will draw a wealth of talent to England’s east coast from 30 July. The line-up includes writers, performance artists, activists and more – all with the aim of promoting diversity.
Festival-goers can get writing tips from the collective 4 Brown Girls Who Write, watch TV queens Sandi Toksvig and Grace Dent live in conversation, or roll in the grass with laughter at stand-up from the likes of Rosie Wilby, Jen Ives and Ada Campe.
Author, journalist and activist Catherine Mayer came up with the idea of the festival with music executive Jane Dyball in 2019. Jane wondered aloud if there was room for a weekend that blended the vibe of a music festival with the content of a literary festival. “And before she had finished her sentence Catherine said yes!” explained festival organiser Catherine Riley.
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This year, the event will take place at the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket, Suffolk. “We know that Suffolk has a great cultural offering and we’re excited to be adding to that with our unique blend of big names and emerging talent,” Catherine said. She hopes that the festival will help make Stowmarket the “beating heart” of the region’s culture and arts scene.
Running the festival is an incredible team of 17 women, who call themselves the Primadonnas – a term they’ve reclaimed proudly as a celebration of all different kinds of women. “As a group we represent the diversity we want to see in arts and culture, and we all help feed in to what Primadonna will offer over the three days of the festival,” said Catherine.
The Primadonnas understand the barriers often faced by authors and artists who are outside of the mainstream. “All of us have had the experience of being the token person on a panel at festivals, or simply not being asked to participate at all,” she explained. “We’re creating a weekend where everyone is at the party.”
This goes for audience members, too. The festival is open to people of as many backgrounds as possible, with tickets available on a pay-what-you-can basis.
Coming from diverse backgrounds, the organisers are driven to create a space where everyone is platformed equally. For 2021, the line-up reflects this aim, featuring queer and working class creatives and women of colour.
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They also aim to uplift newbies in the publishing industry and arts sector. “We set out to democratise the publishing industry along with arts and culture more generally,” says Catherine.
Up and coming authors get the chance to meet notable publishers, with many going on to book deals. Thanks to a meeting at last year’s festival, author Louise Mumford went on to publish her dystopian psychological thriller, Sleepless.
Once the festival ends, the organisers hope attendees will take its spirit home with them. Catherine adds: “We think a joyous, inclusive space like Primadonna should be for the world, not just one weekend.”
Primadonna 2021 takes place at the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket, Suffolk. Book tickets via their website and browse the lineup here.
