MEDIA CONTACTS:
Alison Jones Chaim
Dena Wortzel
Carrie Kilman
Wisconsin Humanities Council
608-262-0706
MADISON, WI – Oct. 18, 2011 – With support from major backers, the Wisconsin Book Festival will celebrate its 10th year as a major cultural attraction in downtown Madison, this Wednesday through Sunday, Oct. 23.
“The Book Festival would not exist without an incredibly strong and diverse community network – which is obvious by simply stepping into the Overture Center,” says Festival Director Alison Jones Chaim. “So many community groups and institutions play a role in making this happen, year after year.”
The 10th annual Wisconsin Book Festival, a program of the statewide nonprofit Wisconsin Humanities Council, received major funding from the Madison Community Foundation, the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation, and other area businesses, charitable organizations and individuals. Many organizations have supported the Festival every year since its inception – including the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission and the Friends of the UW-Madison Libraries.
“Each year, the Wisconsin Book Festival brings thousands of people to downtown Madison and pumps more than $365,000 into the local economy,” says Chaim. “Without the support of our donors and funders, we likely would be forced to close our doors, which would be a major blow to Madison’s and Wisconsin’s literary landscape. Their support is absolutely critical to creating a strong literary and cultural base that makes our community a special place to live.”
The Wisconsin Book Festival will celebrate its 10th birthday with a slate of more than 200 authors offering readings, workshops and other events over the course of five days. Throughout its decade-long history, 300 individuals and 100 companies and foundations have helped fund the Festival, turning it into the largest literary arts program in Wisconsin and one of the most successful literary arts festivals in the United States.
“The fact that so many organizations and individuals support the Book Festival says so much about Wisconsin and our commitment to arts and culture,” says Wisconsin Humanities Council Executive Director Dena Wortzel. “Their support has helped turn the Wisconsin Book Festival into an essential cornerstone of our state’s cultural identity.”
In the past 10 years, the Wisconsin Book Festival has attracted more than 1,200 authors, poets and word artists from across Wisconsin, the United States and abroad, cementing Madison’s reputation as a nationally known literary destination. In addition, Festival staff have collaborated with more than 100 community partners to make the Wisconsin Book Festival as inclusive as possible of the many communities who call Wisconsin home.
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To learn more about the Wisconsin Book Festival, or to arrange an interview with authors and/or staff, please visit us at http://www.WisconsinBookFestival.org or contact us at 608-262-0706.
