EIBF collaborates with Gutter Magazine on Freedom supplement

The Edinburgh International Book Festival and Scottish literary journal Gutter Magazine have partnered to launch The Freedom Papers, a 164 page supplement in the journal's August issue exploring the concept of freedom through the writings of more than 50 different authors around the globe.

The initiative, which has the support of the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund through Creative Scotland, saw the Book Fair commission 51 authors from 25 countries (including 13 from Scotland) to write essays exploring ideas about freedom.

A range of issues will be explored, from those affecting the LGBTQ+ community to race, religion, immigration, disability, education and technology, and in a variety of languages and genres. Eight of the writings included in the supplement are in languages other than English. Meanwhile some are polemic, some are fictional narratives, some are poems and two are illustrations - one of which from Iranian illustrator Ehsan Abdollahi, who hit headlines after successfully battling to overturn a visa ban to appear at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Part of the Book Festival's commissioning team, its Year of Young People co-programmers commissioned five of the essays including from Paralympian Ade Adepitan, Cat Clarke and Jordanian writer Joud Al-Mabaydin.

Nick Barley, director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, paid tribute to the Scottish literary magazine and its team for turning the idea for the Freedom Papers into "a beautiful but urgent document". In return he said that he hoped the Book Festival could help Gutter to reach new international audiences.

Barley said of the writers involved: "Together they demonstrate starkly that ‘freedom’ is an important but highly contested issue, no matter where in the world you happen to live."

Henry Bell, editor of Gutter, added: "The Freedom Papers have been a thrilling opportunity to explore writers and ideas from around the world and bring them together with Gutter Magazine. Since re-launching as an independent cooperative, Gutter has been committed to publishing the best new Scottish and International writing and looking for work that bursts the boundaries of politics, style and form. This collaboration with the Edinburgh International Book Festival has been a wonderful vote of confidence in that vision."

A number of the commissioned authors will be appearing at the Book Festival in August, including Hawa Jande Golakai from Liberia, Iraqi writer Shahad Al Rawi, Australian Bruce Pascoe, Yaba Badoe from Ghana and Scotland’s Aminatta Forna. The Book Festival’s celebration of the Freedom Papers will culminate on 27th August with the Freedom Finale, an event featuring readings of a number of the papers in a narrative steered by Gavin Francis and Esa Aldegheri.  They will be accompanied by a live performance of a musical score specially commissioned to accompany the papers by composer Danny Krass and bassist Seth Bennett, Luke Sutherland, novelist, playwright and guitarist formerly of Mogwai, violinist Gavin Marwick, Ghanian-born percussionist Gameli Tordzro and a pre-recorded performance from Muthoni Drummer Queen from Kenya with readings from actors Collete Dalal Tchantcho and Joanna Tope.

The August issue of Gutter Magazine, together with the Freedom Papers supplement, will go on sale in the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s bookshops on George Street from Saturday (4th August) and in Charlotte Square Gardens branch one week on (11th August). Five of the Freedom Papers will be featured on BBC Radio 4 from Monday 20th August at 9.45am.