Bloody Scotland to extend 2022 event as Brown steps down

After an "unprecedented" audience of 16,000 for this year’s hybrid event, Bloody Scotland crime writing festival will be extended in 2022 with James Crawford taking over from founding chair Jenny Brown.

The 2021 hybrid event ran from 17th to 19th September, and closed its virtual doors on 30th after attendees from more than 30 countries visited Stirling or tuned in for the paid-for digital programme. The festival extended its reach with approximately 25% of physical and online visitors participating for the first time.

Bloody Scotland 2022 will now start in Stirling on 15th September, with a torchlight procession and awards presentation, runing for four days to 18th September.

The event will mark its 10th anniversary in 2022, and welcome a new chair, Crawford, to the role. Brown, who is stepping down, said: "It’s been an honour to chair Bloody Scotland since the idea of a Scottish crime writing festival was just an ambitious twinkle in the eyes of co-founders Lin Anderson and Alex Gray, to the splendid internationally renowned event we have today. 

"The success of the festival is down to the creativity of its directors and whole team, the dedication and energy of the board, the commitment from our partners, the enthusiasm of crime readers and, above all, the brilliant support from crime writers themselves.  As we look forward to Bloody Scotland’s 10th Anniversary in 2022, it’s great to be handing over the chair to Jamie Crawford, with the festival in such good shape for its second decade."

Incoming chair, publisher and TV presenter Crawford, said: "Having been involved with Bloody Scotland as publisher of the Bloody Scotland book, and as judge for two years on the McIlvanney Prize, I am delighted to be joining as chair. This is a festival that has a very strong identity and a clear and ambitious vision for the future, and I am very much looking forward to helping shape the plans for its 10th anniversary in 2022."

Bob McDevitt will remain as festival director for 2022 supported by the marketing team Fiona Brownlee, Tim Donald and Jessica McGoff and the rest of the board, Abir Mukherjee, Lin Anderson, Craig Robertson, Gordon Brown, Catriona Reynolds and Muriel Robertson.