How we are safely welcoming live audiences back for Liverpool Literary Festival 2021

With students now returning, the University of Liverpool’s campus is regaining its vibrancy and we can’t wait to welcome live audiences back to Victoria Gallery & Museum (VG&M) for this year’s Liverpool Literary Festival.

To prepare for the new Autumn term, University chiefs have been working hard to make this corner of Liverpool among the safest places as we all emerge from more than 18 months of restrictions, and start exploring again.

We have on-campus testing available for free, and we are even helping provide vaccines on the spot to all who require one.

The vast majority of the events at Liverpool Literary Festival 2021 will take place in the University’s iconic VG&M but to help ensure fluidity between shows, we are hosting some in the nearby Central Teaching Hub. This should significantly reduce the likelihood of crowding, as people arrive for one event and leave from another.

The venue location will also be thoroughly cleaned after each showcase in the programme.

And, although Government legislation has changed, the University is asking all visitors to wear face coverings while inside University buildings. We will have spares available in case you forget yours, and hand sanitiser will be in plentiful supply.

All of our event locations are operating at a maximum of 50% capacity for the festival, so social distancing should occur without effort. There will be staff and volunteers available throughout, to help you find an appropriate seat and ensure the spacing during the event is as safe as possible.

We will also have some windows open in the venue, to allow for free air circulation and to improve ventilation, whilst still maintaining an ambient temperature for all who attend.

Even our book signings will be covid-secure. Our friends over at Blackwell’s will have a stand set up at the festival, with works by each of our writers available for purchase.

Authors will sign behind Perspex glass for safety, with masked and gloved Blackwell’s staff passing the signed books back to customers – we’ll even have spare gloves available for anyone who requires them!

So, head over to https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/literary-festival/ to book your tickets in confidence – we can’t wait to see you!

Liverpool Literary Festival takes place from October 8 – 10 2021 and is sponsored by Bruntwood and Student Roost.