Wigtown Festival Company is a charitable organisation run by a voluntary committee, based in Dumfries and Galloway. They aspire to make Dumfries & Galloway a better place to be a reader and writer – a place where literature changes lives, which is especially true for young people, where research proves that young readers become more successful in life.

The organisation run a year-round, region-wide programme which includes, but is not limited to, the annual Wigtown Book Festival which takes place for 10 days each autumn; Big DoG Children’s Book Festival; mentoring for young people and adult writers; the annual Wigtown Poetry Prize and the Anne Brown Essay Prize for Scotland.

The funding provided by Cunninghame Housing Association is supporting the costs involved to hold the Big DoG Children’s Book Festival which is taking place in Dumfries and Galloway from 31st March – 2nd April 2023.

The programme includes Aardman Animations, Ellie Robinson (gold medal winning Paralympian), Allen Fatimaharan (official World Book Day Illustrator 2023), Philip Ardagh and Ross Collins who are just some of the authors who will be attending. The festival is aimed at children aged 0-13 years and their families covering the whole of Dumfries & Galloway.

The funding for the Wigtown Festival Company came from the associations “Making Our Communities Better Places Fund” which operates throughout the year (1st April to 31st March) until the allocated funding is exhausted.

Lesley Keenan, chairperson of CHA, said: “The Association are delighted to be supporting such a worthwhile event, promoting reading and writing to young people and their families, encouraging them to read together at home, possibly write their own stories and most importantly being inclusive to everyone.”